Improving Food Security and Income Generation in Rural Areas July 1995 - June 1996 Siaya, Kenya Funded by: Voluntary Deposits for International Aid (Japan) Implemented by: ICA Kenya, ICA Japan and local people
In Siaya, agricultural productivity is low because of poor soil and a hot and dry climate. There are no major stable businesses in the district, either. ICA conducted a health care project in the area in 1994 and found it necessary to increase their family income in order to improve their nutrition condition. This year we organized agricultural and business management training seminars for 15 groups of 450 women. They learned techniques in organic agriculture and sales. PeopleÕs attitude toward farming has changed, and the productivity has increased through the project. The farmers plan to increase their income even more by multiple management - farming and small-animal raising, for example - in the future.
	1. A farmer breaking ground by hand and wishing for a good harvest.
Views of Siaya
	2. A market in Siaya where vegetables and fruits are sold. People had to use most of their income for food before the project.
	3. Scenery of a village in in the Uranga district where the project is taking place. The houses are made from mud and dried grass.
	4. The population growth rate of Kenya is 3.4 % which is very high. A family usually has about 6-7 children. It is not easy to get enough food for all family members. They also have widespread problems in the arenas of environment, education, housing, and health.
6. A map of the Siaya district (population 700,000) showing the location of the 15 villages with community groups involved in the project.
Toward Making the Project Effective
	7. The Project's one-year operational plan.
	8. These 6 monthly calendars show detailed daily activities.
	9. This chart shows what agricultural techniques individual farmers practice at their own farms.
	10. This is the curriculum of the business management training course. ICA Siaya staff make charts to review curriculum.
	11. These illustrations show organic farming techniques. They are helpful to make participants understand techniques better.
Farmer Training
	12. Participants planned what to do over next one year during their strategic community development planning. Their goal of achieving one demonstration farm per group and a kitchen garden per family was realized during the project.
	13. Participants attending business management training course to learn knowledge and skills in order to start farming for business.
	14. Ms. Beatrice Achien facilitates during the business management training. She is the only woman among 8 ICA staff working in Siaya. Participants learned about market research, profit calculation, and money management.
	15. Leadership training was carried out to strengthen the groups. Every member's role was made clear and helping to create a sense of responsibility.
	16. Participants smiling with certificates of completion from the leadership training course.
	17. Two representatives from each group participated in the Exchange Forum. They exchanged ideas and shared learnings about their activities. Representatives shared the results of the forum with the other members of their groups later.
Agriculture Training
	18. Part of the funding from the Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid (a program of Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications) was used to purchase agricultural hand tools which were distributed to the appreciative participants.
	19. Since farm hand tools were too expensive for the participants to purchase on their own, they previously used to use homemade tools which where often not strong enough to work with the tough ground.
	20. Experts demonstrate organic plowing techniques and then participants practice. These new techniques should help increase crop yield, nutrition and income.
Organic Farming
	21. Participants practiced compost making. A hole is dug, filled with plants and manure, and then covered with hay . The compost is ready after about a month.
	22. Preparing a double-dug bed: after spreading fresh compost on the top of loosened soil, the land is dug up a second time in order to mix the compsted manure into the soil.
	23. Planting tomato seeds. Nursery beds were covered with hay after sowing to protect seedlings from too much sun and heavy rain.
	24. Liquid manure is helps crops grow quickly. Chicken and rabbit droppings were used.
	25. Liquid fertilizer ia made by immersing a bag of chicken droppings in water and letting it stand for about two weeks.
Agroforestry
	26. 3000 of several kinds of tree seedlings for agroforestry were distributed. These trees fix nitrogen into the soil and stabilize soil--a natural source of fertilizer.
	27. Tree seedlings are planted in rows of holes dug between crops such as tomato, sukuma, and maize.
	28. A newly planted Acacia tree.
Crop Growing
	29. Many nutritious indigenous crops, such as cow-peas and mito, were planted. They do not eat the peas, only the leaves after boiling and frying.
	30. Onions transplanted from nursery beds. This woman is watering with a new water can purchased with with the project funding.
	31. This is a green vegetable called Sukuma, one of the most popular vegetables in Kenya.
	32. Sukuma growing healthily in a nursery bed.
	33. Tomatoes needed to be supported after growing about 30 cm height. They are good cash crops in Kenya.
	34. This is a field of maize grown with traditional farming techniques. Because manure was not used and the plants are often too close to each other, the soil is poor and the crops look unhealthy.
	35. This is a field of maize frown with newly-learned organic farming techniques. Compost manure made the soil dark and rich and the plants have enough space. They grow fast and look very healthy.
Fence and A-Frames
	36. Fences were installed around demonstration farms to prevent animals from damaging crops.
	37. This completed fence will keep out the goats and cows.
	38. An A-frame was made for contour measuring. It was made with locally-available materials: long sticks, rope and a stone.
Promoting Income Generation
	39. Demonstration of an ox-plow. One plow was given to each group. Participants said they were happy now that they will be able to plow more efficiently.
	40. Many farmers raise indigenous chickens like these for their own families' eggs and meat. Because the meat is tough, they are not suitable for commercial chicken raising. In Kenya chicken meat is more expensive than goat meat and beef.
	41. These chickens were purchased through the Postal Savings for International Voluntary Aid Fund. Participants are learning to raise commercial chickens for income and use the droppings for organic fertilizer.
From Demonstration Farms to Individual Farms
	42. Farmers of the Kaor women's group and an ICA Japan staff. They are implementing techniques learned during training in their own farms.
	43. Checking a plant nursery bed. This woman grows tomatos, onions, and sukuma.
	44. This woman was very active and started 3 kitchen gardens after the training.
	45. Many of the participants have started to use compost manure. This woman is checking her compost manure by measuring its temperature with a pole.
	46. The woman is proud of her field of ground nuts.
	47. This man participated in the ICA project and is happy with techniques taught during training because they made his crops very healthy.
	48. An educational trip to Machakos in central Kenya was carried out to motivate and encourage participants. They reviewed the techniques taught and compared with other techniques.
	49. In Machakos they visited a community center to see a successful demonstration farm.
	50. Participants also visited successful individual farmers. They asked many questions about their techniques.
	51. They exchanged ideas and reflected on their activities at the closing ceremony. ICA Japan staff Maki Hasegawa made a short speech.
Interaction with Visiting MPT Staff
	52. Representatives from Japan's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPT) visited Siaya during a five day study trip to Africa in October 1995.
	53. The MPT leader and the secretary of one of the women's groups exchange gifts with each other.
	54. All the MPT staff were pleased to know how the project is being implemented and to exchange words with the village people.

 

 

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