The destruction of the Mau forest and the degradation of its ecosystem has had adverse effect to the communities that depend on it for their livelihoods. This has resulted in rapid deforestation, unreliable rainfall patterns which disrupt the farmers’ agricultural calendar and firewood shortage. There is need to equip the communities with the necessary skill to enable them to cope with this situation

Necofa Kenya in collaboration with PIPA (People in Peril Association) a Slovak NGO have been implementing a project whose major focus is to aid the community to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change. The two organizations started with the donations of trees seedlings to both schools and the community. This was done to encourage the community to initiate/ practice farm forestry, as a way of ensuring they have a way of sustaining their fuel needs. The schools that received trees seedlings included Tabain primary school, Maigoya, Kapsorok, Sachang’wan sec, Koige pri & sec school, Tuyoitich primary school and Mwangi Michuki primary school.
They also donated energy saving jikos (stoves) to the vulnerable members of the community in Jogoo, Sachang’wan, Mukinyai and Giteru villages in Molo District. They organized trainings and demonstration on the installation of the Jiko Liners (stoves) where all the vulnerable members of the community were trained on the installation and maintenance. This is all in the spirit of a greener Africa.

Students from Koige Sec. Molo,

Pupils from Jogoo primary school.

This year’s world food day in Kenya was held in Njoro district where all the stakeholders who included Ministry of agriculture, Kenya bureau of standards, Ministry of livestock and fisheries development, Baraka agricultural college, and local NGO’s had a chance to show case some of their activities to local farmers and food consumers. The event commenced with a tree planting session where the guest of honor and other distinguished guest planted trees at identified sites in Njoro to reinforce the reforestation of Mau forest.

Lare pumpkin producers which is a presidia project supported by Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity in collaboration with Necofa, showcased some special products made from the pumpkin. The local producers aim at conserving the already threatened indigenous pumpkin species. This pumpkin is special due to its flavor and the modes of uses among the farmers in lare. Farmers grow the pumpkins, practice saving of its seeds, and add value to the pumpkins by making pumpkin flour, pumpkin seed flour, and juice from the pumpkin flesh. This project helps the local farmers in conserving the plants species, marketing of their produce and multiplication of seed as a method of conservation of biodiversity. The farmers are also involved in environmental conservation as they also practice farm forestry.
Their display attracted attention to the curious onlookers who were surprised by all the products you could derive from this plant as opposed to the simple and most common method of consumption which is boiled pumpkin.
This also gave the farmers an opportunity to market their products by interacting directly with other farmers and also potential consumers.

World%20food%20day%20celebrations[1]

This event was graced by Necofa Kenya country coordinator Mr. Samuel Muhunyu and Slow Food International vice president John Kariuki. Mr. Samuel Muhunyu emphasized on the importance of environmental conservation as way of mitigating the effects of climate change in Kenya and globally.
He recognized the role of the Professor Maathai in environmental conservation and her desire to collaborate with the rural folks in uplifting their livelihoods,let us all reflect on her work and the best gift we can give our departed heroine is to emulate her and carry on the torch of hope and to continue to protect biodiversity with more vigour, zeal and determination. Yes, her successes should inspire all of us to carry on her dreams for the earth. Long live the dream she put in all of us.

He also emphasized to the school going youths on the importance of hard work and discipline since investing in the youths is investing in sustainability and posterity. A total of 1000 trees were planted during this occasion.

John Kariuki,Slow Food International Vice President.

Jogoo Secondary School.

Cheptoo from Tabain Primary School says a word of prayer for Departed Heroine, Prof. Maathai

Mr. Muhunyu and Mr. Chege from Necofa.

These Presidia, already familiar to Cheese visitors, will be on display in the International Presidia Market in Via Principi di Piemonte. Information about them can be found on the website www.slowfoodfoundation.org

