For millions of households, securing a daily meal means navigating rising costs, disrupted livelihoods and repeated crises. Food insecurity remains one of the world’s most persistent humanitarian and development challenges.
Although global hunger has declined in recent years, progress remains far behind the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. An estimated 645 million people faced hunger in 2025, while approximately 2.7 billion people worldwide could not afford a healthy diet.
The 2026 Global Hunger Index points to a concerning reversal in progress against hunger. Its score is higher than in 2018, interrupting the improvement recorded since 2000. Based on data from 2021 to 2025, the findings reflect the combined impact of conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks.
These pressures reinforce one another. Conflict and displacement disrupt livelihoods and markets, climate shocks undermine agricultural production, and high prices erode household purchasing power while increasing the cost of agricultural inputs. At the same time, humanitarian funding is under pressure, making it harder to respond to growing needs.
For organisations working on food security, addressing immediate food shortages alone is therefore insufficient. Responses must meet urgent needs while strengthening people’s ability to withstand future shocks.
Food insecurity is about access, not only availability
Global food supplies may be broadly adequate, but this does not automatically translate into food security. According to the World Bank, global commodity prices rose in 2026, including prices for cereals, maize and wheat. Low- and lower-middle-income countries continue to face significant food-price pressures.
Availability does not guarantee access: even where markets have sufficient food, declining incomes or rising prices can put adequate, nutritious food beyond households’ reach.
‘South Sudan depends on food imports. Rising transport costs are making food and other products more expensive and unaffordable for many South Sudanese people.’
Jitendra Panda, Country Director ZOA Dorcas South Sudan
Smallholder farmers are under pressure from two sides. Higher input costs can force those with limited savings to cultivate less land, which reduces harvests and income. Meanwhile, rising food prices make it harder for them to meet their households’ food needs.
Conflict, climate and economic pressure converge
Conflict remains a major driver of acute food insecurity. It can displace people, restrict access to land and productive assets, disrupt markets and income opportunities, and constrain humanitarian access.
In Yemen, more than a decade of conflict has left people facing overlapping threats to their basic needs. ‘People in Yemen are severely affected by conflict, displacement, economic decline and successive crises,’ says José Salema, Country Director of Dorcas Yemen. ‘People barely have any access to food, clean water, healthcare and essential support.’
In South Sudan, conflict, displacement, high food prices, constrained humanitarian access and funding shortfalls reinforce one another, according to the IPC analysis. Between April and July 2026, an estimated 7.8 million people experienced acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse (IPC Phase 3 or above). This included some 2.5 million people classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and around 73,000 classified in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5).
Climate variability can further undermine livelihoods by reducing agricultural production through drought, flooding and erratic rainfall. For households with limited financial buffers, successive shocks can rapidly erode their ability to cope.
El Niño, a naturally occurring climate pattern altering rainfall and temperature, adds different risks across regions. Forecasts indicate that southern Africa will experience below-average rainfall during the rainy season from October to March in 2026/27, while parts of the Horn of Africa will face an increased risk of flooding and heavy rainfall from October to December in 2026.
Reduced harvests and lost income can leave households with fewer resources during the following lean season, so food security impacts may emerge months later. Although local impacts remain uncertain, these forecasts offer an opportunity to prepare before needs intensify.
From crisis response to stronger livelihoods
Food insecurity’s scale and complexity require different interventions. The IPC framework distinguishes acute food insecurity, chronic food insecurity and acute malnutrition, each requiring a different response. For Dorcas, this means providing immediate assistance alongside support for food production and income generation throughout the food security and livelihoods spectrum.
Meeting immediate needs
In humanitarian crises caused by conflict, displacement or natural hazards, households may suddenly lose access to food and income. Dorcas provides food or cash assistance so people can meet essential needs during the most critical period.
Cash-based support can be particularly relevant where markets continue to function but households in vulnerable circumstances have lost purchasing power. Where access to food is disrupted, direct food assistance may be required.
Emergency assistance protects lives, prevents further deterioration and supports recovery by enabling households to avoid coping strategies that could further undermine their livelihoods.
Strengthening food production
Where agriculture is central to household livelihoods, Dorcas supports people to grow their own food by providing seeds and tools and strengthening agricultural knowledge and skills through climate-smart agriculture.
For smallholder farmers facing unpredictable weather and rising input costs, climate-smart agricultural practices can help them adapt to changing conditions and better withstand climate-related shocks. This strengthens food production and access to food while protecting an important source of household income and building longer-term resilience.
Strengthening livelihoods and income
Food security depends on both what households can grow and what they can afford. Dorcas therefore supports people to develop marketable skills and income-generating activities, combining vocational training with support in entrepreneurship, marketing and financial management.
This strengthens people’s ability to earn income and access food through local markets. Longer-term, diverse and resilient livelihoods can reduce vulnerability to individual shocks, particularly for households heavily dependent on a single income source.
Connecting humanitarian response and long-term resilience
As humanitarian funding declines, meeting immediate food needs is becoming increasingly difficult. According to the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2026, an independent analysis of global humanitarian financing, international humanitarian funding fell by almost a third between 2023 and 2025.
