Rainwater Harvesting to Tackle Poverty: Improving Food Security and Income by Increasing Agricultural Inputs and Market Access

Summary: Small-scale farmers in Kenya’s arid and semi arid lands (ASALs) depend on rain-fed agriculture for their food and livelihood. A key problem they face is that droughts are frequent; rainfall is unreliable; and climate change is causing these age-old problems to become more severe and further damage the environment. Frustratingly, when it does rain, the rain rapidly flows away and takes quality top soil with it. In short, as a result of these impacts, rural families are experiencing severe water scarcity, a decline in food production, crop failure, cyclical malnutrition, and a reliance on food aid. Small-scale farmers also struggle to access quality agricultural inputs and to access markets.

This project will sustainably increase small-scale farmers’ food security and income by promoting and replicating actions to ensure that farmers have year-round access to water (ponds, micro-irrigation, and soil water conservation structures) and markets (developing local input suppliers, co-operatives to achieve scale, and business skills). To ensure long-term sustainability the project seeks to reverse environmental degradation and mitigate climate change (fuel efficient stoves-FES, tree planting, and soil conservation). Underlying structural issues, such as gender inequality; lack of voice in formulating policies; and the impact of HIV and AIDS will also be addressed.

In this way, subsistence rain-fed agriculture will be transformed to small-scale, equitable, commercial enterprises. This practical and innovative approach will be lead by small-scale farmers, and farmers groups will develop essential knowledge and skills which will result in poverty reduction.

Implementing organisation: Kenya Rainwater Association (KRA) is a national non-governmental membership association. KRA’s vision is that all people have access to safe, reliable and sustainable water supplies for productive uses. KRA works to improve water supply, food security, and environmental sustainability through development, improvement, and promotion of rainwater harvesting and management (RHM) systems and complementary technologies.

Needs Assessment: The lives of rural communities in the ASALs are affected by environmental, social, and economic constraints. Agriculture for subsistence is frequently affected by low and unreliable rainfall. Climate change is increasing the frequency of droughts leading to low food production, crop failure, malnutrition, and a cyclical reliance on food relief.

Small-scale farmers are unable to grow enough produce at a sufficient scale to respond to market demand while also satisfying household consumption due to inappropriate skills, knowledge, technology, and insufficient access to agricultural inputs e.g. water, seeds, and tree seedlings. At the same time, inadequate technical knowledge and skills within communities, as well as ignorance of indigenous and traditional knowledge by Government and external support agencies exacerbates sharing of learning. Furthermore, there are limited opportunities besides rain-fed agriculture to diversify livelihoods. Therefore, communities adopt unsustainable natural resources management and deforestation for charcoal burning.

These problems tend to affect women more, as the tasks of water collection and vegetable production traditionally fall to them, yet they have limited access to and control over production and income resources. Women are involved in farming, but men usually take control of profit-orientated activities. These problems are not unique to the proposed target areas in Kenya but are shared by small-scale farmers in many ASALs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Required Resources: The number of small-scale farmers (mostly women) that will benefit directly from this project is scalable depending on funds. However, $12,000 would enable five households to benefit from project infrastructure directly. With an average family size of six, that means 30 people will benefit. 300 households who are members of the community-based organisation (CBO) will access capacity building support. With an average family size of six, that means 1,800 people will benefit from capacity building. Through knowledge and skills development the CBOs will become organisationally and financially self-sustaining.

KRA has noticed that wealthier farmers in the area will adopt the project activities on their own land. These wealthier farmers and the farmers which benefit through our projects act as an inspiration to other small-holder farmers who seek to replicate project activities. We encourage this by supporting a farmer field school approach and also by facilitating CBO exchange visits. Tree and vegetable nurseries and FES installation will function as profit making businesses and will, therefore, be sustainable. Specifically, funding will achieve the following objectives:

Food security

1. To increase the quantity and variety of food consumed through increased and diversified production.

Production, income, and environment

1. To improve access to water for productive purposes through RHM systems and low-head drip irrigation for vegetable production.
2. To improve access to farm inputs.
3. To increase quantities and varieties of crops produced.
4. To increase family income.
5. To increase linkages to markets.
6. To increased resilience to climate change through more sustainable household energy use and increased soil and water conservation actions by communities.

Knowledge and policy advocacy

1. To improve CBO institutional capacity in governance, project and financial management, record keeping and fundraising.
2. To improve CBO capacity in the operation and maintenance of new infrastructure, accessing and using information for marketing
3. To improve CBO members understanding of good nutrition, HIV and AIDS, and gender.
4. To increase linkages between poor farmers, the National Farmers Association (NFA) and Government in order to influence policy and practice to the benefit of poor small-scale farmers.

Business Case: The project takes a multi-discipline approach in partnership with the public and private sector. Project activities have been identified based on community demand as well as situational and value chain analysis conducted in collaboration with related district-based Government departments (e.g. district agriculture or water offices) and key private sector actors.

The target CBOs are within the vicinity of growing urban centres, where the demands for horticultural produce (vegetables and fruits) are high. The project baseline and stakeholders’ consultations show that there are sustainable business opportunities for small-scale producers.

The project will address some of the identified constraints (e.g. over-reliance on a rain-fed production system; inappropriate agricultural water management; limited crop diversification; poor marketing system; land degradation and low productivity; inappropriate technologies (low adoption of RHM systems and complementary technologies); inadequate access to information and financial resources; few co-operatives to achieve scale of production; and reliance on opportunistic middlemen.

The value chain approach will strengthen local capacity; stimulate and sustain local markets; and create an enabling policy and economic environment conducive to transforming smallholder rainfed-based farming system to perennial agribusiness.

