CRD and Its Vision
‘There is no trade-off between feeding people and saving our planet…Food security and climate change, humanity’s two greatest challenges in the 21st century, are inextricably linked.’
Kanayo Nwanze, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
The Centre for Rural Development (CRD), was formed in 2011 as a Ugandan-based non-governmental, non-profit organization. The overall vision of CRD is to create sustainable agricultural and ecological communities through programs that utilize climate-centered methodologies to promote integrated agricultural/land use practices and environmental conservation. Current work is focused on five villages in SW Uganda.
The Centre for Rural Development – Africa (www.CRDAfrica.org) is a US-based non-profit organization (501c3) created in 2012 to directly support the work in East Africa. CRD-Africa seeks to cultivate and develop lasting relationships with individuals, corporations and foundations interested in assisting CRD to deepen their programs and scale up to reach a larger population.
CRD focuses on community-based projects that improve the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers and their families; improving agricultural production, diversifying their economic base, enhancing biodiversity and protecting the regions natural resources. Our focus is farm-based trainings that transfer knowledge and skills to households and villagers. Our methodology is entirely participatory; the local communities, themselves, identify their issues and capabilities and help design and implement solutions.
Mission Statement: (What do we do and for whom)
“To build sustainable agricultural and ecological communities through integrated agriculture, environmental conservation and climate adaptive interventions and by strengthening adaptive capacity and resilience.
Goals & Objectives: (Primary headings)
Agriculture, Land Use and Natural Resource Protection:
- To promote sustainable agricultural/land use practices,
- To increase and diversify rural family incomes,
- To promote village-based master planning,
- To promote conservation and protection of the natural environment and biodiversity,
Climate Change Adaptation, Low Carbon Development and Renewable Energy Technologies:
- To promote appropriate climate change mitigation and adaption measures,
- To advance low carbon development pathways and renewable energy technologies.