lowres africaharvest ar2012 ver12

Africa free of hunger, poverty and malnutrition

Africa Harvest

Annual Report 2012

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International (AHBFI)Nairobi • Johannesburg • Washington DC • Toronto

2013

Africa Harvest

Annual Report 2012

Citation: Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International (AHBFI) 2013. Africa Harvest Annual Report 2012. Nairobi, Kenya: AHBFI. 64 pp.

All information in this booklet may be quoted or reproduced, provided the source is properly acknowledged, as cited above.

© 2013 Africa Harvest

ISBN 978-0-620-58315-2

For further information about Africa Harvest or additional copies of this publication, contact Africa Harvest at:

NAIROBI (HQ)3rd Floor, Whitefield PlaceSchool Lane, WestlandsPO Box 642Village Market 00621Nairobi, KenyaTel: + 254 20 444 1113Fax: + 254 20 444 1121Email: [email protected]

JOHANNESBURG34 Forbes RoadBlairgowrie, RandburgPO Box 3655Pinegowrie 2123Gauteng, South AfricaTel: + 27 11 079 4189Email: [email protected]

WASHINGTON DCBlake BuildingFarragut Square1025 Connecticut Avenue NWSuite 1012Washington DC 20036, USATel: +1 202 828 1215Fax: +1 202 857 9799E-mail: [email protected]

Or visit the Africa Harvest website: www.africaharvest.org

Cover: 1) ABS Project Principal Investigator, Dr Marc Albertson and former Pioneer-DuPont Scientist, Dr Zuo-Yu Zhao, at the Kenya Confined Field Trial (CFT) in Kiboboko; 2) Africa Harvest Senior Project Officer, Mrs Wangari Kiragu explains how bananas are weighed and then processed into flour at a project site in Nyeri, Kenya, and 3) Farmers listen attentively during an outreach on good agronomic practices

Editing and design: BluePencil Infodesign, Hyderabad, India (www.bluepencil.in)Printing: Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, India (www.pragati.com)

Information compiled by: Daniel Kamanga, Mukami Mutiga and Sintha Chiumia

TORONTOScotia Plaza40 King Street WestSuite 3100Toronto, ON Canada M5H 3Y2Tel: +1 416-865-6600 Fax: +1 [email protected]

Contents

Message from the Board Chairman, Dr Moctar Toure 1

Message from the CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu 2

Introducing Africa Harvest 4

Food and Nutritional Security and Sustainable Livelihoods 10

a. Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania 11

b. Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya 13

c. Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS) 14

d. Commercialization and regional trade in sorghum in Tanzania and Kenya 18

e. USAID-KHCP Tissue Culture Banana 20

Technology Development and Deployment 22

The ABS Project 23

Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania 26

Natural Resource Management 28 Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya 29 Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS) 29 Two women’s groups benefited 30 Livestock manure and soil fertility 31 Water conservation, harvesting and management 32

Three sand dams constructed 32

Agricultural Markets and Policy 34 Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania 35

Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya 37 Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS) 37 Commercialization and regional trade in sorghum in Tanzania and Kenya 38 Tissue Culture Banana 38

Communication for Development and Knowledge Management 40 1. The Africa Biotech Outreach Project 41 2. The Africa Harvest 10-year Strategic Plan 43 3. Africa Harvest Annual Report 43 4. Brochures for training 43 5. Agriculture Stakeholders’ Forums 43 6. Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya 44

7. Online outreach 44

Finance, Administration and New Business Development 46

Biographies of Board of Directors 48

Africa Harvest Management Team 51

Summary of Financial Performance 52

Africa Harvest 2012 – Donor Profiles 55

Acronyms and abbreviations 57

1

Message from the Board Chairman, Dr Moctar Toure

The year 2012 is significant for Africa Harvest. In the midst of a very difficult phase in our history, the organization launched an ambitious 10-year plan to

reach one million people in 10 African countries.

Like many organizations in the “development space,” the global economic crisis did not spare Africa Harvest. During the year under review, the global economic outlook remained fragile. Africa, like other emerging market and developing economies, saw its economies slowed by policy tightening in response to capacity constraints, weaker demand from advanced economies and country-specific factors.

As a non-profit making organization, Africa Harvest was negatively affected by reduced donor funding during the year. This created a huge resource problem amidst an increasing need for our services. The Board and Management managed this phase by being creative; managing limited resources, retaining and hiring the appropriate staff. Critical organizational change in mindset and behavior enabled us to successfully manage this difficult phase.

We are glad to report that, in the midst of the above challenges, the organization satisfactorily delivered on its six programs. The redefining and expansion from four to six programs, as required by the 10-year, 2012–22 Strategic Plan, went on smoothly. Based on the premise that the challenges of the year would either be a temporary phenomena or “the new norm”, the Board and Management opted to pursue an aggressive strategy. In particular, the Board encouraged Management to expand into other African countries, with specific focus on two of the largest economies on the continent: Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Given the challenges of 2012, the Board, Management and Staff are particularly grateful for the continued support from DuPont Pioneer, Australia Aid (AusAID), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Communities (formally CHF International), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center (FINTRAC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and CropLife International (CLI).

The Board is encouraged by the exemplary manner in which Management steered the organization during the challenging year. We are encouraged by the impact that Africa Harvest’s Programs have continued to have on the resource-poor farmers. We remain committed in our efforts to achieve our vision of an Africa free of hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The Board is confident that Africa Harvest’s future remains bright.

Message from the Board Chairman

2

Message from the CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu

Africa Harvest Annual Report 2011

Africa Harvest started the year 2012 energized, after the Board of Directors approved the 2012–22 Strategic Plan. The Plan helped us to re-clarify our

mission and goals, and re-define our positioning in the development space.

During the first half of the year the Board and Management reflected on how best to increase operational efficiencies, especially with regard to synergising and aligning the previous four programs to the current six programs: Food and Nutritional Security and Sustainable Livelihoods of Smallholders; Technology Development and Deployment; Natural Resources Management; Agricultural Markets and Policy; Communication for Development and Knowledge Management; and Finance, Administration and New Business Development. We are proud to report that this demanding process was done successfully.

In the second half of the year, Management was tasked with operationalising the new Plan. This involved reaching out internally to all staff. Every employee was asked to re-define their work plans in line with the new Plan. Team leaders collated ideas and innovative thinking to ensure an organization-wide buy-in. The external strategy involved reaching out to existing and new funders. We also reached out to various partners such as Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and agriculture-focused NGOs in our target countries.

While the Plan became operational, we continued with our commitments: During the year, we entered into Phase II of the Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) Project in Kenya and Tanzania. The project is funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is the lead implementing agency. The project reached out to resource-constrained smallholder farmers in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) in eight districts in the Eastern Province of Kenya and in eight districts of Northern and Central Tanzania. Farmers planted almost 30,000 km of Gadam Sorghum and yield increased up to 1,350 km (15 bags) per acre during the year.

With funding from AusAID’s Nairobi office, we continued implementing the activities for the Food Security and Livelihoods through an Improved Sorghum Value Chain in Kenya Project.

Meanwhile, implementation of the Food Security and Ecosystem Livelihoods (FOSEMS) in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya Project entered the third year. A harvest of close to 800 metric tons of sorghum grain was expected under the Project funded by IFAD. By the end of the year under review, overof 4,000 one-day-old Kenbro chicks had been distributed to nearly 2,500 households. Africa Harvest, in partnership with CHF, carried out agriculture trainings to 3,500 targeted beneficiaries in program locations in Kitui, Mwingi and Thakra.