This action has been drawn in consultation with community leaders, secondary data, KRA’s previous learning, KRA’s technical expertise, and a consideration of how to best mitigate assumptions and risks to ensure a focus on areas and people with the highest levels of need and the most effective response to their needs. This action uses methods which are in line with Government policy and internationally recognised best practices and therefore, has the potential to be adapted and adopted on a large scale.

Plan and Execution: The proposed interventions consist of five main components:

1. On-farm micro-irrigation system for vegetable production:

• 50m3 farm pond (lined with ultra-violet resistant plastic to control seepage, and roofed to reduce evaporation and risk of children or animals drowning) (in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation – District Water Offices).
• Simple manual pumps for lifting water from the farm ponds (in partnership with Kickstart International).
• High water use-efficient, locally assembled low-head drip irrigation systems (2,000-litre kits) for horticultural production (in partnership with WAREM Consultants).

2. Integrating fruits production into soil water conservation structures: agroforestry with different fruit trees along contour furrows/trenches e.g. mangoes, bananas, passion fruits, oranges, avocado (in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture – District Agriculture Offices).

3. Climate Change Mitigation: Promotion of FES and the development of fruit and (agro) forestry tree nurseries using a market-based approach. Both the installation of FES and the rearing of fruit tree seedlings are sustainable in that they provide income-generating opportunities for poor women. Planting of trees helps to improve runoff infiltration, water storage in the soil and reduces erosion. It also assists with carbon sequestration – the process through which carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees, plants and crops through photosynthesis – thus reducing global warming. Fruit and trees will provide a source of income to poor farmers. At the same time FES will reduce demand for fuel wood, and hence women will spend less time fetching firewood that they can use as they choose and possibly for other productive activities e.g. farming. The project will raise awareness of the importance of tree planting, gully controls, bunding, mulching, and promoting depressions around the base of plants (in partnership with District Forestry Offices among others).

4. Capacity building, knowledge sharing, and policy advocacy: the project will improve the technical ability of CBO/co-operative members in the development and maintenance of the programme components above. KRA will also work to build the institutional strength of CBOs through training in the formation and governance of co-operatives, project / financial management, and marketing. They will also be supported to apply to Government Constituency Development Funds (CDF) and to improve their fundraising skills. This capacity building coupled with facilitating linkages with the private sector will help CBOs to improve access to market information; increase their bargaining power in the value chain; and ensure quality control. Fostering linkages with Kenya’s NFA will enable farmers to have a voice in relevant policy development. Artisans at each site will be trained by KRA on construction and maintenance of facilities. Artisans will learn by demonstration as they implement construction. Government staff and development agencies will be informed of and involved in the project implementation to create awareness and enhance their capacity to respond to communities’ needs, and integrate communities’ views in their decision and policy-making processes (in partnership with private sector, KENFAP and related district-based Government departments – Agriculture, Water, Cooperative Development, etc).

5. HIV and AIDs and gender: the nutritional outcomes of the project are important in target districts and especially for the large numbers of people affected by HIV and AIDS. Awareness-raising regarding how HIV is contracted and the benefits of a varied diet will be conducted with CBOs, KRA staff, and partners. Discussions will be held in CBOs to challenge some of the underlying gendered assumptions about the rights and responsibilities of men and women with regards to water use, household energy consumption, decision-making on farm inputs, and control of income. Nutrition will also be a focus of capacity building so farmers understand the importance of a balanced and varied diet for their health. Many poor farmers live on Ugali, which is made of maize flour, and hence when the maize crop fails there is not even enough for this basic staple meal.

Real World Impact: The project will achieve the following results within a year:

Improved food security

- Families consume more food and a greater variety of foods each day.

Access to the physical infrastructure and inputs necessary to improve their livelihood

- Five farm ponds constructed, with pumps and drip kits installed

- 10 fruit tree seedlings provided per farmer

- Nurseries provided with fruit and forestry tree seeds, vegetable seeds, and poly pots sufficient to provide target farmers and the broader community with tree and vegetable seedlings.

- Women’s groups provided with sufficient ceramic rings to install FES for project beneficiaries. With the profit they can buy further ceramic rings.

Development of the organisational infrastructure and increased skills and knowledge necessary to their livelihood for 1,800 people:

- CBO’s technical capacity in the operation and maintenance of new infrastructure and their marketing skills are improved.

- Improved CBO organisational capacity in governance, project and financial management, record keeping and fundraising.

- CBO members have improved understanding of good nutrition, HIV and AIDS, and gender.

- Linkages between poor farmers, the NFAs and Government are increased and strengthened in order to influence Government policy and practice to benefit poor small-scale producers.

- Increased resilience to climate change through more sustainable household energy use and increased soil and water conservation actions by communities.

- Increased linkages to markets.

To ensure that these results are achieved the following information will be gathered and compared to baseline data:

Food security

1. Average no. months per year when family members eat one meal or less per day.
2. Family food variety consumption score – frequency of eating different types of food.

Production, income, and environment

1. No. months per year with access to productive water.
2. Land area under food production.
3. Kgs produced per acre per crop.
4. No. and types of crops grown.
5. No. and types of soil and water conservation measures implemented after training.

Knowledge and policy advocacy

1. Percent of CBO members, Government staff and local development agencies undertaking KRA’s trainings that feel their understanding of RHM and marketing has improved as a result.
2. CBO institutional strength score increased
3. Depth of understanding of gender, HIV, and nutrition enabling greater equality and improved health
4. Government and NFA representatives more open to interactions with poor farmers.
5. No. of Government staff that manifest new policies and/or practice as a result of interaction with beneficiaries
6. Improved policy environment for demands for improved access to farm inputs and market access.