Kaloko Trust

Most rural households experience acute and chronic food deficits, particularly during the months of December – March, when the previous season’s harvests have been consumed and the current season’s are being cultivated. This poor level of agricultural productivity is due to a number of constraints. The short and chronically erratic summer wet season is the only opportunity for many subsistence farmers to grow food crops. 

 

The schedule and workload for field preparation and sowing of arable crops is very tight which places intense pressure on families and labour during that period. All of this labour is undertaken against a background of endemic human diseases, particularly malaria and HIV/AIDS, in an area where availability of medical treatment is sparse and rudimentary. This level of infection further undermines household food security through loss of labour, declining production and the increased needs of infected people.

 

Kaloko Trust is a UK-based charity which works to relieve poverty and raise livelihoods in rural communities in Zambia, southern Africa. It does this by helping to develop local agriculture and income generation, through self-help programmes, and by encouraging the environmentally sustainable use of natural resources.

 

Kaloko Trust works to advance education and promote healthcare in rural communities through improving access to schools, health clinics and clean drinking water. They work with the local communities to help them improve their lives in a sustainable and lasting way.

Their work is broken down into various programmes. However, there is much overlap in the programmes, as they believe that in order to improve lives a holistic approach to problems is needed at the grassroots level. Hence Kaloko works by offering a range of complementary services and support to one geographical area, rather than one service (e.g. education) spread across many different regions. 
 

Agricultural Training & Development: Improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by helping to develop agricultural production and increasing access to markets and services.

Natural Resource Management: Helping rural communities to improve access to water and to make more sustainable use of local forests.

Community Social Development: Working in partnership with rural communities and the Zambian government to provide education, promote healthcare and address the issue of HIV/AIDS.

Enterprise Development: Helping to develop local enterprises that add value to local produce, generate income, raise skill levels, provide employment and support local economic activity.

 

To find out more about Koloko Trust's amazing work please click here