Armenia Motal
Bosnia Herzegovina Cheese in a Sack
Bulgaria Tcherni Vit Green Cheese, Karakachan Sheep
France Bearne Mountain Pasture Cheeses, Pélardon Affiné
Great Britain Artisan Somerset Cheddar
Ireland Irish Raw Milk Cheeses
Kenya Pokot Ash Yogurt
Netherlands Aged Artisanal Gouda, Texel Sheep Cheese
Poland Oscypek
Romania Bucegi Mountains Branza de Burduf
Spain Carranzana Cara Negra Sheep Cheese
Sweden Jämtland Cellar-Matured Goat Cheese
Switzerland Raw Milk Butter, Emmentaler, Raw Milk Vacherin Fribourgeois
The Terra Madre Network: Food Communities
of Nomadic African Herders
The food communities belonging to the Terra Madre network are groups of people who produce, process and distribute quality food in a sustainable way and are historically, socially and culturally linked to a geographic area. The communities share the problems generated by an intensive agriculture that damages natural resources and a large-scale food industry that standardizes tastes and puts the very existence of small-scale production at risk.
At Cheese, representatives from Terra Madre food communities will be recounting the stories of women and men who make their livelihood by herding animals. They will participate in conferences and workshops and contribute to a global exchange of traditional knowledge.

Burkina Faso – Oudalan Nomadic Farmers
Oudalan is a vast border area, located along the invisible lines that divide Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Like the rest of the Sahel, the region is mostly populated by nomadic herding communities. The CRUS (Conseil Régional des Unions du Sahel) brings together around 40,000 herders and nomadic farmers, divided into 1.776 groups. The organization promotes interreligious dialog, the sustainable use of resources and food sovereignty through the realization of pastoral and agricultural potential and the promotion of local products.
Production area: Oudalan region

Ethiopia – Fantalle District Karrayu Pastoralists
Pastoralism and agropastoralism are the main livelihood systems for the Karrayu, a community living in the Fantalle district in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley. The Karrayu seasonally move their livestock to better pastures, using permanent settlements in different areas. This system is particularly suited to arid regions and allows the community members to easily adapt to the highly variable conditions. The animals raised by the Karrayu—cattle, camels, goats, sheep and donkeys—allow the community to use different types of fodder and provide food, traction power and a small income.
Production area: Fantalle district, Oromia region

Mauritania – Nouakchott Camel Breeders and Milk Producers
The breeding of camels on the outskirts of Mauritania’s capital is the modern version of an ancient activity, following the wide-scale urbanization that has affected the nomadic populations whose diet is based on milk. In the areas surrounding the capital, many farmers own or manage herds of dromedaries, gathered into groups of 20 to 30 animals allowed to graze freely. Camel milk is sold directly to passers-by and to intermediaries.
Production area: Nouakchott district

The process of preparing the CAP involved an in-depth analysis of both development and social issues affecting the communities living within the Mau forest area. Together the facilitators and the community members participated in forums discussing the different issue affecting the community. The members of the community were divided into 4 groups i.e. Elders, Women, Male youths and Female youths. This was to ensure that each group could feel at ease to communicate all their issues without fear and intimidation from other gender and age group. These respective groups were facilitated by the respective genders e.g. Elders forums were facilitated by Men and women’s forum was facilitated by a female facilitator. These PRA forums contributed greatly to the compilation of the CAP, which details all problems in the location and their proposed solutions.
The launching Festival was organized by Ogiek youths who were assisted by the Necofa team in the organization and planning. They prepared delicious traditional dishes accompanied by mursik. The launching festival was started with forums as they were initially conducted during the P.R.A forums these were followed by a meal prepared by the community and after there was an entertainment session where a group of Mariashoni primary school student performed some traditional dances. The youths of Mariashoni also performed some cultural dances. After the dance the audience proceeded to the next session where they planted more than 200 trees in Mariashoni primary school. This is one of the major areas where Necofa has put a lot of effort in reforestation and conservation of the environment especially with the restoration of the Mau forest.

Can you paint us a picture of agriculture in Kenya?

JANE: Around three quarters of our population are involved in food production – mostly small-scale farmers – but erratic weather patterns, vast regions of arid desert and poor government policies make it a very unstable livelihood. Periods of drought can be crippling, not only for the food supply, but for jobs as well. We need policies for sustainable food cultivation to help the rural population that relies on subsistence farming for their own food as well as income.

JOHN: Our small-scale farmers produce the highest proportion of food in the country, yet unfortunately they live lives of poverty, isolation, hunger and malnutrition.

Tell us about the Thousand Garden in Africa project in Kenya?

JOHN: Our goal is to create 200 gardens in Kenya during 2011-2012 across Kenya, from Mombasa on the eastern coast to Homa Bay in the west. The reason for such an optimistically high number is that the Slow Food network here is already very active. We already have 13 convivia and UNISG graduates who will help us to coordinate the project, 11 school gardens, and hundreds of people involved (teachers, students, families etc).

