SUCCESSFUL AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC INITIATIVES OF THE RURAL YOUTH: LESSONS LEARNED FROM CARYM KENYA

1. SUCCESSFUL AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC INITIATIVES OF THE RURAL YOUTH: LESSONS LEARNEDFROM CARYM KENYA 16/06/2010Anthony Kipkoech Saina BRUSSELS DEVELOPMENT BRIEFINGS BRIEFING SESSION N°19 Youth and Rural Development in ACP countries

2. CONTENT • INTRODUCTION • CAPACITY BUILDING • DAIRY FARM PROJECT

3. INTRODUCTION - CARYM KENYA CARYM The Catholic Agricultural Rural Youth Movement(CARYM), Kenya is an affiliate member of MIJARC MAIN OBJECTIVE To transform spiritually and socio-economically, in the spirit of Christ and of the church, the Agricultural and Rural Youth of Kenya. VISION To promote health formation and self-reliance of the Youth challenging and enabling them by the gospel of Christ and the social teachings of the church to live a more spiritual life and be economically self-reliant, working together and participating in the construction of a just rural world and becoming responsible Christian citizens.

4. INTRODUCTION CARYM KENYA MISSION CARYM / MIJARC is an actor in rural areas that helps young people to get organized and to become critical actors that transform their village, region and country. By means of “training through action” and the methodology “to See-Judge-Act”, young people are able to improve their living conditions and to generate incomes. Therefore, they see how rural areas can become attractive and viable for young people.

5. Capacity building Skill training seminars: • such as in sustainable agriculture, • project management International campaigns of MIJARC • access to water (2006) • access to land (2007) • Access to seeds (2008) • Agrofuels and climate change (2009) • Landgrabbing (2010)

6. DAIRY FARM PROJECT Income generating projects within CARYM • Dairy farming • Beekeeping • Goat rearing • Poultry keeping • Horticulture

7. DAIRY FARM PROJECT

8. DAIRY FARM PROJECT • seminar was organized on the way forward of the project, • 50 members from all the parishes participated. • analyzing several other projects suggested by the participants, it was agreed that a dairy project was to be started

9. DAIRY FARM PROJECT

10. DAIRY FARM PROJECT Objectives • Learn sustainable agricultural techniques • To start a demonstration farm for CARYM members • Earn income from dairy products Beneficiaries • This is a project by and for the rural youth of Eldoret Diocese. They are the direct beneficiaries • The community around also benefits from the project. They buy dairy products, and they also visit the farm to learn.

11. DAIRY FARM PROJECT

12. DAIRY FARM PROJECT Project Implementation • Bishop donated 1 acre piece of land for the implementation of the project. • BSI Austria responded positively • Purchase of 3 dairy cows • Capacity building/training workshops for members • Most of the work from the initial stages of implementation was done by the members of the movement: • Fencing around the farm • Tilling of the land and planting of Napier grass • Construction of a cow shed • Purchase and transportation of cows to the farm • Construction of a caretakers house • Construction of Toilets • Digging of a bore-hole

13. DAIRY FARM PROJECT Achievements • Project was successful • Income was generated from the sale of milk • Demonstration farm for CARYM members • meeting point for the work camp between MIJARC partners; CARYM and KLJB (Germany). • Calves from the cows were donated to some parish groups as a way of empowering them at grassroots • The local community also visit the farm to learn more about the dairy farming

14. DAIRY FARM PROJECT Challenges • Diseases; some cows died due to diseases • Scarcity of water in the farm • There is no electricity in the farm • Poor prices of the farm produce • Insufficient animal feeds (Napier grass) due to long dry seasons. Financers of the project • Local Contributions from the members • Funds from the Austrian donor (BSI) • The Bishop donated land for the project