- Upscaling Conservation Agriculture for improved food security and sustainable livelihoods, Phase III; The project aims to improve food security and sustainable livelihoods for households in Tharaka Nithi County's Gatunga, Marimanti, Nkondi, Mukothima, and Chiakariga wards. This initiative addresses food insecurity caused by factors such as poor farming practices, erratic rainfall, unreliable markets, limited access to financial services, and gender inequality.
The project will implement various interventions, including capacity-building workshops, women’s empowerment through chicken rearing, agroforestry, and support for Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) for financial sustainability. It will also facilitate farmer-buyer forums and collaborate with local education institutions to document and share the project's impact.
The expected outcomes include increased productivity and income for smallholder farmers, better access to financial services, improved market access, enhanced service delivery by the County Government, and greater involvement of women and youth in decision-making. In the current phase, the project reaches 4,875 direct participants organized in 210 groups. This makes a total of 7276 participants since from the project inception in phase 1(2016).
Lead farmers, selected for their performance, play crucial role in training other farmers, with a focus on gender and youth representation. Key stakeholders include community leaders, local schools, churches, government agencies, financial institutions, and produce buyers. The project aims to engage these stakeholders to ensure the project's success and sustainability.