The World Food Programme (WFP) provides a concrete example of what this decline means in practice. In July 2025, it warned that a projected 34 per cent funding shortfall compared with 2024 could leave up to 16.7 million people without emergency food assistance. This illustrates how funding constraints can limit the reach of emergency responses, even as food needs remain high.
Emergency assistance is essential when people cannot meet their basic food needs. At the same time, long-term investment in food production and livelihoods is key to strengthening food security and supporting households to withstand future shocks
Dorcas combines both approaches: responding to today’s hunger while reducing vulnerability to tomorrow’s crises. By connecting these approaches, we work towards a future in which more people can meet their food needs today and are better equipped to withstand tomorrow’s challenges.
Stand with families facing food insecurity
Rising oil prices are often felt first at the petrol station, yet their impact reaches far beyond the cost of fuel. Energy is embedded throughout food systems: it is needed to produce fertiliser, move seeds and harvests, store food and connect farmers to markets. When oil and gas prices rise, the cost of agricultural inputs and food distribution rises with them.
For households already affected by drought, conflict, poverty and high food prices, these pressures can deepen food insecurity. Understanding the links between energy, fertiliser and food prices is therefore essential for anticipating risks and strengthening resilience before a crisis becomes acute.
How rising energy prices affect food systems
The crisis in the Middle East created great uncertainty in 2026 around the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for oil, gas and fertiliser. Experts warned that disruption to this route could have significant consequences. According to the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), up to 30 per cent of internationally traded fertiliser normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Food production is often associated with rainfall, land and harvests. Yet gas and fuel are also key. Gas is essential for producing widely used nitrogen fertilisers, while fuel is required for transporting seeds, fertiliser and harvests. A small-scale farmer in Ethiopia, Kenya or Tanzania may not use a large tractor, but may still depend on a water pump, transport to market and access to agricultural inputs.
Why higher fertiliser costs can affect future harvests
Fertiliser gives crops the nutrients they need to grow well and enables farmers to produce more food from the land available to them. When fertiliser becomes more expensive, small-scale farmers with limited financial reserves face difficult choices: they may buy less, apply it to a smaller part of their land or cultivate less land altogether.
Because these decisions are made before sowing, the consequences often only become visible months later, when harvests are lower. For farmers in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania, higher fertiliser prices can affect farm productivity, household food security and income. Experts warn that pressure on fertiliser markets may be felt into 2027, making early action important before food shortages become acute. If a poor harvest is followed by drought, further food price increases or another shock, household reserves can be depleted quickly.
Where rising costs hit hardest
The impact is likely to be greatest where households already struggle to afford enough food and have little capacity to absorb further price increases. In Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, many households are affected by conflict, poverty and high food prices. Further increases in fuel, transport or fertiliser costs can place additional pressure on already limited budgets.
In Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania, many households depend on small-scale farming, livestock or temporary work. Their resilience is shaped not only by market prices, but also by increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Drought can be followed by heavy rain or flooding, making it harder for farmers to produce enough food and maintain income.
When food becomes more expensive, households may buy less or switch to cheaper products, resulting in smaller and less varied meals. Young children are particularly at risk of malnutrition because they need healthy and varied diets to grow well. Households may also have less money available for school, healthcare and other essentials. Some may sell livestock or tools to buy food, weakening the assets they need to earn an income in the future.
Kenya: when climate and market pressures converge
Kenya illustrates how climate and market pressures can reinforce one another. In early 2026, many parts of the country finally received rain, but the timing and distribution were uneven. In several important agricultural areas, the rains stopped too early, just when maize needed water. Many households had also not yet recovered from previous droughts, having already lost livestock, savings or food stocks.
At the same time, fuel prices rose quickly. In June 2026, country information indicated that petrol was 20 per cent more expensive than in March, while diesel was 34 per cent more expensive. In Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas, between 3 million and almost 3.5 million people were expected to need food assistance between June 2026 and January 2027.
Dorcas’ response: meeting urgent needs and strengthening resilience
Dorcas combines emergency support with longer-term approaches that strengthen food security. When needs are urgent, households may receive food or cash assistance, enabling them to buy what they need most. Alongside this, Dorcas works with farmers to improve agricultural practices, use water more efficiently, maintain soil fertility and diversify income sources.
Reducing dependence on expensive fertiliser does not mean that farmers stop using it altogether. The aim is to use fertiliser more effectively while improving soil health. In Tanzania, Dorcas supports farmers to develop a plan for their own farm, including the use of compost and manure, rainwater harvesting, crop diversification, planting trees among crops and combining livestock with crop production.
These practices support healthier soil, more efficient water use and lower risk. Diversified crops and income sources mean that if one harvest fails, another activity may still provide food or income.
Wolda’s story: from training to better harvests
How this approach can work in practice is illustrated by Wolda, a farmer from Ethiopia. After participating in Dorcas Ethiopia‘s agricultural training programme, he applied his newfound knowledge to his own land. His harvests improved, as did his income, enabling him to cover his children’s school costs. His experience demonstrates that stronger farming practices can benefit households well beyond the harvest, providing families with greater opportunities to meet their other essential needs.
