Implementing silvopastoral systems in the North Rift

Beneficiary farmers preparing to plant tree seedlings in one of the communal areas offered by the Chebara ATC in Elgeyo Marakwet
  • Country: Kenya
  • Organisation: Kenya National Farmers' Federation (KENAFF)
  • Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change
  • IKI funding: 104,860 euros
  • Project start: 01/10/2021
  • Project end: 30/09/2023
  • Website: https://www.kenaff.org/home

The livelihoods of pastoral and agropastoral communities living in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya is significantly threatened by the adverse effects of climate change. Severe droughts and other extreme weather conditions destabilize food security, pushing people to absolute poverty. The IKI Small Grants project aims to reduce climate vulnerabilities of farmers in the counties of Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot by promoting silvopastoral systems. The system combines planting indigenous shrubs, herbs, and fruit trees with traditional crops and livestock rearing. The benefits are: increased biomass and livestock production, increased farm profitability, improved biodiversity and soil quality. Since tree planting is an easy and cost-effective method a higher return for farmers is expected in addition, carbon storage; reducing CO2 emissions and restoring damaged/degraded systems. The project addresses particularly women and young people as they are the most vulnerable in the face of climate change.

INITIAL SITUATION

Located in the former Rift Valley Province, Kenya Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties have a population of approximately 1.1 Million people. The agriculture and livestock sector is the most important segment of the counties’ economies with 81% of the population relying on the sector directly.

TARGET GROUP

The project targets 1000 farmers in total with a special focus on young female farmers. It also addresses political stakeholders who are involved in agricultural policy making.

APPROACH AND ACTIVITIES

KENAFF offers an intensive facilitation experience on the overview of the silvopastoral systems (SPS), the systems’ components, traditional versus improved silvopastoral systems and the benefits of SPS, that empower smallholder farmers to establish the most fertile combination of agricultural practices on their land. The training combines facilitation, knowledge-building methods and participatory approach with farmers providing experiences, for peer-to-peer learning, focus group discussions, world café and plenary discussions.

Initially, 1000 farmers participate in trainings that guide them through the techniques of silvo-pastoralism. 390 silvo-pastoral champions are selected from this group to receive personal guidance in implementing silvo-pastoral systems on their fields. Through farmer field days and planting sessions, native plant species are cultivated, and extensive peer-to-peer learning drive dissemination and exchange of experiences among farmers.

The project takes the political level into account. KENAFF takes up and pursue, with relevant stakeholders the need to entrench silvopastoral system in Kenya through policy dialogues at the county and national levels. Mainstreaming of silvo-pastoralism helps to recover degraded rangeland, increase livestock productivity, improve environmental sustainability, and build resilience to climate change. As a result, joint policy briefs and action plans for Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot are drafted and fronted for adoption.

KENAFF also leverages on her organisational structure (ward to sub-county to county to regional and then national) to disseminate information and share knowledge among its members and the general farming population in Kenya. Dissemination and knowledge sharing is done through the quarterly KENAFF newsletter (Farmers’ Voice) and the USSD code (*501#) under the technical advisory services menu item on the latest scientific findings concerning agricultural practices, food security, and climate change impacts on food systems.

