IRISH AID

Supporting Self Help Africa to end
hunger and poverty

ZAMBIA

Developing sustainable food systems and sustainable landscapes in drought-affected and food insecure districts. 

MALAWI

SPEAR project promoting Sustainable Production, Economic growth, Accountability and Resilience.

UGANDA

Sustainable food for all, sustainable landscapes and resilient livelihoods.

ETHIOPIA

Building regenerative and inclusive and sustainable food systems, and transforming smallholder dairy producers through promoting a climate-smart dairy value chain.

KENYA

Promoting sustainable food systems through the Cassava Market Access project.

IRISH AID
working together with
Self Help Africa

At Self Help Africa, our vision is for sustainable livelihoods and healthy lives for all in a changing climate.

But we can’t achieve this on our own. Meaningful partnership is central to our approach. The work of Self Help Africa is made possible in large part thanks to backing received from Irish Aid. Together, we are lifting hundreds of thousands of rural poor farming families out of hunger, malnutrition and extreme poverty.

Irish Aid is the Irish Government's programme for overseas development. The work of Irish Aid is funded by Irish taxpayers through a proportion of Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA).  Irish Aid's work is guided by policies - including the Africa Strategy to 2025 - which put the fight against global hunger and poverty at the heart of Ireland's foreign policy.

This global fight is one that Self Help Africa are proud to be part of - reaching the furthest behind first in our work. Thanks to Irish Aid's support, we are working with hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers to change the lives of their families.

In 2024, Irish Aid funding is supporting the implementation of ten projects in seven countries - Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.

Irish Aid also enables Self Help Africa to implement a Development Education programme that reaches more than 100 post-primary schools, and is currently supporting teacher training, and introducing Development Education to the community and adult sectors.

EXAMPLES OF self help africa and irish aid WORKING TOGETHER:

Uganda: sustainable food
for all

  • Picture of members of a VSLA meeting in Adjumani district
  • Irish Aid is improving refugee smallholders' access to improved seeds and agricultural inputs.

    Out of 952 participants in Adjumani, 44% are refugees, demonstrating the project's strong commitment to including displaced populations, with a focus on women and young people.

Malawi: sUSTAINABLE pRODUCTION, Economic Growth, Accountability and Resilience (SPEAR)

  • Farmer in his field, Dezda district
  • Communities, cooperatives, authorities and businesses working together to improve food and livelihood security for those vulnerable to climate change.

    Farmers in Dedza district have planted potatoes, soya, maize and beans in winter for the first time here thanks to a new irrigation system.

Zambia: Preserve Kafue

  • Increasing farm yields and incomes for communities, while supporting vital restoration of some of Zambia’s most important wetland areas.

    Communities are adopting conservation agriculture methods to ensure a balance between economic and ecological considerations in managing the natural environment.

ETHIOPIA:
Transforming Smallholder Dairy Producers

  • Transforming smallholder dairy producers through the promotion of climate-smart dairy value chains. 

    This project supports an increase in dairy productivity through adoption of climate-smart practices, breed improvement, availability of timely extension services, and promotion of livestock businesses.

THE REACH OF IRISH AID

Self Help Africa is currently implementing dozens of development projects across Africa. Irish Aid is providing backing to 10 of these.

Below is a list of the African project countries where we are working in close collaboration with Irish Aid.

Ethiopia: Learn more about our projects here

Uganda: Learn more about our projects here

Kenya: Learn more about our projects here

Zambia: Learn more about our projects here

Malawi: Learn more about our projects here

West Africa: Learn more about our projects here

For a full list of our development projects and a full-breakdown of the activities being supported by Irish Aid, read our most recent annual report.