3Message from the CEO

We also made great strides in the FOSEMS Project by building three sand dams. Construction of the third sand dam commenced during the third quarter of the year and was completed within a month, in time for the October rains. An extraction well was also constructed to assist the community access clean water from the dam for domestic and livestock use.

The Africa Biofortified Sorghum has undergone several seasons of confined field trials (CFTs) in Kenya and to Nigeria. The objectives of the CFT trials were three-fold: 1) to introgress ABS pro-vitamin A traits into local sorghum cultivars, 2) to study the stability of ABS traits over generations, and 3) to develop biosafety data. Two categories of biosafety measures were applied that included genetic and material confinement.

The biofortification of sorghum has unmatched potential to impact on the nutritional status of sorghum consumers in Africa, not only in the rural areas but also the hard-to-reach arid and semi-arid areas with few alternative crop choices. The choice of sorghum as a crop highly adapted to harsh climatic conditions, the diverse uses sorghum and the imminent impacts of global warming puts ABS in unprecedented position to impact on nutrition and food security.

Africa Harvest is grateful to the ABS consortium members and institutions who continue to provide invaluable contribution to the achievements of the project goals. We are grateful to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) for funding ABS phase I and the no-cost extension phase. We are also grateful for the on-going Howard Buffet Foundation funding of ABS Phase II, through DuPont-Pioneer. Further gratitude goes to our technology partner DuPont-Pioneer and others who have donated ABS Intellectual Property.

We continued with projects involving TC Banana and by the end of the period under review, over 1.5 million people had benefited directly. We are proud to report that due to the high level of success achieved in Eastern and Central regions of Kenya, the USAID and the Kenya Horticultural Competitiveness Project (KHCP) was extended to Kisii County in the Western region of the country.

With funding support from CropLife International, Africa Harvest continued to provide leadership for the continent in the Plant Biotech Strategy Council (PBSC). During 2012, the Africa Biotech Outreach Project had activities in Kenya, Uganda and Burkina Faso. Africa Harvest continued to work with partners to get the Biosafety Bill passed in the Parliament of Uganda. In Kenya, Africa Harvest continued to participate in the Bt cotton Taskforce and also in the operationalization of the new Biosafety Act. In Burkina Faso, Africa Harvest contributed to expanding the successful Bt cotton to other francophone countries. Resource constraints continued to be a challenge amidst increased anti-GM activities on the continent.

Overall funding and other challenges that we faced during the year made Africa Harvest more resilient and better focused. This required better alignment of limited resources, sharper clarity on partnerships to deliver the highest returns. By the end of the year, we were encouraged that despite the challenges, thousands of lives were transformed.

4 Africa Harvest Annual Report 2012

Vision

During the 10-year period 2012–2022, Africa Harvest endeavours to establish itself as a lead contributor in freeing Africa from hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

Mission

To realise its vision, Africa Harvest applies innovative technologies and institutional approaches to improve the livelihoods of rural communities – particularly those of smallholder farmers – through science and technology-based sustainable models of gender-focused agricultural development.

Strategic goals

The following are our five key goals for the next decade:1. Reduce rural poverty and food and nutrition

insecurity through improved agricultural systems by using science and technology.

2. Ensure our target countries can cope with climate change through sustainable agricultural production and commercialization, with zero or minimum negative impact to the environment

3. Improve the nutrition and health of smallholder farmers and poor consumers.

Introducing Africa Harvest

Africa Harvest Senior Program Officer Wangari Kiragu, explains to Prof Shabd Acharya, about the women's group that makes banana flour for porridge and baby food in Nyeri. The Board of Directors visited several projects to see how entrepreneurs are adding value to Tissue Culture Banana.

5Introducing Africa Harvest

4. Provide equitable access to information and knowledge to smallholder farmers and other stakeholders. Focus on information designed to improved and modernize the agricultural sector, based on the whole value chain approach.

5. Facilitate development of agricultural value chains by involving and empowering all critical stakeholders.

Approach

Africa Harvest pursues its mission and goals through:• Use of science and technology• Technology development and transfer• Value chain development for key agricultural

commodities• Mainstreaming cross-cutting issues of climate

change, gender, HIV and AIDS• Empowerment of female farmers in rural farming

communities, where there are gender disparities• Partnership with farming communities, research

institutions, and other organizations that share Africa Harvest’s mission

Core values

While pursuing its mission and goals, Africa Harvest and its staff continue to uphold the following core values:• Excellence• Innovation and creativity• Institutional and scientific integrity and account-

ability• Gender HIV and AIDS awareness• Diversity of opinion and approach• Service to farm families, especially small landholders• Cultural diversity

• Indigenous knowledge• Environmental protection• Commitment to make and impact

Guiding principles

As in the past, Africa Harvest’s guiding principles during the next 10 years are as follows:• Adherence to its vision and mission• Value addition to national goals of the countries

in which the organization operates• Scientific and technical integrity and professional

excellence• Commitment to partnerships that strengthen

African agriculture• Programmatic approach based on developing the

whole value chain• Creating and responding to market opportunities• Reaching out and empowering our stakeholders• Ensuring gender equality and benefit sharing from

the development interventions• Focus on impact and tangible results to the

beneficiaries• Mainstreaming social, human, and environmental

concerns and issues, specifically climate change, gender, HIV and AIDS


Programs

In 2012, Africa Harvest began implementing most of its programs under the new Strategic Plan. For the past decade, the vision was implemented through four programs: 1. Technology Deployment 2. Technical3. Communication for Development 4. Finance Administration and Business Develop-

ment.

Africa Harvest re-clarified its mission and goals and repackaged its programs to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities. In particular, the organization has started the process of refining, replicating and scaling up the success registered in previous years. Operationally, the previous four programs have been expanded to six and changed as described below.

Food and Nutritional Security and Sustainable Livelihoods

Africa Harvest’s experience is that the issue of food security and sustainable livelihoods is central

to all development intervention. This expanded program arises out of the need to deliver appropriate technology and critical farm inputs to beneficiaries. There is a huge need to ensure that families have sufficient and nutritious food at all times. The communities cannot begin to work on development issues if their primary need for food is not met.

Food security on the continent has worsened since 1970, and the proportion of the malnourished population has remained within the 33 to 35% range in Sub-Saharan Africa (Mwaniki). The major challenge to food security in Africa is the underdeveloped agricultural sector that is characterised by over-reliance on primary agriculture, low fertility soils, minimal use of external farm inputs and environmental degradation. Additional challenges include significant food crop loss, both pre- and post-harvest, minimal value-addition and product differentiation.

This program also addresses the need to mobilize rural communities in Africa Harvest target countries. Africa Harvest works in Sub-Saharan Africa where smallholder farmers make up 70 per cent of people who depend solely on agriculture for livelihood and suffer the most challenging farming problems (Osagie, 2012). The program, therefore, seeks to pioneer innovative capacity building solutions for good agronomic practices, post-harvest handling, value addition and marketing. Other themes under this program include strong gender, HIV and AIDS (GHA) mainstreaming for rural communities. Emphasis will be on women and youth empowerment, agricultural value chains development and mobilization and capacity building of agro-entrepreneurs. During the year under review, there were a good number of success stories from farmers, who have continued to experience benefits in this area.