Farmers such as Wolda cannot control global oil and fertiliser prices, but with the right knowledge and support, they can be better prepared for their consequences. By combining immediate assistance with practical, long-term resilience-building, Dorcas supports families to protect their food security, strengthen their livelihoods and face future shocks with greater confidence.
Stand with families facing food insecurity
Strengthening food security
The impact of high oil prices goes far beyond the petrol station.
When energy costs rise, fertiliser, transport and food can become more expensive too. For families already facing drought, poverty or conflict, this can have serious consequences.
That is why Dorcas not only provides support during crises but also invests in sustainable solutions that enable families to produce more food, strengthen their livelihoods and prepare for future challenges.
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For Momina, chair of Hilkas Milk Cooperative in Moyale, Ethiopia, participating in the camel milk value chain has meant more than earning an income. It has brought structure, trust and dignity. ‘The most important change is dignity. I moved from dependence to leadership,’ she says.
Momina’s story reflects a wider lesson from Dorcas’ recent publication, Building Reliable Value Chains: Lessons from Dorcas’ multi-country experience. Based on an independent evaluation of five value chains in Eastern Africa, the report shows that producers benefit most when the systems around them are reliable: when payments are timely, governance is trusted, quality systems function and market linkages are secure. In Moyale, near Ethiopia’s border with Kenya, these principles are reflected in the daily work of Hilkas Milk Cooperative.
Momina lives in an area affected by drought, conflict and border insecurity. Before the cooperative became a source of stability, her family’s livelihood depended almost entirely on her husband’s income. ‘If my husband earned money, we survived. If he didn’t, we struggled,’ she says. Food, school fees and medicine all depended on one person, leaving her with a constant fear that she would not be able to protect her children if something happened.
When demand is not enough
Before joining the cooperative, Momina’s life was centred on her household. She prepared food, fetched water, cared for her children and supported her husband, but she had no personal income and limited opportunities beyond the home. Camel milk had value, but the way it was sold made benefits uncertain. Milk was sold individually, without coordination or knowledge of quality standards and prices. Sometimes it spoiled. Sometimes buyers took advantage of the women. ‘We did not know our rights,’ Momina says.
This reflects one of the central findings in Dorcas’ value chain report: demand is rarely the only challenge. Long-term results often depend on whether supply systems, transaction processes and governance arrangements work consistently. For Momina and other women in Moyale, working together through Hilkas Milk Cooperative offered a different path. But during a period of violent border conflict, the cooperative’s equipment, including refrigerators and related tools, was destroyed by fire. ‘Everything burned. We lost what we had built over years,’ Momina recalls. The loss left many women discouraged, and Momina feared that her children’s future would never improve.
Rebuilding reliability through structure and trust
Dorcas supported the cooperative after the destruction. According to Momina, the organisation came not only with equipment, but also with encouragement to rebuild. The women received refrigerators, lactometers, protective equipment and training in cooperation, financial management, recordkeeping and transparent decision-making. In practice, this meant better quality control, clearer records and stronger governance. Momina also travelled to Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Uganda for training, her first time leaving her area, where she learned more about leadership and how strong cooperatives function.
Today, Momina is the chair of Hilkas Milk Cooperative, which has 35 members. Every Saturday, the members meet to review records, save money and deposit funds at the bank. The cooperative also coordinates with ten milk collection centres. ‘Before, there was no structure. Now there is discipline, planning and trust,’ Momina says. This way of working mirrors one of the report’s key lessons: transparent leadership, clear rules and trusted systems do not only improve commercial performance; they also influence who benefits.
For Momina personally, that shift has been profound. She has learned to speak without fear, contribute to decisions and lead with confidence. Her experience also shows why inclusion in value chains needs to be built into the way systems work. Formal cooperative structures, transparent decision-making and direct participation have enabled women like Momina to gain income, influence and recognition.
A stronger future built on dependable systems
The impact reaches beyond the cooperative. Momina’s income now supports her family. She has built her own house, bought basic household items and, most importantly, is able to send her children to school. The regular income and savings have also brought greater security. ‘Even when challenges come, we plan together. We save. We do not panic like before,’ she says.
Looking ahead, Momina hopes the cooperative will grow into a larger production centre that can support more families and contribute to the wider district. Her story brings Dorcas’ value chain findings to life: value chains work best when producers can depend on the systems around them. For Momina, that reliability has meant dignity, stability and leadership. ‘Before Dorcas, I waited for life to happen to me. Now I lead my life and others follow.’
Read the report: building reliable value chains
Food is a fundamental human right, yet millions of people around the world still struggle to access sufficient and nutritious food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), an estimated 645 million people experienced hunger in 2025. Meanwhile, 2.1 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity, and 2.69 billion people could not afford a healthy diet. Conflict, extreme weather, economic shocks and inequality all contribute to food insecurity.
