1. Climate Change Response Initiatives by
World Vision Kenya
Presented to the Conference on
Beating Famine:
Sustainable food security through land regeneration in a changing
climate
By
Lawrence Kiguro
World Vision Kenya
Wednesday 11th April, 2012

2. Initiatives by WVK
• On-farm Rainwater Harvesting; (Subsoilers, Zay Pits, Sunken Beds,
On-farm Reservoirs);
• Promotion of Drought Tolerant Crops;
• Organic Farming;
• Agro-forestry;
• Improved Goats (Galla & Other breeds)
• Poultry Rearing
• Bee Keeping
• Cattle Rearing;
• Small Scale Irrigation;
• Green house Farming;
• Energy saving Cookstoves

3. 1.0 Promotion of On-Farm Rain Water Harvesting (RWH)
Technologies
• Why Rainwater Harvesting?
• Flash rains usually occur in the ASALS but are
normally poorly spread. If that water can be
harvested somehow, it can then be used later on
for crop or other domestic use;
• Rain Water Harvesting technologies promoted
include:- (Use of Subsoilers, Zay-pits, Sunken
beds, On-farm water-pans (Silangas), retention
ditches & roadside water harvesting)

4. 1.1a: Promotion of the Sub-Soiler as a Rainwater
Harvesting Technology
• Why Promotion of Sub-soiler Technology:-
• Continuous use of the Oxen Plough has
created a hardpan which impedes water
infiltration into the soil;
• The Sub-soiler helps to break the hardpan
and hence improve water infiltration into
the soil for use by crops;

5. 1.1.b: Subsoiler Technology

6. 1.1.c:Ripper a component of SS
.

7. 1.1.d: Ripper with Wings
.

8. 1.1.e: Ripper Technology in Prep
.

9. 1.1.f: Sub-soiler Tech at Work!
.

10. 1.1.g: Sub-soiler Tech at Work!

11. 1.1.h: Crops on Sub-soiled Land

12. 1.2.a: WHaT aRE Zay-piTs ?
These are pits or holes that are well fertilized
with deeply loosened soil, which enables
intensive planting that gives high yields from
a small area.

13. 1.2.b:Zay pit making process
Procedure
• Dig a hole of 2ftx2ftx2ft, and maintain a 2ft
between holes.
• Make sure during the digging, that topsoil (usually
the first ft) is put separate from the sub soil.
• Put vegetation at the bottom of the hole
• Mix a debe of manure (boma or compost) with
topsoil and put into the hole at a ratio of 1:1, which
is now half full with vegetation. Leave a space 2-3
inches for water collection in the hole.
• Plant 5 seed during the short rains and 9seeds
during the long rains.
• The pits should be alternating as in chess board
• The pit can be used for two and a half years or 4
crop seasons but crop rotation should be
maintained.

14. 1.2.c:Zaypit Layout on the Farm

15. 1.2.c: Maize Crop growing in Zaypits

16. 1.2.c: A Ready Maize Cob in Zaypits

17. 1.3.a: WHaT aRE sunkEn BEds
• These are beds that are well fertilized with deeply
loosened soil, suitable for vegetable growing;
• The width should be a maximum of 1M wide but the
length can vary depending on the need;
• Mainly used for kitchen gardening;

18. 1.3.B: CaRRoTs in sunkEn BEds

19. 1.4. a: On-farm Reservoirs
• In drylands road runoff should not be left to go to
waste as it ends up causing damage to crops in the
farm, soil erosion amongst other havoc;
• Instead, this water can be tapped and put into use
through on-farm reservoirs;

20. 1.4. b: On-farm Reservoirs

21. 1.4. c: A graded terrace directing run off
water into the farm reservoir

22. 2.a: Promotion of Drought
Tolerant Crops
Why Promote DTCs ?
• These crops can withstand and mature with the
available rains especially when combined with
on-farm RWH technologies;
• Most of these crops were traditionally grown by
most communities but were abandoned in favour
of Maize which was viewed as “Modern”;
• For most crops, the planting materials/Seeds
can be recycled and hence no need to give
every season if they take-off well;

23. 2.b: Promotion of Drought
Tolerant Crops (DTCs)
• We need to reduce the mentality that maize is
the only crop/food that farmers can grow/eat
even in areas which are not suitable for the
growing of maize;
• Drought Tolerant Food Crops (DTCs) being
promoted using RWH technologies include: –
Sorghum, Millets, Cowpeas, Pigeon peas,
Green-grams, Cassava, Sweet Potatoes

24. 2.c: A Sorghum Crop in
Makueni

25. 3.a: Organic Farming
• Why Promote Organic Farming?
• 1.)Most farmers cannot afford to buy commercial
fertilizers and/or chemicals;
• 2.)Organically produced foods are much
healthier;
• 3.)Organically produced foods (especially fruits
and vegetables) have a better market especially
in Europe;
• Organic Farming practices promoted include :
Use of organic manures and organic pesticides

