Increasing the Resilience of Farming Systems With Agroecology, With A Focus On Gender

About Project

The project ‘‘Increasing the Resilience of Farming Systems with Agroecology, With A Focus On Gender,’’ is nested within BvAT’s Farmer Communication Programme setup which runs farmer resource centres and complemented by The Organic Farmer (TOF) Magazine, The Organic Farmer Radio and the one-stop shop knowledge platform Infonet. The project is being implemented in 3 counties of Busia, Kakamega and Bungoma in Western Kenya with an aim of reaching 3,000 beneficiaries through a total of 150 groups (50 per county).


Additionally, the project is tightly linked to the Knowledge Hub for Organic Agriculture in Eastern Africa (KHEA) activities in western Kenya, including but not limited to leveraging on the Continental Digital Knowledge Platform and the Multiplier Network in the region. The project aims to scale up agroecology practices in farming households and promote engagement in organic farming as a business beyond just subsistence farming.

Goal of the project

The goal of the project is to improve livelihoods of farmers in western Kenya through the adoption of agroecological practices in agroforestry, indigenous vegetables, and poultry value chains as well as practices of improving soil health and fertility.

Thematic areas of intervention

To achieve the project objective, BvAT identified four thematic areas of interventions, namely.

  • agroforestry,
  • indigenous poultry,
  • indigenous vegetables, and
  • soil health

Areas of Implementation

Expected Project Outcomes

Area intervention Expected Project Outcomes Project Achievements
Agroforestry
  • 70% of the targeted farmers have adopted agroforestry practices.
  • 50% of the targeted farmers have increased incomes from practicing agroforestry.
  • 25% of the targeted farmers have increased production by practicing agroforestry.
  • The value chain training registered an average attendance rate of 85.6% with an adoption rate of 65.5% of the training received.
  • The sales of agroforestry products yielded an average income of Kes 32,584.39 for farmers, marking a significant increase of 84.72% (from the baseline of Kes 17,636.27)
Indigenous Chicken
  • The production of indigenous chicken by farmers has increased by 25%.
  • 75% of the targeted farmers have adopted organic production of indigenous chicken.
  • 50% of the targeted farmers have improved household incomes from practicing indigenous chicken production.
  • According to the evaluation, most of the farmers (93.1%) indicated that they benefitted from the training on poultry production systems and poultry housing and hygiene (93%).
  • The evaluation observed a 69.1% adoption rate of trained skills and technologies.
  • The average revenue from poultry product sales amounted to KES 33,276.2
African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVS)
  • The production of indigenous vegetables has increased by 25%.
  • 75% of the targeted farmers have adopted organic production of indigenous vegetables.
  • 50% of the targeted farmers have improved household incomes from practicing the production of indigenous vegetables.
  • The evaluation highlighted a commendable average attendance rate of 92% for ALVS training.
  • The average adoption rate for the trainings under the ALVs was 79.5%. A 26.6% increase was noted for the land allocated for AIVs, this was particularly due to its short period of maturity and higher returns. AIV harvests yielded an average production of 119.79 kgs.
  • Initial sales of AIVs resulted in an average revenue of KES 30,837.91, showcasing an increase from the baseline figure of KES 20,784.56,
Soil Fertility and Health Improvement
  • 70% of the targeted farmers have adopted the production and use of organic manure in their farms.
  • 25% of the targeted farmers have Increased production from practicing the production and use of organic manure.
  • 50% of the targeted farmers have increased incomes from practicing production and use of organic manure and soil quality amendments.
  • The evaluation established that 48.8% of farmers had adopted soil testing, marking a 21.2% increase compared to the baseline.
  • Farmers generated extra income by selling surplus organic fertilizers.
  • On average, farmers produced 26.85 kgs of Bokashi, with some individuals producing as much as one (1) ton of organic manure.