This project, more than just creating gardens, is about joining a network across Africa to exchange our experiences.

What kind of food will be produced in the gardens?

JANE: We have a strong focus on promoting growing native Kenyan crops in the gardens. The gardens will teach communities to cultivate a wide range of grains, legumes and vegetables such as amaranth and millet, which we traditionally use to make flour for porridge and other nutritious dishes; stinging nettle, which is common in traditional recipes such as mukimo -prepared with mashed potatoes, corn, beans; and pigeon peas, kale, black night shade, cassava and sweet potato to name just a few others.

Have you got any feedback from people involved in the school garden project started in 2005?

JOHN: Parents were reluctant to get their children involved in the food gardens at first, as in Kenya agriculture has always been used as punishment for students who don’t do well at school. Once the parents got involved, they started to see the benefit and change their attitudes.

JANE: After we set up gardens in the Molo district, we found out that kids went home and asked their parents if they could create a garden at home! This was immediate feedback that the project, and the idea of creating gardens that can be replicated, works.

Why do you feel there is a need for this type of project in Kenya?

JANE: Agriculture is so important in Kenya but education is lacking. As in other African countries, we are seeing a loss of traditional products and an increase in imported and junk foods and Western-style chronic diseases. However access to information to help reverse this trend is inadequate and Kenyan schools don’t include agriculture as a subject anymore. This project is important as students learn by doing, giving them the opportunity to gain hands-on skills that they can utilize at home for a healthier approach to the future.

JOHN: I think what one teacher told me sums it up well. He said, we are not doing it so that all the children become farmers; we are doing it because whatever they do, they will have to choose what to eat every day for the rest of their lives. This starts them on the right path to understanding where food comes from and making thoughtful decisions. You can become anything, but you will always have to eat.

What do you hope will be achieved from the project?

JOHN: More than anything, I hope that the young people involved will take a more positive attitude to food production and understand that a respectful career and income doesn’t necessarily mean becoming an engineer, doctor, or pilot, but can also be earned by practicing sustainable agriculture.
We also want to increase the respect given to small-scale farmers and make them understand that they have enough resources at their disposal to produce healthy food for their families. They can use their own farmyard manure, plant extracts for pest control and traditional ways of selecting and preserving their own seeds.

Tell us about the workshop next month. What are you hoping to achieve?

JANE: The workshop will bring together people from English-speaking African countries involved in the project to discuss how to put the methods in the garden handbook – that was developed in March by African agronomists – into practice. On the last day the participants will visit one of the pilot school gardens and take a tour in the Mau forest where they will plant trees and share lunch with the Indigenous Ogiek community.

JOHN: Bringing participants of the Thousand Gardens project together will help us realize the scale and importance of this project, and that despite our different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds we are one united group committed to changing the African food system. By the end of the workshop we will have discussed the methods in the handbook thoroughly and expect to come up with best-practice models for school, community and family gardens so everyone is ready to move forward.

Jane Karanja and John Kariuki are graduates from the University of Gastronomic Sciences and coordinators of the Thousand Gardens in Africa project in Kenya. John is vice-president of Slow Food International.

For more information on the Thousand Gardens project, visit

www.slowfoodfoundation.org

To make a donation to the project, visit
www.slowfood.com/donate

Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) works with community groups, promoting environmental friendly concerns for poverty eradication, food and nutrition security.  During its activities with the groups, the organization learnt the impact posed on communities livelihoods hence necessitated the need for capacity building on climate issue.   Some of the groups involved in the programme included Tazama Mbele Self Help Group, Karunga women group, Utugi Self help group and Nganoine self help group.

A challenge leads to invention, after going through different lessons on importance of respecting our environment, the groups has taken different initiatives to enhance mitigation and adapt   to climate change i.e. Nganoine and Utugi self help groups are growing drought resistant crops e.g. pumpkin, sorghum and indigenous vegetables.  Besides growing the crops, they have also taken initiative of adding value e.g. drying pumpkins and grinding to flour to prolong the shelf life.  The flour is used to blend other types of flour and make stew  to improve the nutrition value.

Other groups like Karunga women group, Tazama Mbele, Vision self help group and others with support from Necofa established indigenous tree nurseries in focus to rehabilitate forest and also plant on individual farms.  Besides rehabilitation of the forest, the groups will sell to the community at affordable price hence ensuring sustainability of the project.  To date the groups has nurseries with a total of more than 20,000 seedlings each  which are ready for planting.