7

Technology Development and Deployment

For the past 10 years, Africa Harvest has been working on technology development and technology deployment as two separate – although related –programs. After assessing the two programs against the strategic direction over the next decade, it was decided to combine the two. Under the new program, Africa Harvest seeks to encourage technology identification, acquisition and deployment; this must be done with greater sensitivity to Gender, HIV and AIDS (GHA) responsiveness.

This program will also intensify and facilitate research and technology generation. Africa Harvest recognizes that many African and international organizations have done, and continue to do excellent research and development. We will work more closely with these organizations to continue our value addition, which is applied or “operational research” to fast-track technology uptake.

The institutional experience and expertise in biotechnology acceptance and uptake is best captured through the Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) Project. As biotechnology gains traction in Africa, the Technology Development and Deployment

Program will continue to provide leadership in the development of target countries’ bio-safety and regulatory framework, capacity building and technology transfer.

Natural Resources Management

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) points out that there is a close link between environmental degradation and rural poverty. Desertification, water pollution, environmentally related conflicts, climate change and loss of biodi-versity, all present major challenges, especially to poor rural people, many of whom depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. The Natural Resource Management Program is Africa Harvest's response, designed to give sharper focus and promote natural resource management. The program hopes to achieve its goals through five themes: integrated (soil) nutri-ent management, including bio-fertilizers; water and soil conservation management; promotion of agro-forestry; biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation strategies and promotion.

During the year under review, the program made good progress; a number of community projects were successfully implemented. Key outcomes included



4. Establishment of credit, input and output market linkages

5. Establishment of produce marketing centers 6. Policy reviews, analysis and advocacy (extension

systems, marketing systems, trade policy, land policy, seed policy and public investment in agricultural R & D)

7. Establishment and strengthening of public-private partnerships

Communication for Development and Knowledge Management

Over time, Africa Harvest has gathered and generated a lot of useful knowledge, which needs to be communicated and managed effectively to the relevant stakeholders. For instance, through the implementation of different projects, Africa Harvest has learnt that the role of women as agricultural producers and agents of food and nutritional security is affected by issues related to Gender, HIV and AIDS. All programs have therefore been redesigned to adapt to this imperative.

The Communication for Development Program has therefore been expanded to include Knowledge Management with an emphasis on exposing

community sensitization, distribution and planting of banana and tree seedlings.

Agricultural Markets and Policy

After technology development, deployment and adoption, many smallholders face the paradox of increased yields because of lack of market access, especially for perishable commodities. Equally, the move from subsistence farming to a farm-based business requires quality seeds and other inputs.

Most of the issues above can only be dealt with if there is a holistic approach to Africa Harvest inter-ventions. The new Agricultural Markets and Policy Program is designed to more exhaustively address the challenges of our existing and new beneficiaries. The program has seven themes: 1. Participatory market research and opportunity

identification2. Market development and marketing system

innovations3. Capacity building of farmers – in their gender

categories – for increasing market access and improving bargaining power

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smallholder farmers to potentially useful information and facilitating assimilation of such information (Alavi & Leidner 2001). The program will be implemented through the following themes: a GHA-sensitive public engagement strategy; a GHA-based public technology acceptance; innovative use of other multimedia modes; documentation and knowledge management; and promotion of technology.

Finance, Administration and New Business Development

Finance, Administration and New Business Develop-ment Program has been maintained under the new Strategic Program. Under this program, Africa Harvest provides support for project initiation and resource mobilization. Other activities are accounting and finance administration; human resource administra-tion; compliance and donor liaison; monitoring and evaluation; institutional development; institutional policies; and coordination of Board of Directors’ activities.

References

Alavi M and Leidner D. 2001. Review: Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly Vol. 25, No. 1 (Mar. 2001), pp. 107–136. www.jstor.org/stable/3250961

Osagie C 2012. GMOs, Fastest Path to Enhanced Agric Productivity in Africa. African Agricultural Technology Foundation. Available on: http://www.aatf-africa.org/node/407

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 2010. Natural Resource Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: Successes, Challenges and Future Directions. http://www.ifad.org/events/gc/33/roundtables/africa/

Mwaniki A. 2006. Achieving Food Security in Africa: Challenges and Issues. http://www.un.org/africa/osaa/reports/Achieving%20Food%20Security%20in%20Africa-Challenges%20and%20Issues.pdf


11Food and Nutritional Security and Sustainable Livelihoods

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO 2008). Africa Harvest’s experience is that the issue of Food Security and Sustainable Livelihoods is central to all development intervention.

Food security on the continent has worsened since 1970 and the proportion of the malnourished population has remained within the 33–35% range in Sub-Saharan Africa (Mwaniki 2006). Food security in the region has also been exacerbated by the impact of the high prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS in the farming communities. The impact of HIV and AIDS in the communities is two-dimensional; firstly, it has decreased the work force and secondly, it has increased the demand for sufficient and nutritious food. More than two thirds of the total population of the 25 most affected countries resides in rural areas, affecting agricultural production as well as farm and domestic labour supplies (Mwaniki 2006).

While working with the communities, Africa Harvest has observed the important role of women in agriculture, and the need to structure projects in a way that is convenient and conducive for them. Agricultural productivity has been said to increase by as much as 20% when women are given the same inputs as men. If women are to be fully effective in contributing to food and nutrition security, discrimination against them must be eliminated and the value of their role promoted (Mwaniki 2006).

During the year under review, various projects were implemented with the aim of improving nutrition in target households and increasing productivity so that farmers can improve their income by selling the excess harvest. This goal was met through the following projects:a. Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in

Kenya and Tanzaniab. Food Security and Livelihoods through an

Improved Sorghum Value Chain in Kenyac. Food Security and Ecosystem Management for

Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS)d. Commercialization and Regional Trade in Sorghum

in Tanzania and Kenyae. Tissue Culture (TC) Banana

a. Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania

This project focuses on the development of a robust, commercially viable and sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania. It targets successful sorghum farmers and seeks to move them from subsistence to commercial farming. The project’s goal is to unlock value chain opportunities and potential of using sorghum as food, feed and income generation. This enables target farmers to achieve food security and reduce poverty. The project is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is the lead implementing agency, in collaboration with Africa Harvest, public and private partners from the target countries. The project is designed to exploit synergies of the participating institutions. In Kenya, the institutions include the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

Left: Mr Richard Macharia, a TC Banana Nursery entrepreneur selling TC Banana plantlets outside his agro-vet shop in Nyeri County to enhance access to quality planting materials.


(KARI), Western Seed Company (WSC), the East Africa Malting (EAML), South Eastern University College (SEUCO) and Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) extension staff. In Tanzania, the institutions include Department of Research and Development (DRD) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives (MAFC) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA). Other institutions are Namburi Agricultural Company Seed (NACoLtd) that has maintained rights for two sorghum varieties that have specifications for SMU traits and Tanzania Breweries Ltd (TBL).

