Table 4-2 - Agriculture, livestock, and agri processing soft initiatives

4.2.1 Soft Initiatives, Training and Capacity Building

A number of previous infrastructure developments in Bungoma, that have aimed to unlock activity in the sector, have failed to take off due to the lack of capacity in Bungoma. There is a lack of upstream capacity for all the VCs where small-scale, fragmented, low-skill farming dominates the activity. The soft initiatives are aimed to address existing challenges noted and support and organise the sector gradually. There is limited, if any, access to the required level of support: the majority of Bungoma’s cooperatives are not functioning as they should and there are insufficient extension services available to farmers. Although the County has existing infrastructure in place to support both of the final two VCs, there is limited private sector presence with the capacity to take on these VCs. There will be a need for significant efforts to be made to support the supply chains and build capacity for these VCs. These soft interventions have the potential to attract private sector interest in the medium term. There is already relatively well-developed infrastructure at the Webuye industrial site. This set of softer interventions will be integral to development of this sector, where these interventions will look to address key gaps in capacity and support along the supply chains.

Table 4-2 - Agriculture, livestock, and agri processing soft initiatives

Aim Action

More resilient and sustainable agriculture and livestock sector A1 - Act against soil degradation.

Overuse of fertiliser needs to be monitored, stopped. Overuse of agro chemicals to achieve better yield comes at the cost of long-term soil quality.

A2 – Plan for worsening water scarcity – although this is not a major issue now, in the long term the impacts will become more apparent.

A3 - Protect sensitive environmental assets and farmland from dumping in rivers. A1 - Act against soil degradation.

Overuse of fertiliser needs to be monitored, stopped. Overuse of agro chemicals to achieve better yield comes at the cost of long-term soil quality. Potential interventions include:

> Sustainable land management techniques to combat land degradation such as those which have been successfully implemented by the Great Green Wall initiative. See case study below for more detail; > Avoiding monocultures and practise crop rotation; > Where land allows it, fallowing can be done; > At small scales, exclusive manuring is practical; > Training that is in a language and format that is accessible for low-income populations and SIGs. This is particularly important in Bungoma given its cultural diversity; > Promotion of permaculture techniques such as agroforestry and mulching. Training in permaculture skills has been successfully delivered to local farmers and primary school teachers by Practical Permaculture

Institutes in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar with the aim of empowering communities to lead sustainable livelihoods. There is opportunity to engage with this team and learn from their experiences; and > New inputs/technologies should be culturally-appropriate.

A2 – Plan for worsening water scarcity

Although water scarcity is not a major issue now for Bungoma, in the long term the impacts will become more apparent. Bungoma needs to develop a plan for water management, which considers climate change risks, impact of upstream catchment activities on water quantity and quality and the sector’s requirements to align with the Municipality’s water supply needs.

The water infrastructure proformas contained within the Development Framework provide specific targeted interventions, some further crosscutting household level interventions include:

> Domestic rainwater harvesting, where most homes use iron sheets for roofing (explore integrating this into the construction materials VC highlighted in Appendix B); > Lining and expansion of existing small-scale water pans; > Expand use of soil conservation techniques. The

Livelihoods Fund focuses on land restoration to increase food security and preserve water resources (Vi Agroforestry and Brookside); > Sustainably planned community boreholes.

These can be implemented quickly, considering groundwater availability.; and > Insurance for farmers who take up solar-powered irrigation systems (e.g. Turkana and Isiolo Counties are encouraging the uptake of financial and insurance facilities for purchase of SPIS) Promoting these interventions through farmer groups encourages inclusivity. This needs to be accompanied by initiatives such as changing farmer groups and associations’ membership requirements (e.g. not tied to land-owners) and developing awareness sessions to promote SIGs’ participation in these groups. This will contribute to including them in decision-making processes and enhance their access to information.

Organisations such as USAID, Islamic Relief, Kenya Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project, Kenya’s Drylands Development Programme, and the AfDB’s Kenya Towns Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme are implementing these measures across Kenya.

A3 - Protect sensitive environmental assets and farmland from dumping in rivers.

The two tools the County can use to protect its rivers are enforcement of the policy that protects the rivers, and creating an awareness of the consequences of their actions through effective information dissemination. Potential actions include:

> Adoption of on-farm techniques that promote holding and retention of water and reduce flash floods; > Maintain the riparian zones intact (ban stream bank cultivation). Zone can be up to 30m on each side; > Strengthen local WRUA participation to enforce river protection at community level; > WRUAs can also develop local action plans for resource mobilization for environmental programmes; > Create awareness through print and electronic media (TV and community radios). Also incorporate concept on World Environment Day; and > Plant woodlots upstream, and cover crops to reduce erosion and sediment loads reaching river. Case Study

The Great Green Wall (GGW) is an African-led movement launched in 2007 by the African Union. Recurrent droughts and desertification threaten the livelihoods and futures of entire populations across Africa's Sahel region through land degradation, declining yields and disappearance of livestock. The initiative aims to create an 8,000 km natural wonder of the world across the width of Africa, in the Sahel and Sub-Sahara regions, and will be the largest living structure on the planet. The GGW contributes directly to the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to end poverty, promote prosperity and wellbeing and protect the planet. By 2030, the initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon and create 10 million jobs in rural areas. The movement consists of 21 African countries and a broad range of international partners including the Pan African Agency of the Great Green Wall, African Development Bank, One Planet Summit, Agence Française de Development, Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, The World Bank, European Commission, European Investment Bank, and International Fund for Agriculture Development. Focal areas include sustainable water and land management, land restoration and rehabilitation, smart agriculture, promotion of agroforestry, education and awareness, capacity building and innovation, among others. So far 25 million hectares of degraded land have successfully been restored in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Niger, and 3 million hectares have been rehabilitated in Burkina Faso, contributing to increased food security in these countries.

Source: Great Green Wall. Available at: https://www. greatgreenwall.org [Accessed 18/02/2022]