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Growing Together: Kenya

GENERAL INFORMATION ❖

Implementing Institution: Farmers’ Groups Network-Kenya (FAGNEK)

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Head: Rev. Nathan Muhoro

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Details of Institution: Address: Farmers’ Groups Network- Kenya, P.O. Box 166, Giakanja, Kenya Tel.: (+254) 7 2268 0312 E-mail: [email protected]

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Implementation Period: The project began in January 2004 and is ongoing.

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Costs: By June 2005, the project had cost US$2,500, contributed by members and volunteers.

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SUMMARY Small-scale farmers growing coffee as a cash crop suffered a serious setback to their livelihoods when the price of coffee fell. Looking for alternative sources of income from their land, many farmers neglected their coffee bushes and planted food crops between the rows, which they treated with composted manure. The farmers noted that the coffee plants survived despite the weeds and without the chemical control of pests and diseases. By weeding the crop and increasing the application of manure, farmers obtained both good yields of coffee beans and harvests of food crops that supplemented their other food sources. Knowledge of this new system of chemical-free farming spread rapidly within the farming community, which has been quick to adopt the experience. Farmers are now maximizing production on their coffee plots. Initially, knowledge of this new system of small-scale farming was shared informally. However, through the creation of the Farmers’ Groups NetworkKenya (FAGNEK), the practice of knowledge-sharing is now being formalized by helping farmers to network with one another in small groups. In this way, farmers can learn about new practices from one another but also share information about the best vegetable crops and varieties to grow. Currently, some 10,000 farmers are members of FAGNEK.

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BAC KG RO U N D A N D J U S T I F I C AT I O N Prior to this experience, small-scale coffee producers in Kenya relied heavily on the use of chemicals to control pests and diseases. These chemicals were expensive and hazardous to both the farmer and the environment. Their use also required technical knowledge that the farmers lacked, which led to their improper and ineffective use. Often, therefore, farmers experienced heavy crop losses without understanding the reasons why. They also did not realize that they could intercrop coffee with other crops as extension officers typically advised against this practice. In 2002, when the price of coffee fell, farmers abandoned their coffee bushes and began to experiment by planting other crops, including potatoes, beans and leafy vegetables, between the rows, fertilizing them with composted manure. In doing so, they realized that the coffee also yielded well despite the fact that no pesticides were being used and the bushes were not pruned as much as usual. In fact, by leaving five growing shoots per bush instead of the recommended three, farmers discovered that yields improved from 10 kilogrammes per bush to 20 kilogrammes per bush. Additional changes to the traditional agricultural practices included raising livestock indoors so that their waste could be harvested. Mixed with vegetable waste, it composts well to provide a rich source of organic fertilizer for the vegetable and coffee crops.

Growing Together: Kenya

Now, not only are farmers obtaining a better yield of pesticide-free, higherquality coffee but they are also obtaining additional food sources from their plots of land (fig. 1). Farmers are further benefiting from a recent increase in the price of coffee. Figure 1 Farmer showing potatoes that he has grown between his rows of coffee bushes.

However, working alone, no single farmer could have experimented with and developed the new system of intercropping coffee with vegetables without the use of pesticides. Initially through informal linkages and now through FAGNEK, farmers work in groups that allow them to meet periodically and to discuss recent progress and the way forward.

DESCRIPTION FA R M E R N E T W O R K Before the current initiative, FAGNEK existed as an informal farmer organization. FAGNEK, which was officially

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registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in 2003, was established to help farmers organize themselves and to empower them to obtain fair remuneration for their efforts. More specifically, FAGNEK aims to facilitate a group approach to farming in the local community. By helping farmers to pool their resources, it is hoped that production can be achieved on an economically viable scale. The network also enables them to source better prices for inputs and services and it can help with establishing farming businesses, including cottage industries that can help to add value to agricultural products. Taking on board the dissemination of the results obtained by the farmers themselves when experimenting with alternative cropping practices, however, has boosted the reach of the network, which now involves some 10,000 small-scale farmers. Individuals pay an annual subscription of 100 Kenyan shillings (US$1.30), while small groups of farmers pay 500 Kenyan shillings (US$6.50) a year. FAGNEK operates by providing a forum for the discussion of farmers’ problems and suggestions for solutions. Through FAGNEK, the farmers use a “bottom up” approach so that development progresses via a demand-driven process. It was the farmers themselves, for example, who decided to expand the network by promoting greater involvement of neighbouring farmers, with the aim of achieving a greater impact. Farmers are also able to invite relevant

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experts to provide advice at these forums as well as to discuss issues outside farming that are important to the local community, including the effects of HIV/AIDS and microfinance opportunities. Group visits to farms that have successfully implemented new agricultural strategies such as intercropping coffee and vegetables are also encouraged. Farmers also recognize the importance of research and wish to develop links that will help to interpret their ideas to scientists. In return, researchers will present their results to the farmers in a language that they can easily understand. FAGNEK produces a monthly four-page newsletter to facilitate the communication of the latest scientific findings as well as reports from farmer members and discussion forums to all its members. Extension officers are also being informed of the group’s discoveries and are being asked to accept and support the new intercropping system. The organizational structure of FAGNEK is currently being formalized, with leadership being identified from member farmers. The aim is to develop a tier system of leadership that is farmer-owned and assisted by a small secretariat. At present, while this farmer leadership is being developed, FAGNEK staff organize all farmer meetings. Such meetings are advertised through posters and letters to selected farmers and at community gatherings such as those at churches and schools. Typically, the meetings are held on a selected farm where field demonstra-

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tions are possible and farmers already involved in the experience share their results. Photographs and other figures and diagrams are also used to illustrate results. Following such meetings, other farmers are recruited to report on their experiences at future farm-based meetings. Other meetings are organized every four months to monitor and evaluate progress and to discuss new findings. At these meetings, farmer leaders who will be responsible for spearheading the future activities of the group are elected.