The project has successfully met its objectives, which are: to improve the livelihoods of poor rural small-scale farming households in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Kenya and Tanzania, characterize sorghum production systems (within local farming

systems), map existing supply chains and identify opportunities for the value chain development. The project is establishing a pilot small, trial-size version of a commercial-scale value chain in each country and actively linking the sorghum farmers to the market outlet for surplus grain. The capacity of sorghum value chain stakeholders is being strengthened to help increase production and marketing of SMU for consumption and malting industry. The project is also designed to improve multiple use sorghum cultivars (varieties and hybrids) that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses, adaptable to and have stable performance in the target environments and meet end user/market requirements. Partnerships have been developed with private seed companies to provide quality seed of SMU varieties to the participating households.

The project targets resource-constrained smallholder farmers in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL), in eight districts in Eastern Province of the Republic of Kenya and in eight districts of Northern and Central Tanzania. The first phase of the project runs from January 2011 to August 2012. Phase II started in July 2012 and will run until June 2015. By December 2012, progress was registered in a number of areas. Staff had been recruited for eight project districts and over 15,000 farmers (nearly 20% of the total

Figure 1: A sorghum demonstration field established in Tharaka County; Doreen Marangu, AH SMU Project manager discussing sorghum agronomy with project beneficiaries.

13

target of 80,000) had been mobilized and organized into groups. Over 70% of the mobilized farmers adopted SMU varieties. All the farmers were trained on sorghum production and at least one agronomic training demonstration site was established in every project district.

Sorghum yields increased to an average of 810 kg (nine bags) per acre for those using the recommended agronomic practices without fertilizer and 1,350 kg (15 bags) per acre for those that used fertilizer. Profitability of sorghum cultivation also improved due to increase in produce prices. The increased incomes from sorghum sales changed the living standards of the farmers who were able to pay for their children’s education, goods and services using sorghum proceeds.

Training manuals for trainers in sorghum agronomy and brochures for training farmers on sorghum field, pest and disease management, and harvest and post-harvest handling were developed. Africa Harvest entered into negotiations with seed companies to distribute seed after establishment of demand in the project areas. Partners such as seed companies, MFIs, agro-dealers, aggregators, buyers and insurance providers were identified. Entrepreneurs were linked with thresher importers and fabricators. With the increase in production, entrepreneurs have ventured into service provision, for example, there is a thresher in six of the eight project districts.

b. Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya

This project is funded by the AusAID office in Nairobi as part of the Australia Africa Community Grants Scheme (AACGS). It is designed to run for three years, ending May 2013. The project’s goal is to improve food and nutritional security, economic

empowerment and sustainable livelihoods among target beneficiaries, a majority of whom are women.

It targets 1,000 small scale rural farmers in Waita and Kiomo divisions of Mwingi Central District within Kitui County in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. The project sites are within the ASALs of Kenya where food security is a major challenge, primarily due to unreliable and low rainfall that lead to massive crop failure, season after season.

Activities included promotion of Gadam Sorghum, an improved variety that is heat and drought tolerant. This was intended to dampen the effects of low rainfall on household food security while helping target beneficiaries build resilience and coping mechanisms. Beneficiaries were also linked to markets to sell surplus grain as a strategy of fighting poverty and generating income to buy other household needs. The markets included World Food Program (WFP),


Africa Harvest teaches farmers the importance of good agronomic practices for sorghum


East African Maltings Limited (EAML), millers and animal feeds manufacturers.

Implementation was based on the Whole value chain strategy, which seeks to identify and unblock barriers and bottlenecks in ensure increase production and productivity responds to market demand pull.

The project benefited 1,000 households. Some 4,000 kg of quality, certified Gadam Sorghum seeds were procured, distributed and planted. Each farmer received 4 kg of seeds, enough to establish an acre of the crop. Based on an estimate of 6–10 persons per household, it is estimated that between 6,000 and 10,000 people may have benefited within the first year of the project’s implementation.

The farmers’ capacity to increase productivity per unit area was enhanced through skills and knowledge transfer, especially with regard to good agronomic practices. This training was carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the District Agriculture Office in Mwingi Central.

c. Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS)

The year 2012 marked the third year of implementation of the Food Security and Ecosystem Livelihoods (FOSEMS) in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Kenya project. The project is funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The grant was made possible by funding from the Italian government, administered through the Italian Development Cooperation (part of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), to IFAD, as a response to the global food crisis of 2008.

Africa Harvest has been implementing the project in three districts in the former Eastern Province of Kenya,

which has total population of 5,668,123 people and has one of the highest poverty levels. Over 2.6 million of the province’s inhabitants, or 46% are classified as poor, or living below US$1 per day (www.knbs.or.ke/survey/poverty/pdf/kenyapovAtlas, 2005 statistics).

The province regularly receives emergency food assistance and supplementary feeding for the aged and under-fives is more the norm than the exception. This cycle of poverty is compounded by food insecurity due to recurrent drought, poor rains, and environmental degradation.

The project therefore contributed significantly to poverty alleviation and food security through im-proved food production, improved land and water management interventions, increased productivity and adoption of adaptive mechanisms to drought and climate change. During the year under review, the following objectives were achieved:• A baseline survey mapped the status of horti-

cultural and high-value traditional food crops, short cycle livestock, soil and water management technologies.

• Farmers were helped to adopt and produce fast-maturing horticultural and traditional food crops.

• Soil fertility was improved and agricultural productivity increased by teaching farmers to harness livestock manure.

• Farmers were taught to harvest water, conserve and manage it.

• The project promoted the adoption and the rapid improvement of short cycle livestock.

The baseline survey conducted during the first year of implementation showed that about 80% of the households were food insecure between July and December each year. Only 50% of the households

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grew drought-tolerant crops suitable for this arid region, a practice that perpetuated the cycle of food insecurity and poverty. Where suitable crops like sorghum were grown, poor agronomic practices resulted in low yields of about 400 kg per acre compared with an optimal yield of about two metric tons per acre.

A total of 3,912 kg of sorghum seed – Gadam and Seredo varieties – were distributed to the target communities before the onset of the October 2012 rains. A total of 1,304 acres of sorghum was therefore, established in the project areas and considering an average yield of 0.6 ton/acre, the total harvest to be realized is expected to be 782 MT of sorghum grain valued at Ksh 21,124,800 (approximately US$258,000) at Ksh 27 per kg. In total, 13,111 persons – 1,873 households with a mean of seven members each – are benefited from the adoption of sorghum production in the project target area.

Dual purpose cowpea adopted

The project increased the diversity of staple crops being promoted in the project sites. Cowpea was the second crop aggressively promoted for adoption. It has multiple uses: the leaves are a popular vegetable, the grains are a rich source of protein and being a legume, it fixes atmospheric Nitrogen, and therefore improves soil fertility. Cowpea is drought tolerant and fast growing. Farmers can harvest the crop within 80–90 days of planting. The mature cowpea leaves are dried and form an important ingredient in chicken food, thus providing beta carotenes for the chicken. After harvesting, the crop residue is used to feed goats, which in turn provide milk for domestic consumption. Income generated from the sale of surplus cowpea was used to acquire household assets, pay for school fees and strengthen group-lending.

Between July and December 2012, a total of 4,096 kg of cowpea seed was distributed to the target communities. Data collected on cowpeas harvest from the March to June 2012 season shows that a total of 195,206 kg were harvested in the three regions. Out of this, 16,020 kg was sold at an average price of Ksh 80 per kg, fetching Ksh 1,281,600 (about USD 15,440). (This is a significant amount, given that it is supplementary income that did not exist before). As was the case in sorghum, much of the harvest (92%) was retained in the homes to be used as food for the family.