In response, Dorcas organises the annual Dorcas Food Campaign in the Netherlands. Through this campaign, we raise awareness, mobilise resources and support sustainable solutions that enable communities to build resilient livelihoods. Thousands of dedicated volunteers contribute to the campaign by raising funds and supporting initiatives that address food insecurity.
Dorcas takes a holistic approach to food security, addressing immediate needs while building the foundations for long-term resilience. Alongside emergency food distributions, we support households in marginalised circumstances with training in sustainable farming techniques and the materials they need to put these into practice. We also provide skills training and support people in starting their own businesses, helping them build more secure livelihoods and improve their access to food.
1. Food distributions during emergencies
These distributions are meant to provide food to people in immediate need. For example, people who have lost access to food and water due to a natural disaster or conflict. They receive food or money to support them through this first difficult period.
Barkitha from South Sudan. Barkitha left South Sudan for Sudan many years ago, but after her husband passed away and conflict erupted, she returned home with her children, facing hunger and uncertainty. ‘We had nothing, and my children cried from hunger.’ Then, through Dorcas, she began to receive monthly food parcels and a small cash grant containing flour, oil, beans and salt.
‘With this support, we had enough to get through the first few months. This support gave me the strength and space to make plans for the future.’ Dorcas also provided her with tools for growing grain and nuts. ‘Now I can produce food myself and no longer have to worry whether my children have enough to eat.’
Barkitha’s story highlights the critical role these parcels play as a first step in supporting people to rebuild their lives after emergencies. Dorcas brings this type of support to countless households facing displacement and hunger in the thirteen countries where we work.
2. Growing food
As well as providing immediate emergency assistance, Dorcas also addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity through sustainable agriculture initiatives. We provide households living in poverty with seeds, tools and training to cultivate crops and do this in a climate-smart way. For example, through the Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) we support farmers to collaborate in decision-making and resource management, enhancing their ability to adapt to climate changes. This ensures they have healthy food all year round.
Vasyl and Renate from Ukraine: Due to ongoing conflict, Vasyl lost his job, leaving his family struggling to make ends meet. Dorcas provided them with materials to expand their greenhouse and training in growing and marketing. Now, they have enough food and income to support their family.
3. Earning food through a new occupation
Dorcas provides (skills) training and support for people in vulnerable situations to start their own businesses. This will put food on the table – now and in the future.
Mahalled from Ethiopia: In Ethiopia, Mahalled took any short-term work she could find, but it wasn’t enough to sustain her family. With her husband’s limited income, she turned to Dorcas and enrolled in a woodworking course. Once she completes the course, she plans to open a workshop named after her daughters: Sosena & Bitanika Furniture Making Workshop.
Mahalled’s experience highlights the importance of skills training in changing personal situations, empowering people to improve their lives and support their families.
Building resilience through food security
Food security has a profound impact on the well-being of people and communities around the world. It affects not only personal health and development, but also broader societal stability and growth. When communities lack access to sufficient food, the consequences go beyond hunger, affecting education, economic productivity and social cohesion. The stories of Barkitha, Vasyl, Renate and Mahalled illustrate how access to nutritious food can transform lives, build resilience and empower people and communities to build a sustainable future.
Through the Dorcas Food Campaign, we want to contribute to a future where food security is accessible to all. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the fight against hunger.
Stand with families facing food insecurity
Photo above: Arendje visits a CSN partner in Ukraine, where volunteers help run a greenhouse that generates income for CSN, provides vegetables to older people and supplies a community kitchen.
Being part of a community matters. However, for older people living in poverty, experiencing isolation, or with limited access to support, maintaining connections with others and accessing services is an ongoing challenge.
Dorcas works with older people and their communities through Community Safety Nets in Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Albania, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt. These locally anchored networks bring together people, organisations and services around older people, strengthening the support available within their own communities.
We asked Arendje Menkveld, CSN Expert at Dorcas, how these networks work in practice and what it means for older people to feel seen and valued in their own community.
Why is community support so important for older people?
‘Older people face different challenges: social isolation and loneliness, exclusion from community participation, limited access to services and support, and weak support networks. For some, loneliness and social isolation are linked to age-related factors, reduced mobility, disability, trauma or the loss of social connections. Some older people do not have anyone they can talk to about daily life and the issues they face, or anyone who can help with practical things. Others have no family, or no family members who are able to support them.
Poverty adds another challenge. Some older people have to make difficult choices about how to spend the little money they have. Do they buy medicines, pay for utilities or buy food?
Community-based support can take many forms. A volunteer might visit an older person regularly, or a neighbour might help them go to the shop or get food. There might be weekly or monthly gatherings where older people are expected and known. There, they can talk to others and take part in preparing food or other activities. Sometimes there is a warm meal at a community centre, or volunteers deliver a food parcel during the winter.’
Community-based support is important because the community includes you and the community sees you.’
That is where Community Safety Nets come in.
What is a Community Safety Net, and how does it work?
