Chad, a landlocked country in Central Africa, is a vast territory divided into three major climatic zones, including the Sudanian zone in the south, characterized by an estimated annual rainfall of over 1,000 mm, making it ideal for agricultural activities, despite increasing variability in rainfall over time and space, leading to lower production in these zones. Agriculture remains a key sector for the Chadian economy, employing over 80% of Chadians, mainly in rural areas, and contributing 54% of GDP in 2021, although the sector's potential is not fully exploited. Like most other economic sectors, agriculture is largely informal and not very productive. The high poverty rate in rural areas, where the population is heavily dependent on agriculture for its income, illustrates the low productivity of this sector. This low productivity of the sector could be explained by several factors, including the low level of structuring of producers individually and in groups, the low rate of access to means of production and product processing, the low rate of access to markets and financing, and land degradation.
With the aim of contributing to effective, integrated solutions to the above challenges faced by rural populations in southern Chad, IDH and a number of partners, including Job Booster Chad, are working towards a shared vision of sustainable development for the regions of southern Chad, creating a strong link between the regeneration and protection of natural resources and economic prosperity. With this in mind, IDH has enlisted the services of the social enterprise Job Booster Chad to support (aspiring) rural entrepreneurs in the development of sustainable agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises with viable business models providing agricultural and non-agricultural services/products locally.
Job Booster Chad Entreprise's services under this project cover the provinces of Mayo-Kebbi Est and Logone Occidental. For a one-year pilot period, Job Booster Chad Entreprise will support at least 100 agricultural and non-agricultural entrepreneurs in these provinces to create and establish sustainable micro-businesses that create wealth and employment, while respecting the environment.
About IDH
IDH is an organization that convenes, co-creates, and co-finances inclusive and sustainable market-based solutions that create value for people and the planet. To catalyze change at scale, IDH empowers people in business, the global financial sector, and government. Headquartered in the Netherlands, IDH has approximately 380 employees worldwide, operating in 20 landscapes and 12 product and supply regions with over 1,000 public and private partners. In 14 years of operation, IDH has catalyzed more than €390 million in private sector investment and support for new business models that create better jobs, incomes, environments and gender equality for all.