LATEST PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND IMPACTS

  • Project finalised
  • 1000 farmers trained on Silvopastoralism
    • with 700 female farmers
    • and 400 farmers under the age of 35
  • national consultation meeting dialogue held, with 56 stakeholders engaged
  • 2 Multi Actor platforms formed
  • establishment of fodder banking through the silvopastoral systems approach
  • 12,000 seedlings availed, for planting in farmers’ and communal land.
  • 4058 seedlings planted
  • field demonstration days for 390 champion farmers executed
1/25
Participating young farmer pose before planting an avocado tree seedling at a portion of her family farm
Participating young farmer pose before planting an avocado tree seedling at a portion of her family farm
2/25
Project participating women farmers plant an avocado seedling after the demonstration and training at one of the selected public ATC land
Project participating women farmers plant an avocado seedling after the demonstration and training at one of the selected public ATC land
3/25
Project participating farmer planting a tree seedling at a public ATC land
Project participating farmer planting a tree seedling at a public ATC land
4/25
Project participating women farmers plant a seedling after the demonstration and training at the communal grazing land
Project participating women farmers plant a seedling after the demonstration and training at the communal grazing land
5/25
Participating farmer transporting the seedlings to be planted in her own land after a demonstration activity in Elgeyo Marakwet
Participating farmer transporting the seedlings to be planted in her own land after a demonstration activity in Elgeyo Marakwet
6/25
Mr. Owidi and Ms. Awuor (KENAFF) discussing about the macadamia tree seedlings
Mr. Owidi and Ms. Awuor (KENAFF) discussing about the macadamia tree seedlings
7/25
Effects of drought Kacheliba
Effects of drought Kacheliba
8/25
Ms. Kilonzi (KENAFF), Mr. Murgong (Lead Farmers) , Ms. Awuor (Project Lead) and Ms. Chelangat (young farmer) pose before the demonstration activities at the ATC
Ms. Kilonzi (KENAFF), Mr. Murgong (Lead Farmers) , Ms. Awuor (Project Lead) and Ms. Chelangat (young farmer) pose before the demonstration activities at the ATC
9/25
Cow eating from a tree
10/25
Cows at a crossroad
11/25
Farmers' Introductory meetings
Farmers' Introductory meetings
12/25
Farmers' Introductory meetings
Farmers' Introductory meetings
13/25
Explaing the Project
explaing the Project
14/25
Seedlings distribution
15/25
Seedlings distribution
16/25
Seedlings distribution
seedlings distribution
17/25
Seedlings distribution
seedlings distribution
18/25
Seedlings distribution
19/25
Project participating  farmers planting fodder tree seedling after the demonstration and training at the communal grazing area
Project participating  farmers planting fodder tree seedling after the demonstration and training at the communal grazing area
20/25
Project participating  farmer holds a tree seedling right after removing the seedling planting bag during a communal planting session
Project participating  farmer holds a tree seedling right after removing the seedling planting bag during a communal planting session
21/25
A lead farmer demonstrates how to plant a tree seedling during the implementing silvopastoral systems in the North Rift project field demonstration day
A lead farmer demonstrates how to plant a tree seedling during the implementing silvopastoral systems in the North Rift project field demonstration day
22/25
Participating women farmer planting seedlings in a hill a looking her fresh planted legumes farm
23/25
Project participating farmer planting seedlings from the project in his own land
Project participating farmer planting seedlings from the project in his own land
24/25
Young Implementing Silvopastoral Systems project participants help with the loading of the seedlings from a KENAFF member tree nursery in Elgeyo Marakwet county
Young Implementing Silvopastoral Systems project participants help with the loading of the seedlings from a KENAFF member tree nursery in Elgeyo Marakwet county
25/25
A group of farmers listening to a female trainer in an open- air area in Kenya. On the left side farmers are sitting on chairs in orange pastoralist clothes, protected with shade by a tree next by. On the right side a female trainer in orange clothes is talking. The setting is a green open-air landscape with fields in the background.
A group of farmers listening to a female trainer in an open- air area in Kenya. On the left side farmers are sitting on chairs in orange pastoralist clothes, protected with shade by a tree next by. On the right side a female trainer in orange clothes is talking. The setting is a green open-air landscape with fields in the background.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

IKI Small Grants supports KENAFF in their organisational capacity development through:

  • Capacity development on fundraising and proposal writing, presentation and negotiation techniques, and conflict management skills
  • Capacity building on lobby and advocacy for agricultural policy action at the county level

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (“KENAFF”), founded in 1946 as the Kenya National Farmers Union (KNFU), is a non-political, non-profit making member-based umbrella organization registered under Section 10 of the Societies Act Cap 108, Laws of Kenya. The Federation represents the interests of over 2 million farm families. Her core mandate is embodied in the motto: The Farmers’ Voice: to represent, articulate, protect and promote interests of Kenyan farmers through targeted lobby and advocacy, policy action, farmer empowerment, capacity building, and promotion of sector stakeholders’ cohesiveness in dispensing progressive uptake of agricultural innovations for enhanced socio-economic status of the farmers.