‘A Community Safety Net (CSN) is a locally anchored, community-driven support system that ensures older people in vulnerable circumstances can rely on sustained and dignified support within their own communities. A CSN is not a single service or organisation, but a network of actors who work together to prevent people from “falling through the cracks” by offering social, practical, psychosocial and sometimes material support. It complements, rather than replaces, government social protection and grows stronger as communities take ownership over time.
A CSN starts with an entry point in a community, usually a main actor who is motivated to make a difference for people living in vulnerable circumstances. This actor involves other community actors and members. Where possible, older people actively contribute their time and skills to the CSN project or community activities. This can give them a sense of purpose and responsibility, and help them feel part of the community again.
CSNs differ by country and context. A municipality might offer a meeting space, for example. Volunteers might raise funds or collect food. Schools might participate in food collection, with parents and others donating. Together, these community contributions shape the CSN. It becomes a structure that older people can rely on for support, attention and advice.’
In practice, this can look different from place to place.
What helps a Community Safety Net last?
‘Ideally, the implementing partner or main actor coordinates the support from other actors and the wider community. The different actors should meet regularly, agree on who does what and what the next steps are, and ensure that commitments are followed up. It is also important to involve authorities or a local authority representative in the coordination.
CSNs can look different depending on the context and the strengths of the actors involved.
If an organisation has a health background, health may be strongly represented. If there is a collaboration with a food bank, food collection may become part of the support. If there are strong connections with churches, volunteers may be involved in home visits. CSNs adapt to local strengths and assets.’
That local ownership also influences whether older people feel seen and valued within their communities.
What does it mean for older people to be seen and valued?
This year, Dorcas is marking the International Day of Older Persons with local celebrations and online awareness raising around the theme ‘Seen and valued – rights and dignity of older people’. The theme connects closely to the way Community Safety Nets aim to strengthen older people’s place in their own communities.
Arendje explains what this can look like in practice: ‘For me, being seen and valued means that older people are recognised in both big and small ways. An awareness campaign with flyers and presentations can help make their lives and experiences more visible, and remind others that they should be included, not ignored. Older people do not have to do something in order to be valued. At the same time, having a role and feeling useful can be meaningful.
For example, an older person might organise an activity, serve coffee, prepare the room, bake a cake or call someone who missed the activity. Being seen and valued is also expressed in how we speak with older people. Are we genuinely interested in them?
We should not decide what is good for them without listening to them first. We can also gently encourage some older people to share their experiences and skills with others, for example by talking to the younger generation in an intergenerational activity. That is what we want to convey in all community work.’
What can other organisations learn from Dorcas’s experience with Community Safety Nets?
‘Firstly, volunteers are a very relevant and important resource. They play a key role in Community Safety Nets because they help make support personal, practical and close to people’s daily lives. At the same time, when starting a CSN, it is important to take time to listen to older people and other community members, and ask how they can contribute. CSNs are not a quick fix. They need time to grow through relationships, trust and shared responsibility.
The Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach can help with this. It encourages communities to identify the people, skills, relationships and local resources that are already present, and to build on those strengths instead of starting with what is missing. This makes a CSN more rooted in the community and increases the chance that it will continue beyond the initial project.’
As part of Dorcas’ 2026 International Day of Older Persons campaign, ‘Seen and valued – rights and dignity of older people’, we are highlighting the rights, dignity and contributions of older people and the value they bring to their communities.
Rural communities in Africa and the Middle East that rely on agriculture for their livelihoods are increasingly affected by food insecurity as a result of a changing climate. A failed harvest following drought or flooding can directly affect people’s access to food. Dorcas works alongside farmers in these regions to strengthen their ability to adapt to increasingly extreme weather conditions and protect their livelihoods.
Climate change and agricultural resilience
Farmers face the challenge of preventing fertile topsoil from being washed away during floods, while also finding ways to capture and store water to withstand periods of drought. Some current agricultural practices make communities more vulnerable to climate change and contribute to soil degradation, including overgrazing, unsustainable land-clearing practices and monocropping.
Dorcas supports farmers in adopting sustainable farming techniques that are better suited to changing climate conditions, minimise soil degradation and help restore the land. Many of these approaches are rooted in agricultural knowledge and practices that have long existed within African and Middle Eastern communities.
Danielle Maroma, Climate Adaptation Expert at Dorcas, elaborates: ‘Climate adaptation is often framed as bringing new solutions to communities. In reality, some of the most effective solutions can be found within communities themselves. Our role is to support farmers in strengthening, adapting and scaling up practices that have been shaped by generations of experience.’
Over time, the use and transmission of some of these practices have been disrupted for many different reasons. A growing focus on efficiency and optimisation encouraged a move away from agricultural diversity towards systems that produce fewer crops, often cash crops grown for sale. In some contexts, colonial policies also disrupted traditional agricultural practices, as land and natural resources were increasingly managed for economic exploitation. In addition, migration from rural to urban areas has changed how agricultural knowledge is passed down between generations.
Reconnecting with traditional practices
Dorcas works with farmers to strengthen and adapt agricultural practices rooted in local knowledge systems and increasingly recognised as valuable approaches to climate adaptation.