Adoption of traditional food and horticultural crop

Through the adoption of traditional food and horticultural crops, the project broadened the range of food crops available at the household level; the surplus was sold, making it possible within the households to meet their other needs.

Surplus sorghum led to individual household’s resourcefulness; for example, making poultry feed and using crop residues as livestock feed instead of grazing in communal grounds concentrated manure in the homestead which could then be used in crop production.

Short-cycle livestock

The baseline study for the general population in the project area revealed that goats are the most common livestock kept by 51% of the respondents, while 96% of the households kept chicken, most of which are indigenous breeds. A more in-depth study of the groups participating in the project revealed that chicken are the most important type of poultry in the area.



The major constraints in goat and chicken rearing are scarcity of feed and water, and the prevalence of pests and diseases. Poor housing was also cited as a constraint which, if improved, would reduce loss of chicken to predators and thieves.

To address the challenges facing the poultry farmers, Africa Harvest introduced a new breed, Kenbro chicks, to the participating groups. Compared to the indigenous breeds, Kenbro is hardy, grows faster and requires less input. It is a dual-purpose breed (for meat as well as egg production), which can be raised on a free range basis and be ready for consumption in 10–14 weeks. It produces eggs within 25–27 weeks. This red-feathered bird has a higher egg production rate than the indigenous breeds, estimated at 100 eggs in a year as compared with 50 eggs estimate from indigenous breeds.

By December 2012, a total of 4,237 one-day-old Kenbro chicks were distributed to a total of 2,459 households. With an average family size of seven,

the total beneficiaries were 17,213 persons. The mean monthly egg production per Kenbro chicken, as recorded by the farmers, stood at 25–30 eggs. Considering that each participating farmer received two chickens, the egg production increased by 50–60 eggs per month. A follow up on the use of these eggs showed that between 25 and 30% were consumed at home, while about 50% of them were sold. The remaining eggs were incubated by indigenous chicken breeds for production of chicks and increase of household stocks.

The price of Kenbro eggs is relatively high, selling at Ksh30 as opposed to Ksh 10 per egg for indigenous breeds. Thus, the outcome of this intervention included increased income from sale of eggs and improved nutrition from consumption of the same.

Mrs Miriam Nduku Mumo collecting eggs (for improved household nutrition and incomes) from her improved Kenbro Chicken in Kikumini Location, Wote Division, Makueni County.

Mrs Miriam Nduku Mumo of Kikumini location, Wote Division, Makueni County showing her flock of improved Kenbro Chicken during a visit by FOSEMS Project donors.

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Project beneficiaries generated an average of Ksh 295,590 (USD 3,561) on a monthly basis from the sale of eggs alone or an annual income of Ksh 3,547,080 (USD 42,735.90), which represented a return on investment (ROI) of over 800% from the sale of eggs alone.

In addition to acquiring chicken, beneficiaries received a cock that was mated to indigenous hens to upgrade their production. The chicken droppings were also put to use, to establish compost as well as vegetable gardens near the homes.

A total of 90 Toggenburg goats, consisting of 45 does and 45 bucks, were distributed to a total of 45 groups which are made up of 1,574 households. The membership of the 45 groups is 1,101 women and 473 men. With an average family size of seven, the

Goats belonging to Kalomo Self Help Group provided by the FOSEMS Project; upgrading of local goats and improved milk production contributing to household nutrition and livelihood support.

total number of beneficiaries, as at the end of 2012, stood at 11,018 persons.

Out of the total 45 does, 27 kidded, giving an additional 27 (83% cross-bred) goats. Out of the 27 kids, 16 were male and 11 were female. Milk production from the lactating does was high with the groups, recording milk yield of 0.6 to 1 L per day. The milk was consumed at home, thus contributing to improved household nutrition, especially for children, the elderly and those infected with HIV and AIDs.

The bucks were used to upgrade indigenous goats. During the year under review, 945 local goats were served by the Toggenburg bucks. Ownership of the local goats served show that 52% were owned by women while the other 48% were owned by men. 68% of the local goats served belong to direct project beneficiaries, while 32% belong to indirect project beneficiaries. The groups generated some income by charging a fee, which ranged from Ksh 50 to Ksh 100 shillings, for every local goat served. During the period under review, the number of hybrid kids (from local does) stood at 379.

Introduction of improved Toggenburg goats through the FOSEMS project contributed to increased household assets and enhanced livelihoods in the project areas.



Some 20 Community-Based Animal Health Workers (CBAHW), who are members of groups that are receiving project services, were trained as Trainers of Trainers (TOTs). This brought the total of TOTs trained since project inception to 83 and is a strategy to decentralize extension services, making them more accessible and affordable. The main facilitator during the training was an animal health specialist from the University of Nairobi. These TOTs were equipped with relevant knowledge and skills in chicken and goat management and improvement. They were also trained in marketing skills to assist in identifying and linking farmers to markets. In addition, the trainees were also trained on issues of gender and HIV and AIDs as cross cutting issues that impact the ability of beneficiaries to not only derive value from project interventions but to also disseminate the benefits to others.

As shown by the baseline data, the community established housing facilities for the livestock, a practice that was previously not embraced. The use of improved livestock housing is likely to reduce livestock attack by pests and diseases, and improve general livestock health. Also, housing livestock in the kitchen and main house as reported by 7% of the respondents in the baseline study could have resulted in poor human health, especially due to ammonia and other gases in the animal urine and faeces. Thus, use of improved livestock housing is likely to have a positive effect on the health of participating farmers.

Project partnerships

The project team continued to build partnerships with government line ministries, NGOs and other stakeholders involved in promoting similar or complementary activities. The partnerships were based on the principle that increasing outreach as well as impact requires leveraging available resources

(human or otherwise) through synergies that exist in the project areas. To this end, the project team signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the following partners: i. World Agro-forestry Research Centreii. District Livestock production officers (Ministry

of Livestock development) in Kitui, Nzaui and Makueni

iii. Divisional Agriculture Extension officers (Ministry of Agriculture) in Mulala, Wote and Kitui Central.

iv. Divisional Water Officers (Ministry of Water and Irrigation) in Mulala and Wote Divisions.

v. Provincial Administration (Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs)

vi. FAULU Kenya – a micro finance institution (Emali office)

vii. The Community Development Fund (CDF) in Makueni Constituency

d. Commercialization and regional trade in sorghum in Tanzania and Kenya

Africa Harvest promoted commercialization and regional trade in sorghum by facilitating market-based linkages among value chain partners to increase productivity and surplus for markets in Tanzania and Kenya. The Project was funded by the UNDP – Africa Facility for Inclusive Markets (AFIM) Catalytic Fund for Regional Agri-business Value Chain Development.

The project team created awareness among identified key stakeholders and sensitized administrative authorities on the goal and objectives, thereby enhancing ownership at the grass-roots level and laying the foundation for long-term sustainability of the project. Awareness was to be created in six forums, but the number reached was 13. These

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forums registered an increase in demand for sorghum seed. Prior to the awareness creation, farmers were not willing to embrace sorghum production at commercial level, but after the campaigns, seed demand outstripped supply. For example, awareness creation activities undertaken in Makueni County, Kenya, resulted in farmers requesting for an additional 2,600 kg on top of the initial 4,200 kg supplied to them through Mwailu Enterprises Limited (the Aggregator). Some 57.5% of the target beneficiaries allocated a minimum of 1 ha (2.5 acres) for sorghum production, resulting in the target of 500 farmers for the first season being achieved.