26. 3.b: Organic Farming

27. 4.a: Agro-forestry
• Why Promote Agro-forestry?
1.) Trees are an important component on the farm
for various end uses (fruits, fodder, fuel-wood,
soil improvement, shade, ornamental) but
more importantly for environmental
conservation;
2.) Emphasis is on Agro-forestry with fruit trees eg
Mangoes, Citrus, Passionfruits, Papayas, local
fruits(Loquats & Guavas) but also MPTS ( e.g.
Leucaena, Calliandra, Grevillea etc);
3.) WVK works in close collaboration with ICRAF,
KARI and KEFRI, Forestry Dept as necessary
for technical support

28. 4.a: Agro-forestry with Mangoes

29. 5.a: Why Promotion of Improved Goats
(Galla & Others)
• This is being done in several ADPs
why?
1.) Generally goats are hardier than most
other livestock animals;
2.) They are browsers and in most of these
ASALs even when dry they still have a lot
of shrubs which make-up enough fodder
for the goats;

30. 5.b: Why Promotion of Improved Goats (Galla &
Others)
3.)The breed being promoted has a bigger body
size than the local goats by up-to three times
(local goats on average are 20kgs but Galla
goats are on average 60-70kgs) and hence
fetches a better market value (Local goats sells
for about Ksh1,000 – 2,000 but the Galla goats
can sell for Ksh5,000 – 6,000);
4.)Though they are not “Dual-purpose” in the true
sense of the word, they can still produce a small
amount of milk which can be used at the
household level

31. 5.c: Gala goats at a FFS

32. 6.0: Poultry Rearing
• Why Poultry Farming;
• Easy to manage especially where free
range is system is possible;
• Good source of eggs and meat which are
highly nutritious;
• Easy to market locally – for both eggs and
chicken;
• Done through introduction of improved
cockerels and the eggs used for brooding;

33. 7.0: Promotion of Beekeeping
• Why Beekeeping;
• Easy to manage especially where there is
plenty of idle land in the ASAL areas;
• Highly nutritious both for household
consumption and for sale;
• Key intervention activities include capacity
building, distribution of beehives,
processing, packaging and marketing;

34. 8.0: Promotion of cattle in
Pastoralist communities
• Why Promote cattle rearing in pastoral
communities/ASALs;
• This is the main livelihood of the targeted
communities;
• Targeted areas have limited alternative
livelihood options;
• Key interventions revolve around disease
control, breeds improvement, pasture
improvement, water access and marketing;

35. 9.0 Promotion of Small Scale
Irrigation
Why Irrigation?
• This is the ultimate solution to the problem
of food insecurity in the ASAL areas or
Kenya in General;
• Successful projects include: Morelum,
Lokubae, Kainuk (Currently ongoing
supported by OFDA/USAID)

36. 9.1 Kainuk - Small Scale
Irrigation
• The project is located in Kainuk Division along River
Malimalite. The scheme is designed to cover 300 acres
of irrigated land 300 with 600 beneficiaries each with half
an acre of land amongst other short term benefits;
• Part of the scheme 80 acres is already done and in
production;

37. 9.2: Kainuk -Captions/1: River Malimalite (L) at the irrigation water
intake point

38. 9.3: Kainuk -Captions/2: Canal Construction

39. 9.4: Kainuk -Captions/2: Targeted Area for Irrigation
Before After

40. 9.5 Kainuk -Captions/3: A farmer on his irrigated
plot of land

41. 10.0: Promotion of Small Scale Greenhouse
Farming (with drip Irrigation)
• Why Promote Greenhouse farming?
• Realizing very high yields and returns in a small
area of land (1/8acre);
• The farmers using water saving technology –
drip irrigation system;
• Attractive to both aged farmers well above
55years as well as the youth below the of age of
30 years

42. 10.1: Mwala Greenhouse
Farming/1

43. 10.2: Mwala Greenhouse
Farming/2

44. 11.0 ENERGY
SAVING COOK STOVES (ESC) PROJECT
WVK has consciously chosen to
implement interventions / technologies
that can mitigate against the effects of
climate change while simultaneously
delivering on the Child Well Being
Aspirations (CWBAs). The ESC
technology is one such technology…….

45. 11.1 Key Achievements…..Sale of Stoves
Cookstove sales by target market
744
800
700
600
500
351 Jiko Poa
400 Envirofit
279
300
200 114
100
0
Tseikuru Yatta WVK staff Total

46. 12.0 Challenges
1.)The RWH technologies being promoted
are quite tedious (e.g. use of the sub-
soiler, making zaypits and sunken beds);
2.) Changing people’s attitudes takes time;
3.) Sustainability of some of the initiatives
especially beekeeping has been a
challenge;
4.) Short term funding;