One example is agroforestry: a farming approach in which trees and crops grow together in the same space. Trees provide fruit, shade and other benefits, while their roots help protect and stabilise the soil.
Another practice is intercropping, in which different crop species are grown together to support soil health. One approach to maintaining nutrient-rich farmland is to combine crops with legumes, which fix nitrogen in the soil.
The transition towards climate-adaptive agriculture has already shown promising results. In 2024, farmers in Dorcas programmes increased their yields by up to 30 per cent using Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) and climate-smart practices, while also improving soil quality. Practices such as agroforestry can contribute to these efforts by supporting agricultural productivity while also helping to restore greener landscapes.
Through the scaling up of Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) in Tanzania and Ethiopia, farmers are transforming their farms into more diverse systems that offer greater economic stability and climate resilience. In early 2025, Dorcas launched a three-year PIP project in Upper Egypt. This was one of the first applications of the approach in North Africa and the Middle East, where farming communities face water scarcity and land degradation.
Climate change is creating new challenges for farming communities, but responding to them does not always require entirely new solutions. Some valuable agricultural practices have long been part of local knowledge systems, even though their use and transmission have changed over time.
Dorcas works alongside farmers and supports them to adapt agricultural practices to today’s climate realities. By combining traditional knowledge with new insights and approaches, farmers can strengthen the resilience of their land and livelihoods and build more sustainable ways of farming for the future.
In Debre Birhan, in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region, thousands of people have arrived after fleeing violence and insecurity in East Wollega, Horo Guduru Wollega, West Wollega, West Shewa and surrounding areas. These areas have experienced prolonged insecurity linked to armed conflict, intercommunal tensions and local disputes, forcing many families to leave their homes in search of safety. The town already hosts many internally displaced people and has become an important place of refuge because of its relative safety and access to basic services. As more families arrive, pressure on shelters, services and host communities is increasing rapidly.
In June and July 2026 alone, more than 1,000 displaced households arrived in Debre Birhan. With existing sites overcrowded, many families are living in unfinished buildings and temporary structures, with limited access to adequate shelter, clean water, sanitation, health services and privacy. A rapid needs assessment by Dorcas Ethiopia highlighted critical gaps in food security, shelter and non-food items, health, WASH and protection. Those facing the greatest risks include women, children, older people, people with disabilities and people with chronic illnesses.
Dorcas is therefore launching an emergency response from 1 August to 31 October 2026 to support 500 newly arrived displaced households, reaching more than 2,500 people. During this three-month period, the project will combine immediate cash assistance with protection support, enabling families to meet urgent needs while strengthening their safety, dignity and wellbeing.
Cash assistance
Through multipurpose cash assistance, households will receive direct financial support so they can prioritise what they need most. This may include food, hygiene items, essential household goods, temporary shelter materials, health related costs or other expenses. Because local markets in Debre Birhan are still functioning, cash assistance offers a fast, flexible and dignified way for families to make their own decisions while also contributing to the local economy.
Protection
Alongside cash assistance, Dorcas will work to promote the safety, dignity and wellbeing of people affected by displacement, paying particular attention to those with specific protection concerns. This may include survivors of gender-based violence, children at risk, older people, people with disabilities, or others in need of specialised support. When such concerns are identified, staff will refer individuals to appropriate services available in the area so they can access the support they need.
Local presence and coordination
With an established presence in Ethiopia, Dorcas is well placed to respond quickly. Dorcas Ethiopia works through its country office and project offices, with local colleagues who understand the context, communities and coordination structures.
The project will be implemented in close coordination with local authorities and relevant government offices, those managing displacement sites, financial service providers, IDP and host community representatives and humanitarian partners.
With experience in humanitarian assistance, Dorcas brings practical capacity and technical expertise to this emergency. The aim is not only to act quickly, but to do so in a way that is accountable, inclusive and rooted in the realities of the communities we serve.
Protecting those in need in humanitarian and development work is complex and multifaceted. At its heart, protection is about safeguarding people and preventing, reducing, and responding to harm. Although protection is often associated with the risk of harm or abuse or with responding to violence or abuse after it has happened, this is only part of the picture.
In humanitarian and development contexts, protection is about safeguarding people from threats that affect their safety, dignity, rights and wellbeing. These threats may include violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect, discrimination, exclusion, or other forms of harm that prevent people from living safely and with dignity.
Responding to risk of harm is essential, but it is just one element of a much broader approach. Effective protection also involves preventing and anticipating potential harm, supporting recovery, and addressing the underlying causes that put people at risk. This article explores the four dimensions of protection and explains how they work together in practice. These dimensions can apply across different contexts, including conflict, displacement, natural disasters, poverty, exclusion and other situations where people may face increased vulnerability.
Looking through a protection lens
Protection is not a single activity or intervention. It is a way of working that helps humanitarian and development organisations recognise risks, reduce harm, and strengthen the conditions that enable people to live – or in certain cases to migrate or evacuate – safely. It means looking beyond the immediate task to understand whether someone may be at risk of violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect, or exclusion.
