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ASALI PROJECT

ASALI PROJECT. A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO LIVELIHOODS. Sustainable Development Goals. Agricultural sector plays an important in Kenya’s development and in meeting the sustainable development goal (SDG ) of eradicating poverty and hunger . The sector directly contributes:

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ASALI PROJECT

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  1. ASALI PROJECT A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO LIVELIHOODS

  2. Sustainable Development Goals • Agricultural sector plays an important in Kenya’s development and in meeting the sustainable development goal (SDG) of eradicating poverty and hunger. • The sector directly contributes: • 24% of the gross national product (GDP), • 75% of industrial raw materials, • 60% of export earnings and • employment to about 80% of the population which is largely rural.

  3. Agricultural sub-sectors • The key agricultural subsectors include crops (food, industrial and horticultural crops) and livestock and fisheries. • Horticultural, food and industrial crops contribute approximately 33%, 32 % and 17% of the agricultural GDP, respectively, while livestock and fisheries contribute 12% and 2%, respectively.

  4. Agricultural sub-sectors • Food crops make a significant contribution to the national food security. • Horticultural and industrial crops contribute 39% and 55% of the agricultural exports, respectively, • The livestock sector is comprised mainly of dairy and beef sub-sectors which are found in the high/medium potential and semi-arid/arid zones, respectively. • The livestock include cattle, sheep and goats, and poultry which comprise approximately 78%, 20% and 2%, respectively, of the national livestock units.

  5. Food security encompasses availability of adequate quantities of a diversity of food commodities . • They include cereals, fruits, vegetables and animal products that meet both amounts and nutritional requirements.

  6. grams, dolichos), traditional vegetables (Amaranthus, Spider plant, Night shade etc). These have potential as a remedy to counter food insecurity since most are well adapted to the local environment, enabling them to resist pests, drought and diseases

  7. The semi arid and arid areas of south eastern Kenya region • The arid and semi lands (ASAL) are home to 25% of the Kenya population, • over 70% of the livestock and most of the game reserves • The main source of livelihood for ASAL inhabitants is extensive livestock production, primarily through pastoralism and agropastoralism. • Over 60% of ASAL inhabitants live below the poverty line subsisting on less than 1 USD per day. Majority of the people in the region depends on relief food and are malnourished.

  8. Resource based conflicts • Resource-based conflicts over pasture and access to water are rife in the area. • They are caused by increased competition and diminishing role of traditional governance systems, weakening of traditional institutions, increasing levels of poverty and unemployment among the youth.

  9. cultivation resulting in a decline in fallowing, previously used for soil nutrient replenishment (Mango, 2002)[1]. • Diversification of farming systems and incorporation of additional farm activities such as inclusion of legumes in intercrops and/or rotation among others have potential for higher efficiencies in nutrient recycling (Stoorvogel and Smaling, 1990)

  10. Ponds have been a rare component of local farming systems but currently governments and other community development organizations are promoting them as part of food security and poverty alleviation strategies

  11. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR WATER AND FOOD SECURITY • Making water accessible to increase productivity • Agricultural productivity in the ASAL is limited by inadequate water supply, inefficient utilization. • Methods of increasing water use efficiency for agricultural production include minimizing runoff and direct evaporation from water and soil surfaces and increasing the proportion that infiltrates into the soil and is transpired. • Appropriate ways of doing so include insitusoil and water conservation measures like terracing, trash and stone lines, land preparation practices that break soil surface crusts and hard pans, rainwater harvesting among others.

  12. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FOR WATER AND FOOD SECURITY • It is now accepted that the water problems especially the arid and semi-arid lands can be greatly alleviated through appropriate rainwater harvesting (RWH). The rains, though erratic and inadequate in the ASAL, can contribute immensely towards the desired social and economic needs of the environment. • Rainwater harvesting provides independent water supply and in ASAL is considered the main source of water. RWH prevents flooding of low-lying areas. Because of competition for ground water, limited recharge and associated high cost of developing ground water resources, the added value of water harvesting technologies in water supply replenishing ground water bodies and enabling dug and bore wells to yield in a sustained manner is crucial.

  13. High value traditional crops include • cowpeas, millet, sorghum, green grams, Dolichos lablab and pigeon pea which are best for mitigating food insecurity through their drought tolerance and ability to generate high incomes for farmers

  14. Climatic conditions of Kitui • Kitui County is situated within the Yatta plateau and the soils are all generally of low fertility and many are highly erodible. • Increases runoff and makes the clay soils hard to plough by the end of the dry season. The annual rainfall ranges between 500-1000 mm per annum with 40% percent reliability. • Rain is distributed in two season in October to December (most reliable rainfall) and March to May (less reliable rainfall) the rest of the year is dry. • The farmers rear livestock, mainly the local zebu cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys.

  15. The main food crops grown in in the area include cereals • Zeamays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolour) and pearl millet (Pennisetumglaucum) • legumes like cowpea (Vignaunguiculata), pigeon pea (Cajanuscajan), green grams (Vignaradiata) and common bean (Phaseolusvulgaris) in the wetter areas. • Fruit crops include mangoes, oranges and pawpaws • horticultural crops like leafy vegetables (i.e. kales, spinach, amaranth, nigh shade among others), tomatoes, capsicum, onions and annual fruits like water melons are produced sold in nearby towns

  16. Natural Resource Management for water and food security • 1. To determine appropriate water harvesting technologies and examine conditions for facilitating uptake and up-scaling in South Eastern Kenya • 2. To assess and document availability, accessibility and utilization of traditional high value crops, indigenous trees, shrubs and herbs as food and fodder in SEK.

  17. Rain water harvesting for crops, fodder and tree production • Appraised on the latest best practices on rainwater harvesting, utilization and value addition of high value crops, shrubs and trees

  18. Water harvesting for food security • Show casing rainwater harvesting systems in local schools will play a vital role in educating an upcoming generation about water conservation principles and new technologies • Way of addressing the water scarcity the arid and semi-arid lands in addition to the existing ones. • This knowledge building and dissemination strategy will play a vital role in adoption and sustainability. • The information can also be shared through print and social media.

  19. OUTPUTS • Trained one PhD student • Trained on-farm fodder production and preservation • Sustainability - training farmers on fodder production and utilization

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