Farmers in Kenya were supplied with 7,600 kg of certified and improved Gadam Sorghum seed. Over 2,000 acres (800 ha) of sorghum crop was established

The AH project team during a visit to sorghum fields in Kibaigwa area of Dodoma district, on the areas in Tanzania where the sorghum for regional trade project was implemented.

in Kenya during the October to December 2012 production season.

In Tanzania, the target was 500 farmers, but that was exceeded with 1,000 farmers, each planting 1 ha (3 acres), in Serengeti District of Mara region. They were provided with 2,000 kg of certified Maccia Sorghum seeds by Dunia Trust Limited.

Given that sorghum seed delivery systems were yet to be established in the target regions, Africa Harvest had to purchase the seeds and also facilitate the distribution from KARI (Machakos) to drop-off points that were easily accessible to the project beneficiaries. Mwailu Enterprises Limited, the Aggregator in charge of Makueni County, was instrumental in ensuring that the seeds reached individual farmers, through a cost-sharing arrangement with Africa Harvest.



e. USAID-KHCP Tissue Culture (TC) Banana

During the year under review, Africa Harvest maintained its reputation among farmers in Kenya as a leader in the deployment of appropriate agricultural technologies along the Whole Value Chain. The TC Banana projects directly benefited over 1.5 million people, and were implemented successfully in Eastern and Central regions of Kenya. It is this success that led the USAID and the KHCP decide to expand the project to Kisii County in the Western region of Kenya.

TC Banana farmers in Nyeri County during training on good orchard management by a staff member from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Africa Harvest also implemented the “Production and Marketing of Tissue Culture Bananas in Nyeri County” project. It started in April 2011, and was supposed to run for 36 months, but due to a shift in USAID policy, the project had to shift to the Kenya Feed the Future target areas, which include the Rift Valley, Eastern, Coast, Western and Nyanza counties. The project therefore wound down in December 2012, 21 months earlier than had been specified.

By the time the project ended, a total of 2,415 farmers in 106 groups had been mobilized and trained

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in group formation and management, and orchard establishment and management. To create awareness of the project, Africa Harvest used open forum and chiefs’ public meetings. Training was conducted at the group level. This happened during the Ministry of Agriculture shows and at the 15 farmer field days held on different dates all over the County. To showcase the benefits of TC Banana, five commercial (80–100 plantlets) and 45 demonstrations sites (15 –25 plantlets) were established. The demonstrations were hosted by farmers.

References

Committee on World Food Security. 2001. The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Food Security. Available on: http://www.fao.org/docrep/MEETING/003/Y0310E.HTM

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). 2008. An Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Food Security. Available on:http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/al936e/al936e00.pdf

Mwaniki A 2006. Achieving Food Security in Africa: Challenges and Issues. Available on: http://www.un.org/africa/osaa/reports/Achieving%20Food%20Security%20in%20Africa-Challenges%20and%20Issues.pdf

WHO. Trade, foreign policy, diplomacy and health 2013. http://www.who.int/trade/glossary/story028/en/




Project beneficiaries in Imenti South district, Meru County threshing sorghum with the help of a fabricated thresher to improve market quality of sorghum grain.

23Technology Development and Deployment

This program combines two previous areas: Technology Deployment and Technical (Programs). The new Program focuses on developing and deploying technologies to ensure sustainable food security, income generation and rehabilitation of the environment. “The diets of the poor are deficient in minerals and vitamins. About 85% of the food consumed in these households is in its primary form. This limits the effectiveness of fortification to alleviate micronutrient malnutrition.” (Mwaniki 2006). As Africa Harvest CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu puts it: “Just as mobile technology has revitalized the communication industry in the country, biotechnology carries with it the immense potential to advance the agriculture sector” (Kamau 2010). Africa Harvest, while working with its partners, uses the Whole Value Chain (WVC) approach as the toolbox to implement this program. Technology Development and Deployment has been defined into the following themes:• Technology identification and acquisition with

Gender and AIDS responsiveness• Facilitating research and technology generation• Operational research for technology deployment• Bio-safety and regulatory framework• Capacity building for transfer of technologies

During the period under review, the program registered progress in two areas: The ABS Project and the project on Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) Value Chain in Kenya and Tanzania.

The ABS Project

The Africa Biofortified Sorghum Project (ABS), was started in 2005 as a public-private partner consortium. Its goal is to improve the health and survival of millions of people who rely on sorghum

as their primary diet, by enhancing its nutritional quality through biofortification. The current focus is to increased levels of pro-vitamin A. In future, focus will expand to enhanced bioavailability of zinc and iron, and improved protein quality and digestibility.

The ABS team has targeted Nigeria and Kenya as initial countries of introduction, with planned expansion in several other countries in East and West Africa. Based on conservative estimates, biofortified sorghum has the potential to contribute from 35% to 60% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A in Africa.

Africa Harvest continues to be leading the project consortium with DuPont-Pioneer as the primary technology provider and partner in Phase I of the project, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) under the Grand Challenges in Global Health (GCGH) initiative, while Phase II is funded by the Howard Buffet Foundation.

Dr Silas Obukosia collects sorghum germination data at the Kiboko CFT


Significant progress was made during the year under review. The project continued to focus on six critical areas:1. Undertaking Confined Field Trials (CFTs) and/or

contained Greenhouse Trials (CGT) in Kenya and Nigeria.

2. Continuation of gene flow experiments required to provide robust scientific data critical to the environmental safety and deregulation process;.

3. Development of core biosafety regulatory data central to the deregulation process.

4. Backstop of ABS technology development through stabilization of pro-vitamin A in sorghum lead by DuPont-Pioneer.

5. Analyses planned on the new ABS transgenic materials being generated by DuPont-Pioneer for both beta-carotene and iron and zinc bioavailability enhancement based on the program laid out by HarvestPlus and DuPont-Pioneer.

6. Implementation of communication plan by teams from Africa Harvest and DuPont-Pioneer to best showcase the achievements made by the Project and to strengthen public acceptance.

The refocused objective is to develop and to deliver to farmers and consumers, nutritionally enhanced sorghum that is higher in pro-vitamin A levels. In future, the project may, as a second-generation product, shift attention to a product enhanced for the bioavailability of iron and zinc.

The large population of people that rely upon sorghum makes Nigeria one of the three initial countries (including Kenya and Burkina Faso) for deployment of ABS sorghum. Africa Harvest is working with respected scientists and institutions in Nigeria. Key among these institutions is the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), where Prof Mary Yeye is the country principal investigator for conducting CFT experiments in Nigeria. A key component to the successful introduction of ABS traits into a country is a robust public acceptance and communications plan. For Nigeria, the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) leads the ABS communication-related activities. Prof Bamidele Solomon, the Director General of NABDA, provides strategic leadership beyond communication, regulatory and governance. In Kenya, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and University of Nairobi are the key Africa

An ABS field team harvests the ABS sorghum (left) and Dr Obukosia trains the project teams on biosafety and confined field trials

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Harvest partners. Mrs Esther Kimani is the ABS country principal investigator in Kenya.• To date, the project has achieved the following

milestones: A sorghum transformation protocol was optimized leading to a significant increased transformation efficiencies from less than 1% to over 10%. This optimization of sorghum transformation capabilities provides a global opportunity for additional improvement of the sorghum crop through genetic engineering.