Pamela Hajal, Humanitarian Assistance and Protection Expert at Dorcas, describes this as putting on a pair of ‘protection glasses’. With these glasses on, staff focus not only on delivering project activities. They are also trained to recognise protection risks and respond appropriately.
Pamela explains:
‘For example, Dorcas Ukraine staff may be repairing damaged houses near the front line. They arrive at a home to replace broken windows and notice that the woman living there has visible bruising and a broken wrist. With your ‘protection glasses’ on, you wouldn’t just repair the windows and leave. You would recognise that she may need protection support and take the appropriate steps to assist her.’
This example illustrates how protection goes beyond delivering services. It is about recognising when people are at risk and ensuring they receive the support they need. To guide this work, Dorcas uses four interconnected dimensions of protection: preventive, responsive, promotive and remedial, and transformative protection.
Preventive protection
Preventive protection aims to reduce the likelihood of harm before it occurs. This means identifying risks, reducing people’s exposure to threats, and addressing the factors that make their circumstances more vulnerable. Prevention is about creating environments where people’s rights are respected and where violence, exploitation, abuse, and exclusion are less likely to occur. Rather than focusing only on preventing individual incidents, it also considers the wider conditions that influence people’s safety.
For example, preventive protection can involve strengthening community awareness, social connections and access to support before harm occurs. This may include identifying people at risk of isolation or exclusion and creating opportunities for participation and support.
Responsive protection
Responsive protection focuses on stopping harm that is already happening or has recently occurred. It includes actions taken when people experience violence, abuse, exclusion or other protection violations. The priority is to support people to reach safety and access appropriate support as quickly as possible. This may include referrals to healthcare, legal assistance, psychosocial support or other specialised services.
Responsive protection also includes supporting people who experience the psychological and social effects of crises. For example, due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, many Ukrainians have experienced increased anxiety and worsened psychological wellbeing. Nadiia is one of them. After her husband passed away and her grandson left to defend the country, she was overcome with fear and needed support. With the MHPSS support she received from Dorcas Ukraine, Nadiia was able to regain her sense of security.
Although this is often the most visible aspect of protection work, it is only one part of a wider system that also includes prevention, recovery, and long-term change.
Promotive protection
Promotive and remedial protection focuses on supporting people to recover from harm and rebuild their lives. It addresses the consequences of past or ongoing violations by supporting individuals and communities through healthcare, psychosocial support and other essential services.
This dimension recognises that protection does not end when the immediate danger has passed. Recovery also means restoring people’s wellbeing, relationships, dignity, and sense of safety.
For example, Maria (78) lives in rural Tanzania and is solely responsible for caring for her seven-year-old granddaughter, Queenie. For years, they faced significant challenges. Since joining the Community Safety Net programme of Dorcas Tanzania, Maria has gained access to support that has strengthened her wellbeing, resilience and ability to care for her granddaughter.
Through the programme, Maria received essential items, support from volunteers with household tasks, and opportunities to connect with other older people in her community. Taking part in activities at a local older people’s centre helped reduce isolation, strengthen social connections and restore her sense of belonging. Maria’s story illustrates how promotive and remedial protection supports people not only after harm has occurred, but also in rebuilding dignity, confidence and resilience.
Transformative protection
Transformative protection focuses on addressing the root causes of protection risks. Rather than responding to individual cases alone, it seeks to change the structural, social, and institutional factors that allow harm to continue. This may involve advocacy, changing harmful social norms, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and supporting systems that promote equal rights and reduce exclusion over the long term.
Transformative protection therefore operates at the level of communities, institutions, and society as a whole. For example, advocating for stronger child protection legislation can reduce protection risks for future generations.
How the four dimensions work together
The four dimensions of protection are closely connected. They are not separate stages or a fixed sequence. In practice, several dimensions often come together within a single programme or intervention.
For example, raising community awareness can help prevent future harm, enable earlier identification of protection risks, and contribute to longer-term changes in attitudes and behaviour.
The examples of Nadiia and Maria show how protection can address different forms of harm and vulnerability. While Nadiia received responsive support after experiencing the effects of conflict and loss, Maria’s support focused on rebuilding wellbeing, dignity and inclusion. Both demonstrate that effective protection requires understanding people’s specific circumstances and responding in ways that address both immediate needs and longer-term wellbeing.
Understanding protection in this way shifts the focus from individual activities to a coordinated system of action that addresses risks at different levels. Ultimately, effective protection depends on how these four dimensions reinforce one another. Together, they enable protection to address both immediate needs and long-term change, supporting individuals while also strengthening the systems and communities around them.
Find out more about protection
Maria (78) lives in rural Tanzania and is solely responsible for caring for her seven-year-old granddaughter, Queenie. For years, they faced significant challenges, including limited access to food, adequate clothing and the resources needed to maintain their home. Since joining Dorcas’ Community Safety Net programme, Maria has gained access to support that has strengthened her wellbeing, resilience and ability to care for her granddaughter.
