The aftermath of long-standing armed conflict as well as continued banditry in the northern part of the Central African Republic has produced an economic context fraught with weaknesses in terms of the population’s access to, e.g., education, services and energy. Taking this into account, the Danish Refugee Council has developed an integrated approach in order to restart and diversify the income generating activities, which are essential for providing livelihoods. In this regard, DRC has special focus on women who play a key role in producing food and securing sustenance.

The women assisted by DRC have needs on multiple dimensions, reflecting the area’s profound lack of services and hence the women’s lack of capital in four particular areas:

• Economic capital: The women lack access to productive assets, such as tools, machinery and infrastructure, including energy provision, which are key elements for boosting their productive capacity.
• Financial capital: Without access to funds, the women find themselves unable to make investments in production and starting up businesses.
• Social capital: Many farmers and small traders are isolated from other community members as well as from markets. This lack of networks and of the ability to engage in collective action undermines the farmers’ ability to obtain market information and understanding value creation processes.
• Human capital: The devastation of the educational system and the lack of state extension services mean farmers lack knowledge on issues ranging from numeracy and basic business to improved farming skills.

DRC has developed four types of actions to promote durable solutions to these challenges confronting women and other vulnerable groups such as youth in northern CAR:

• Providing assets (equipments, tools, raw material) and sources of energy managed by the local community in the shape of so-called multi-functional platforms.
• Promoting saving groups (so-called Tontines) and the establishment of partnerships with already existing microfinance institutions to facilitate access to savings and loans for women and farmer groups.
• Supporting women groups and their organization into unions and networks by sector in order to develop collective action and strengthen their ability to create value from their position in the value chain.
• Conducting multi-sector training sessions, promoting adult literacy and setting up durable Training Centres to ensure long-term training with local and state partners.