• The world’s first “golden sorghum” was developed in 2009. The “golden sorghum” showed enhanced levels of pro-vitamin A, reduced phytate and an improved protein profile. Pro-vitamin A amounts ranging of up to 31.1 µg/g ß-carotene within the range of those obtained from the Golden Rice Project were realised.

• Bioavailability studies have shown increased rates of zinc and iron absorption.

• Successful field and greenhouse trials: ABS has undergone over seven field trials in USA, greenhouse trials in Kenya and South Africa, and two CFTs in Kenya and Nigeria are complete.

• Preliminary food product formulation trials have shown that ABS can be used to successfully make a wide range of traditional African and modern food products.

• The Intellectual Property audit for freedom to operate status has been achieved for all the genes used in ABS project in all target countries and regions in Africa.

• Capacity building and infrastructural development has been done in the USA for African scientists in partnering institutions from countries

The ABS field team carefully goes through the season two harvest, meticulously gathering data for further analysis



of deployment in genetic transformation, throughput breeding, biosafety and regulatory in readiness for phase II.

• ABS traits have been backcrossed to popular African sorghum varieties and the traits have shown stability in agronomic and ABS traits in African varieties (including Marcia, Gadam, Tegemeo, KARI Mtama I, Sudanese, Malisor, SAMSORG 14, 17 and 40).

Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania

One of the objectives of the project is to improve multiple use sorghum cultivars (varieties and hybrids) that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. These cultivars must be adaptable to target

environments, have stable performance and meet end-user requirements. The project was funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In 2012, Africa Harvest undertook various studies and meetings were held with sorghum value chain stakeholders to strategize on how best to streamline roles to be played by each stakeholder.

Through interactions with the value chain actors, market preferences and produce quality specifications were shared and this information communicated to the farmers. For instance, the World Food Programme (WFP) food quality control requires white sorghum fit for human consumption, free from abnormal smell and live pests. This, and other specifications guided the selection of the Gadam sorghum variety to be promoted in the sorghum-planting areas.

The ABS post-harvest monitoring includes inspection of the field to ensure that no seeds were left and no germination is taking place

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Demonstration plots were established to train farmers on good agronomic practices (planting guidelines, spacing, sowing, thinning and gapping) in order to achieve increased yields per unit area. To demonstrate the impact of soil fertility on sorghum, manure and fertilizer were applied at different rates and crop stages and farmers advised, based on the results. Training on sorghum agronomic practices was held on the demonstration plots and on farms. Different varieties were given the same treatment to allow farmers to compare the differences in terms of adaptability, maturity, nutrient requirements and yields for different sorghum varieties. At the demonstration plots and on farmer fields, differences in yields and in pest and disease incidences were pointed out for the certified seed and the recycled seed crops and differences were also demonstrated for improved versus local sorghum varieties.

The choice of the varieties to be promoted was guided by the market preference and commercial

seed availability. East Africa Malting (EAML) is the only commercial buyer who has been available in the regions in the past three seasons, hence the choice of Gadam, which has the qualities for this market specification, that is, white sorghum variety and over 70% extractive value. EAML absorbed all the surplus Gadam variety sorghum produced by the Sorghum for Multiple Use (SMU) Project beneficiaries.

References

Kamau S. 2010. Kenya to Grow GM Cotton on Large Scale by 2012. The East African. Available on: http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=6501

Mwaniki 2006. A. Achieving Food Security in Africa: Challenges and Issues. Available on: http://www.un.org/africa/osaa/reports/Achieving%20Food%20Security%20in%20Africa-Challenges%20and%20Issues.pdf

Technicians carry out PMI testing of ABS sorghum



Natural Resource Management

Seedling nurseries at group level, Kitui Central division in Kitui County

29Natural Resource Management

In Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture is the most important economic activity, supporting over 67 % of the population; over 60% of farmers are dependant on rain-based rural economies. However, rainfall is poorly distributed, ranging from 1,430 mm per annum in central African countries to about 71 mm in arid countries (Mati: 2006). Against this background, Africa Harvest launched the new Natural Resource Management Program to give necessary attention to issues such as desertification, water pollution, environmentally related conflicts, climate change and loss of biodiversity. These issues present major challenges, especially to poor rural populations, many of whom depend on natural resources for their livelihoods (IFAD 2010).

The new program has been defined into five themes:• Integrated (soil) nutrient management, including

bio-fertilizers. • Water and soil conservation and management. • Promotion of agro-forestry.• Bio-diversity conservation.• Climate change mitigation strategies

and their promotion.

During the year under review, Africa Harvest started aligning projects to the themes of the new Resource Management Program. Here is a case study to illustrate what was done.

Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya

Facilitating access to high quality agro-forestry tree species is one of the four objectives of this project, funded by AusAid under the Australia Africa Community

Grants Scheme. During the year under review, 5,000 Cacia siamea seedlings were procured and distributed to project beneficiaries as well as several institutions, including schools, the District Officer’s office, and a correctional facility. Each of the 1,000 beneficiaries received four seedlings to plant at home, while the rest of the institutions shared 1,000 seedlings among them. In addition, a further 2 kg of Calliandra calothyrsus were supplied to two groups that are close to water sources to propagate and establish tree nurseries from where seedlings can be sourced in future. Calliandra, a small thornless leguminous tree, is used in agro-forestry systems for fuel wood, plantation shade, as an intercrop hedgerow and as livestock forage. The two groups were also trained on nursery establishment and management.

Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS)

The project’s main goal is to contribute to poverty alleviation and food security through improved food

Project beneficiaries receiving Cacia siamea seedlings at Waita, in Mwingi Central district to help improve environmental management.


production. However, during the second half of 2012, increased alignment was made to improving land and water management interventions, increased productivity and adoption of adaptive mechanisms to drought and climate change.

Although the alignment to the Resource Management Program came late in this project, its key outputs reflect the program’s five themes. The project is in its third year of implementation and is funded by the Italian government, through funds administered by IFAD through the Italian Development Cooperation of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project’s third objective targets the enhancement of soil fertility and harnessing livestock manure use to improve agricultural productivity. In an effort to promote soil fertility and water management, Africa Harvest distributed 4,800 seedlings of Leucena spp, 600 seedlings as well as 4 kg seeds of Calliandra spp.

Apart from agro-forestry tree species for enhancing soil fertility, Africa Harvest promoted growing of cowpea, which fixes atmospheric nitrogen to the soil, to enhance soil fertility. Promotion of multi-purpose nitrogen-fixing tree species undertaken will result in improved soil fertility at the farm level. In this regard, provision of firewood and fodder bank establishment was intended to foster a vibrant crop-animal-tree system. In this initial period, all the households benefited from training on adoption of soil-fertility enhancing technologies.

Two women’s groups benefited

The 4 kg of Calliandra seeds, which were purchased through linkages with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) in Kitui, were given to two women’s groups for the establishment of hardening nurseries. One of the groups is located close to the sand dam constructed by the project. The two nurseries acted

A seedlings nursery established by Muini Womens’ Self Help Group, alongside the sand dam constructed on Muini stream in Mulala Division, Makueni County.

