Agriculture, Markets and Food Systems: Kachin and Northern Shan State 2019 – 2023.

Since 2014 LIFT has invested approximately $6.6 million within the agricultural sector that targets Kachin and Northern Shan States. This has included extension activities, adding value to primary products (i.e. groundnut and mustard) through farmer led value chain development, the promotion and registration of community forest groups, small grant funding to civil society organizations (CSOs) at the Township level to strengthen food security,  and the provision of pro-poor financial services. The current call complements the earlier Kachin and Northern Shan[1] call for proposals by incorporating an agricultural component into the overall Programme. This call is confined to the Agriculture, Markets and Food Systems (AMFS) Theme and will focus on creating greater market opportunities for agricultural products within the face of increasing climate variability and change that contribute to improvements in the livelihoods and food/nutrition security of rural communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kachin and Northern Shan States. The proposed activities should start no later than March 2020 and end before April 2023.

As emphasised in the recently refreshed strategy[2] for 2019-2023:

• LIFT will focus on inclusion and social cohesion in the next five years, with a strengthened emphasis on people with disabilities, women, and those vulnerable to trafficking.
• LIFT will have an increased geographical focus on the ethnic/border states and conflict affected areas in order to support more sustainable and predictable approaches to poverty and hunger reduction for communities in protracted crises, conflict-affected and marginal areas.
• LIFT will bring refugees and displaced people into the core of its development programmes by supporting the humanitarian to development transition and assisting displaced persons secure decent jobs and income.