Economic Development and Food Security (EDFS)
Advancing Sustainable Livelihoods and Resilient Food Systems
Ensuring economic stability and food security is fundamental to fostering resilient and thriving communities. NCA’s thematic focus on Economic Development and Food Security (EDFS) is therefore a cornerstone of NCA’s commitment to sustainable development, addressing the pressing challenges of poverty, food insecurity, and climate vulnerability. NCA’s EDFS strategy integrates humanitarian relief, long-term development, and targeted advocacy to enhance livelihoods, promote inclusive economic growth, and fortify food systems against external shocks. By equipping small-scale producers with the necessary inputs and knowledge about climate-smart agricultural practices, financial tools and market access, NCA empowers people to break the cycle of poverty and achieve long-term food sovereignty.
In 2024, we helped more than
202.000
of small scale farmers applying climate smart agriculture.
In 2024, we helped more than
28.000
people significantly increased their income through improved productivity and market access.
Related Sustainable Development Goals
Key Challenges and Structural Barriers
Widespread Poverty and Economic Disparities
Limited access to financial services, training, and market opportunities disproportionately affects small-scale producers and service providers, preventing them from securing a sustainable income.
Escalating Food Insecurity
Unstable food production, supply chain disruptions, and inequitable distribution mechanisms contribute to seasonal and chronic food shortages, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition.
Climate Change and Environmental Degradation
Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and degradation of ecosystem services (water, productive land and healthy soil, biodiversity, etc.) pose significant threats to agricultural productivity, jeopardizing food security and economic stability.
Conflict
Conflict may disrupt agricultural production, displaces communities, and destabilise markets, leading to food insecurity and reduced economic growth.
Systemic Gender Inequality and Social Exclusion
Women, youth, and marginalised groups face entrenched barriers to land ownership, economic participation, and decision-making in food systems, limiting their ability to build resilient livelihoods.
Fragmented Market Linkages and Infrastructure Deficiencies
Small-scale producers often struggle to integrate into formal markets, access competitive pricing, and scale their businesses due to inadequate infrastructure and weak value chains.
NCA’s Strategic Approach: Save Lives, Build Resilience, Seek Justice
Save Lives: Addressing Immediate Food Security Needs and Economic Vulnerability
NCA provides life-saving support to communities facing acute food insecurity and economic distress due to conflict, climate-induced disasters, and economic shocks. Our humanitarian interventions prioritise:
- Emergency food assistance and cash-based transfers to ensure immediate access to nutritious food.
- Climate-adaptive agricultural inputs such as drought-resistant seeds and sustainable irrigation technologies to restore food production in crisis-affected areas.
- Livelihood recovery programs, including support for displaced populations and vulnerable groups to re-establish economic activities.
- Protection-focused interventions, ensuring that marginalised groups, especially women and children, have access to food and economic opportunities without exposure to exploitation or violence.
Seek Justice: Advocating for Systemic Change and Economic Inclusion
Addressing the root causes of food insecurity and economic marginalisation requires targeted advocacy and policy reform. NCA seeks justice by:
- Influencing policy reforms to secure land tenure rights, promote fair trade, and enhance social protections for vulnerable populations.
- Advocating for gender-inclusive economic policies that ensure women and marginalised groups have equal access to resources and decision-making power.
- Challenging structural barriers that prevent small-scale producers from participating in fair and sustainable markets.
- Engaging with global and national policymakers to integrate food security and economic resilience into development frameworks.
- Leveraging faith-based networks to advocate for ethical and sustainable economic policies at both local and international levels.
Equitable Partnerships for Locally Led Development
At the core of NCA’s work is a strong belief in equitable partnerships that harness the expertise, resources, and networks of diverse stakeholders. By working collaboratively with local actors, international partners, and private sector players, NCA fosters a holistic and sustainable approach to economic development and food security.
NCA collaborates with faith-based organisations and civil society actors to amplify local voices and ensure that development efforts align with community needs. Through these partnerships, we:
- Support community-led initiatives that drive economic empowerment and food security solutions.
- Enhance local capacities in advocacy, governance, and program implementation.
- Ensure cultural and religious sensitivity in economic development and food security interventions.
Policy engagement is critical to achieving sustainable food security and economic justice. NCA works with governments and policymakers to:
- Advocate for inclusive economic policies that prioritise the needs of small-scale producers and vulnerable populations.
- Strengthen national frameworks for food security, climate resilience, and financial inclusion.
- Align local initiatives with national and international development goals.
Public-private partnerships play a crucial role in expanding market opportunities and financial access for small-scale producers. NCA collaborates with private sector actors to:
- Facilitate access to credit, savings, and insurance solutions tailored to smallholder farmers and micro-entrepreneurs.
- Promote sustainable value chain development that links producers to local and international markets.
- Introduce innovative technologies and business models that enhance productivity and sustainability.
By aligning with global development actors, NCA ensures that its interventions are scalable, evidence-based, and aligned with international best practices. Our partnerships with international NGOs and donor agencies focus on:
- Knowledge-sharing and capacity-building to strengthen food security and economic empowerment initiatives.
- Coordinated humanitarian responses that maximize efficiency and impact.
- Generate learning and evidence-based programming.
- Joint advocacy efforts to influence global food security policies and funding priorities.
Transforming Lives through Economic Empowerment and Food Security
Through a multidimensional approach that integrates immediate relief, sustainable development, and policy advocacy, NCA is committed to fostering resilient communities where economic empowerment and food security are fundamental rights rather than privileges. By addressing structural challenges and leveraging strategic partnerships, we are driving meaningful, lasting change toward a future where all individuals have the resources, opportunities, and agency to thrive.
This work is not just about providing immediate assistance; it is about empowering communities to define their own futures, breaking cycles of poverty, and creating a just and sustainable food system for generations to come.
Result cases
What if smallholders, representing 7 out 10 of the world’s poor, could permanently escape poverty in less than a year?
Smallholders supply 70% of overall food production, and yet many smallholders still suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition. The demand for food in Sub Sahara Africa is expected to triple before 2050. An overarching question of NCA is how can smallholders earn more money and get out of poverty? Micro Investing is emerging as one of the most attractive approaches NCA has tested in the programme period, as it:
- is relevant to a large portion of the population in the poorest countries
- is market-based and allows NCA to take a limited and catalytic role
- leads to rural economic development and new opportunities for women and youth
- incorporates climate smart agriculture
So, what is Micro Investing? Through the introduction of drip irrigation and industrial plant nutrition, and by switching to crops that give continuous supply with limited processing and logistics, they increase their income while using less land and water. The practice is environmentally sustainable and climate smart. The programme is called ‘Micro Investing’ as it is based on savings to support self-sustainable growth from the start. No hand-outs or soft credit is offered. They are approached as customers and self-select into the programme.
Micro Investing has been developed and tested in NCA’s programes in Tanzania and Malawi and has created avenues for self-employment and contributed to equitable distribution of incomes and reduction of poverty. Micro Investing has proven to help poor smallholders lift themselves of poverty more effectively than for example through micro-finance. The affordable investment of around USD 10 has enabled most vulnerable households to increase their incomes beyond the poverty threshold of $1.75 per day. The Micro Investing methodology has also been tested at a small scale in Burundi, Somalia, Sudan and Zambia, and is planned to be rolled out and scaled up in a number of NCA’s programme countries in the coming years.