Natural Resource Management
Background
The 180,000 residents of Tiriki West and Winam Divisions in Western Kenya suffer from a number of land-related problems. Over 80% of the inhabitants belong to households that depend on agriculture as the main source for meeting household food security. Problems of soil erosion and declining fertility are exacerbated by issues of a high level of unemployment, the rising population, and land sub-division. Poorer households may have only a quarter of an acre to support a household of ten. As a consequence, farmers tend not to practise fallowing and cannot afford soil enriching inputs.
Aims and objectives
Africa Now's Natural Resource Management project aims to address land and water issues that hold back development, and that the people of Western Kenya face every day. In addition, by facilitating the spread of technological know-how, Africa Now aims to ensure that farmers can maximise their income through diversifying their activities and adding value to products. Believing in the need for a holistic approach, the final aim of Africa Now's project is to link individuals with sustainable markets to capitalise on unrealised opportunities, all in all helping producers to grow and sell products in a way that increases their income, without damaging their natural environment.
Activities
These aims and objectives are being achieved through the following activities:
- Harnessing knowledge and skills within communities, and adding knowledge and expertise where it is lacking using the latest rural research.
- Training farmers in improved techniques in managing crops, water and animals.
- Helping people to add value to their products to increase income-generating opportunities.
In all these activities the emphasis is on promoting techniques that require little or no capital expenditure and where possible are not labour intensive. These new technologies and improved varieties are being marketed through commercial agricultural and veterinary stores where farmers frequently go to buy their supplies and seek advice about new techniques and products.
Impacts
In all, the project has now reached over 167 villages and 104,375 households directly, plus there is a large spill over as a result of field days and word of mouth. In addition:
- Crop production has tripled thanks to high yielding varieties of crops, improvement of farming methods and investment in soil fertility.
- Food security has increased due to increased production, diversification of food crops and other income-generating activities which have allowed producers to purchase other types of foods.
- Incomes have increased through formation of Common Interest Groups, savings and credit schemes and increased access to processing and marketing.
- Overall, the increased incomes have led to improved standards of living, with better housing and shelter, home improvement, improved health and access to clean water.
Case Study: Healthy Chips and Healthy Incomes!
"I am very happy to have worked with Africa Now." Salome is one of Africa Now's farmers who decided to invest in a chipper after seeing a demonstration in her local agrovet store. Salome grows orange fleshed sweet potatoes, but instead of selling them as they are, she adds value to the crop by using the chipper that Africa Now helped to buy. The sweet potato chips are sold to flour millers to be used in health flours and baby foods.
Value-added processes and diversifying crops are simple ways of increasing profits whilst maintaining soil fertility and improving nutrition levels. Salome agrees, "Before when my children stood side on you couldn't see them they were so thin! They were too weak to go to school or study. Now they are well fed and go everyday."
Demand is high for simple technologies like this sweet potato chipper. With your support, Africa Now will be able to reach many more households with training and seeds to increase their income whilst looking after their natural environment.
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