COFFEE CROP Until a few years ago, small-scale farmers regarded coffee as a special crop that needed to be handled with knowledge kits provided by agricultural extension officers. However, poor returns caused by falling market prices and poor leadership in the coffee cooperative societies led farmers to abandon production, which required expensive inputs of pesticides. Owing to high population pressure in the coffee-growing zones of Kenya, there was a need to produce food and several farmers uprooted their coffee crops. Those that left the bushes intact, however, observed that they survived well when grown with other crops and without control of diseases and pests. Potatoes, beans and vegetables were noted to do well, particularly when there was good application of manure, with yields of 2 tons of potatoes, 1 ton of beans and 2 tons of vegetables per hectare (fig. 2). In addition, certain crops, such as onions, were

Growing Together: Kenya

seen to discourage pests. Some farmers also noted that tall crops such as maize should be avoided as they shade the coffee crop and thereby reduce yields. Coffee yields themselves have almost doubled, from 10 kilogrammes per bush to 20 kilogrammes per bush. Production costs have also fallen as no pesticides are applied. However, farmers have noted that it is necessary to involve many surrounding farmers because chemical use on neighbouring farms was killing beneficial insects that help to protect the crop from pests. Figure 2 Farmer and his wife with a crop of beans growing between rows of coffee bushes. Bean yields can reach up to 1 ton per hectare.

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PA R T N E R S H I P S Although there are no established partnerships at present, presentations are being made to potential collaborators, including agricultural extension and research offices. In particular, FAGNEK is seeking partnerships with: • extension workers who, it is believed, will act as an instrumental link between farmers and research organizations but who must work more closely with farmers than they do at present; • researchers on both coffee and the crops that farmers are intercropping with coffee; • organic farmer organizations that can help in certifying and marketing coffee grown without the use of pesticides and other artificial inputs; and • integrated pest management specialists.

REPLICABILITY These observations were made and disseminated to other farmers mostly without any outside intervention. By bringing farmers together in discussion forums, FAGNEK enabled the farmers to recognize the success of their experience, which they would now like to develop further.

Intercropping coffee and vegetable crops provides farmers not only with an increased income from the cash crop but also with a source of food. In addition, as chemicals are no longer used to produce either the coffee or the vegetable crops, there have been health improvements in the human population and the environment. The experience is therefore extremely relevant to all farmers in the region.

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The organization of FAGNEK is simple and could be replicated elsewhere in areas where many small-scale farmers require assistance to develop their livelihoods through sharing information, especially with those more dynamic farmers who are willing to experiment with new agricultural practices or quickly adopt new technologies.

P O L I C Y I M P L I C AT I O N S Presentations are being made to both governments and coffee marketing organizations in an effort to influence a change in their policies that are not thought to be supportive of the ideas of FAGNEK. In addition, consultations are being held to ascertain whether there are any legal implications involved, for example in the certification and accreditation of organic coffee and other produce.

LESSONS LEARNED The special circumstance that made the experience successful is that farmers were left on their own after their coffee crops failed to fetch attractive prices. The farmers responded by developing indigenous, useful knowledge that should now be recognized for its contribution to agricultural development. However, farmers note with concern that their experience is held in low regard, particularly as their production is only for subsistence. Such a viewpoint, in tandem

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with the lack of financial capital, provides an obstacle to extending the experience. In addition, there is often a fear of change and much effort is needed to convince many farmers, extension personnel, government officials and others of the success of an experience. There is, therefore, a need for more effective lobbying to attract additional support and acceptance and for capital to help to publicize the experience and make the necessary presentations.

I M PA C T Despite minimum inputs, there has been a significant increase in coffee production. In addition, land and labour resources are being better utilized because of the more efficient intercropping system. This has led to improved food security; a safer, pesticide-free environment; and the production of higher-quality, chemical-free coffee. The experience is also sustainable as the farmers are able to diversify their production and reduce inputs, thereby saving money.

FUTURE PLANS FAGNEK aims to further develop farmer leadership of the innovative experience. In particular, the organization hopes that the farmers involved in intercropping coffee and vegetables will form their own self-sustaining network. To achieve this,

Growing Together: Kenya

there are plans to improve and expand the project, including: • recruiting and mobilizing involved farmers; • organizing workshops and seminars to obtain more information from farmers and experts; • developing grass-roots leadership so that farmers themselves can make presentations and lobby at all levels; • developing a coordinating office to implement decisions made by farmer leaders and monitor progress; • documenting the experience in newsletters and other reports; • preparing support facilities such as training on compost making, zero grazing, crop husbandry and group dynamics; and • seeking coffee markets that will recognize organically grown coffee.

P U B L I C AT I O N S Results have been written up and distributed to farmers and other relevant people. They are revised from time to time as new findings are made. A monthly FAGNEK newsletter carries articles covering the intercropping of vegetables with coffee and other indigenous experiences.

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Case Study Prepared by: Rev. Nathan Muhoro Address: Farmers’ Groups Network-Kenya, P.O. Box 166, Giakanja, Kenya Tel.: (+254) 7 2268 0312 E-mail: [email protected] Project Participants: Grace W. Githinji, extension officer. Waweru Muchemi, group leader. Njeri Robert, women’s group leader.

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