Gire Farmers’ Development Association (GFDA)

Country: Sudan
Address: Ombasi, Yei River County, Central Equatoria State
Telephone: +256 477 137 375/+249 955 018 065
Fax:
Email: gire.association@yahoo.com
www:
Contact person: Samuel Bidal Ganya, director

Theme: Building Local Democracy

Gire Farmers’ Development Association (GFDA) is a non-profit and non-governmental indigenous organisation of the peasant farmers’ community of Ombasi. GFDA was founded 28 February 2005 as an umbrella community based organisation as an attempt to overcome poverty and diseases in the area. Hence, GFDA’s mission is to increase productivity and raise economic growth of the farmers of Ombasi fostering self-reliance through good planning, hard work and better management systems.

Objectives

• Make the community able to participate and uphold their rights and obligations
• Improve the community’s access to information
• Promote peace through reconciliation and restore broken relationships
• Enhance the farmers’ capacity to think and decide for themselves
• Boost agricultural production through improved farming methods
• Increase income in the area and thereby improve living conditions
• Ensure the moral dimension of the culture of our people
• Provide life skills development for the youth and women
• Combat HIV/AIDS, STDs and other diseases
• Improve the standard of education
• Conserve the environment

Activities

• GFDA heads the umbrella network of three other community based groups: (1) Ombasi Community Information Centre, (2) Ombasi Women Association and (3) The Dynamic Youth Group
• Civic and voter education through use of community dialogue, public debates, drama and puppetry performances
• Trainings for women and youth groups
• Library services
• DSTV with news channels
• Forum theatre
• Distribution of tools and seeds to farmer groups
• Provision of agricultural extension services to farmers
• Advocacy with local authorities and institutions on community needs and concerns