Maria lives in an area where the dry climate contributes to food insecurity. Her eleven children and seventeen grandchildren live across the region, but Queenie is the grandchild who lives with her. This responsibility placed additional pressure on Maria, particularly given her limited resources. When a Dorcas staff member visited her village and assessed her situation, Maria was included in the programme.
Through the community safety net programme, Maria receives support that addresses both her immediate needs and longer-term wellbeing. She received essential items, including blankets, food, clothing and a mattress. Volunteers regularly visit her to support her with household tasks such as cleaning and laundry. Equally important is the regular social contact and personal attention she receives, helping to reduce isolation and strengthen her connection with the community.
Protection through inclusion, support and empowerment
Maria’s story is one example of how Dorcas supports people facing vulnerability to strengthen their wellbeing, resilience and ability to participate in their communities. Across both humanitarian and development contexts, Dorcas’ protection work focuses on addressing risks such as neglect, exclusion, abuse and discrimination, while promoting dignity, access to support and social inclusion. In Tanzania, older people may face specific vulnerabilities linked to poverty, loneliness, stigmatisation and limited access to support.
‘Protection is about creating a safe environment in which people can live with dignity, free from neglect, exclusion, abuse and discrimination,’ says Sjoerd Vos, Thematic Expert Social Empowerment and Protection at Dorcas. ‘By bringing older people together in groups and providing access to psychosocial support, life skills, income-generating activities and social safety nets, these projects strengthen their self-confidence, resilience and social position. In this way, we contribute to their protection and wellbeing, enabling them to participate actively in their communities and look to the future with greater confidence.’
As part of the programme, Maria was invited to attend activities at a local older people’s centre. Here, she meets other older people, participates in traditional dances, creates jewellery, shares her work with others and discusses experiences from her life. These activities strengthen social connections and provide opportunities for participation and mutual support.
Maria also participated in an organised outing with the group. ‘We visited a safari park. For the first time in my life, I saw giraffes, elephants and zebras up close. It was a day I’ll never forget.’
Strengthening livelihoods and community resilience
The programme also supports Maria in developing skills to strengthen her economic resilience. She learned how to grow vegetables, care for chickens and goats, and sell crops, eggs and milk to generate an income.
‘We have more food and a greater variety to eat because of the milk, eggs and vegetables. I feel much healthier.’
The programme also involves younger generations. Queenie participates in activities with other children, where they learn how they can support and care for their grandparents. She has seen the positive changes in her grandmother.
‘My grandmother smiles again and has so much more energy.’
Maria reflects on the difference the programme has made in her life. ‘Life used to be very hard, but now I feel hopeful again. The programme has given me support, friendships and opportunities to learn. I feel supported by my community and better able to face the future.’
Through its community safety net programme, Dorcas supports older people facing vulnerability by strengthening access to social support, practical assistance, skills development and community networks. This integrated approach contributes to the protection, dignity and resilience of older people.
Due to climate change, rainfall in Tanzania has become increasingly erratic. Last year in Chemba, there were fewer rains compared to the previous farming season. Despite these challenges, farmers participating in the PIP approach are showing resilience by embracing drought tolerant maize cultivars, early maturing seeds, and the cultivation of cassava and sorghum, as these are drought tolerant crops.
But we know: the right seed must go hand in hand with the right technology.
That is why Dorcas Tanzania introduced ZAI Pit technology to project participants, a innovation from Northern Burkina Faso designed to address low rainfall conditions. This method involves digging small pits that conserve moisture, store nutrients, and bring water closer to plant roots. From this, Dorcas Tanzania developed the PIP draft, which applies the same principle but uses equal sized pits arranged in a zig zag pattern, giving plants a competitive advantage over weeds while boosting yield potential.
When this technology was adopted in Burkina Faso, farmers reported yield increases of over 200 per cent. In Chemba, over 50 farmers from the villages of Kidoka and Rofati have already undergone training in this method thanks to Dorcas Tanzania’s pioneering efforts. Dorcas Tanzania was the first development practitioner to introduce this practice to the region.
How the ZAI pits work
This is the step by step procedure that is shared with farmers:
Step 1: Site clearance
Remove weeds and unwanted plants. With minimal soil disturbance, the same pits can be reused year after year, a strong soil conservation measure.
Step 2: Field layout
Measure the field to ensure adequate spacing. In one acre, using a zig zag layout, farmers can prepare over 7,300 pits.
Step 3: Site marking
Mark the pits to ensure precision and enable easy division of labour.
Step 4: ZAI Pit digging
Dig pits 30 cm deep, spaced 80 cm apart, with 40 cm paths to allow easy weeding, monitoring and harvesting. Preparation is best done during the dry season so planting can begin with the first rains.
Step 5: Mixing soil with manure
Place at least four handfuls of manure into each pit, providing maximum nutrients for plant growth.
Step 6: Seed planting
Plant five maize seeds per pit, later thinning to four plants to reduce competition and ensure optimal yield.
Beyond ensuring food security, this technology is a very practical climate change adaptation strategy that enhances resilience, improves livelihoods, and promotes sustainable environmental stewardship.
