1. ODE, Burkina Faso Office de Développement des Eglises Évangéliques

2. Climate change is a Christian Aid priority. It is happening now and it is affecting the poor first and will affect them worst. People who have never benefited from industrialisation are suffering its consequences.

3. Why is Christian Aid supporting ODE? Burkina Faso is seventh from the bottom on the UN Human Development Index and on the front line of climate change. The average GDP is just $1,265pa 80% of Burkinabe rely on farming and fishing for their livelihood. They often lack the knowledge and the country lacks the infrastructure for them to pursue other livelihoods. Burkina Faso lies just south of the Sahara, which is advancing at a rate of 300m a year, turning agricultural land into scrub and scrub into desert. Life expectancy is 55 years and the average age is 16.

4. Burkina Faso Passore Province

5. Passore Province receives just 70cm of rain a year. It all falls in a few months. Most of the last 30 years have been classified as droughts.

6. The solution Market Gardens – people living hand to mouth are often wary of changing crops, even if they’re told the new crop will provide them with more food. Market gardens, tended by the community as a whole, showcase new varieties of crops and provide produce for sale. New seeds – ODE will distribute seeds of cereals well suited to the dry environment. Improve access to loans and credit – the poorest people are always those trapped by poverty. They have few assets and banks are unwilling to lend them money, but without start up costs they are unable to explore new farming techniques and business options. Training – ODE will teach farmers how to care for the new crops and support the farmer-led research groups. Drying equipment – will mean that food grown in the wet season can be eaten and sold all year round.

7. Past success With your help ODE will be able to replicate the successes they have had elsewhere and change lives in Passore Province.

8. With ODE’s help Michel Sebego has tripled his harvest.

9. Since ODE came to her village Asseta Ouedraogo has prospered and recently brought a bicycle with the profits. Now she can take her produce even further.

10. Here Priest Elie Kabore inspects a well that was dug more than 40 years ago. The reduced rainfall means this well is now dry – but because of ODE’s help Elie’s village has access to clean water and is thriving in spite of climate change.

11. Your support means that ODE will be able to replicate the success they have had in the past in Passore Province. Thank you.