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as sources of seedlings for the larger community in these areas, while the proceeds from the sale of seedlings further boosted incomes for the two groups. Each nursery has a capacity for 3,000 seedlings, which can be expanded to accommodate up to 5,000 seedlings. The groups were trained in nursery establishment and management skills and provided with seeds and initial potting materials.

Livestock manure and soil fertility

The baseline survey conducted at the start of project implementation showed that 17% of respondent households were using crop residues as fuel. Over the course of project implementation, the community was empowered to use crop residues as livestock feed and the manure from the animals was used to replenish nutrients in the soil. Survey of the groups working with the project showed that all households owned some type of livestock. Use of crop residues as livestock feed instead of grazing in communal grounds, leads to the concentration of manure in the homestead, and this can subsequently be used in crop production.

To supplement livestock manure, the community was trained on composting at group level and each group was equipped with at least one composting pit. The pits were replicated in individual farms and the compost was used to replenish soil nutrients.

Traditional methods of soil fertility management, including crop rotation, were also encouraged and project team members, in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture extension staff, actively created awareness and sensitized project beneficiaries – both direct and indirect — on the benefits of doing so. The project team also continued to build capacity of the target communities to conserve soil through terracing. The partnership forged with Ministry of Agriculture, through MOUs signed with respective district/divisional extension staff has been instrumental in these trainings. The project team ensured that newly trained groups were equipped with terrace marking and laying equipment for future use – as community assets.

FOSEMS project beneficiaries in Mulala division, Makueni County being trained on how to establish retention ditches to harvest both roof and road surface runoff for efficient on-farm water management.



Water conservation, harvesting and management

Key activities undertaken under the water conservation component included sensitizing farmers on the benefits of conserving and increasing soil moisture by ensuring that surface run-off is minimized, to allow water infiltration into the soil through structures such as terraces, retention ditches, tillage techniques and soil improvement practices. A baseline study revealed that the majority of the households (80%) had not been trained on soil and water management, while only 20% had undergone such training. Therefore, it was deemed important to enhance the knowledge and awareness of the community in topics on soil and water management.

The project team continued to train beneficiaries on how to establish key-hole gardens on which vegetables for the household can be grown using water that has been recycled from other domestic chores. Project beneficiaries were, therefore, able to grow vegetables such as kales, spinach and so on, for household consumption, thereby improving the family's nutritional intake. They even sold some of this produce to neighbors as well as at the local markets to generate additional income.

Three sand dams constructed

As part of the project, three sand dams were built in consultation with the local community, provincial administration, relevant line government ministries and a registered water engineering consultant. Seven engineering firms, registered with the Kenya Engineers Registration Board (ERB), who have past

experience in dam designing, were vetted. One firm was identified and engaged to survey, design and generate approved structural designs for the dams in reference. The survey involved hydrological as well as geological aspects of the sites, and all three designs were approved by the respective District Water Officers (DWO), Makueni DWO (for the sites in Wote and Mulala) and Kitui DWO for the Kitui site. Similarly, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) experts, registered with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as lead experts and have past experience in undertaking such assignments, were vetted. Three parties were invited to submit their quotations for the exercise and after due diligence and evaluating the bids, a team was selected to undertake the study. In partnership with Africa Harvest, the EIA team undertook the study and submitted the report to the NEMA Eastern province office in Embu. Before a permit was issued by NEMA, Africa Harvest facilitated the following:

Pumping clean water in Wote division of Makueni County, through an uptake well (with pump) supplied by the project as part the water management component of the FOSEMS Project.

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• Formation and registration of Water Resource Users Associations (WRUA) in the three sites. The Associations were sensitized to the need to open bank accounts and start income-generating activities to raise funds for further maintenance of the water structures.

• Registration of the dams with the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA), a state corporation with authority over public water resources in Kenya.

The EIAs were completed on the three sites and the permits to construct the three sand dams secured. The project team identified and engaged one firm from a list of six institutions. Once engaged, the firm undertook a site verification tour of the three sites to confirm that indeed the correct siting had been done. The contractor was involved in generating a schedule of materials needed to complete the work to a high standard of quality.

The project team met with the community living around the sand dam area to discuss, map out and agree on modalities of engagement including division of labour. The local community agreed to gather locally available material, as well as provide unskilled labour to excavate the main channel as well as the uptake well. This meeting was also attended by the contractor with a view to availing all key information to the community before construction work commenced.

The total number of beneficiaries of the water harvesting intervention was nearly 50,000. Other outcomes include:a. Community members, especially women, have

access to water and they are spending less time walking to and from water sources.

b. Two groups in Mulala division have started vegetable farming using water from the dam.

c. Capacity of the community in managing the assets – dam and well – was enhanced.

d. Capacity of the community was enhanced through exposure and their involvement in the dam construction process.

e. There was, generally, an increased awareness of the need to conserve the natural resource, especially as it relates to sand harvesting along the river bed.

f. On their own initiative, the community tried fish farming as a new innovation

ReferencesInternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 2010. Natural Resource Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: Successes, Challenges and Future Directions. http://www.ifad.org/events/gc/33/roundtables/africa/

Mati B. 2006. Overview of Water and Soil Nutrient Management under Smallholder Rain-fed Agriculture in East Africa. Available on: http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/publications/Working_Papers/working/WOR105.pdf

Stoorvogel J, Smaling E, and Janssen B. 1993. Calculating Soil Nutrient Balances in Africa at Different Scales.Fertilizer Research. Vol 35, Issue 3, Pp 227-235. Available on: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00750641#


35Agricultural Markets and Policy

Agricultural Markets and Policy is one of the new programs that Africa Harvest has added after the launch of the new Strategic Plan. Experience shows that technology development and uptake are not sufficient to sustain the gains made in the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Policies must adapt to changing dynamics and functioning markets are critical to the success of Africa Harvest interventions. Initially the need for this program was driven by the growing demand for clean, high-yielding seedlings and farm inputs; but demand was often erratic, underlying the need for properly functioning markets.

Where markets exist, technology uptake is high. Strong links to markets for rural producers creates a vicious circle by boosting productivity, increasing incomes and strengthening food security (IFAD 2013). As farmers move from subsistence farming, there is increased need for credit to expand, resulting in the need for larger institutional markets. Access to markets is a critical hurdle that smallholders have to overcome, the major challenge being the underdevelopment in agricultural sector (Mwaniki 2006). To address this growing need for better markets and policies, the new program will be guided by these themes:• Participatory market research and opportunity

identification (input, output, credit markets and seed systems).

• Market development and marketing system innovations.

• Capacity building for farmers in their gender categories, for increasing market access and improving bargaining power.

• Establishment of credit, input and output market linkages.

• Establishment of produce marketing centres.• Policy reviews, analysis and advocacy (extension

systems, marketing systems, trade policy, land policy, seed policy, and public investment in agricultural R & D).

• Establishment and strengthening of public-private partnerships.

In terms of the Agricultural Markets and Policy Program, during the year under review, Africa Harvest made strides through the following project activities:1. Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) Value Chain in

Kenya and Tanzania2. Food Security and Livelihoods through an

Improved Sorghum Value Chain in Kenya3. Food Security and Ecosystem Management for

Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS)4. Commercialization and Regional Trade in Sorghum

in Tanzania and Kenya5. Tissue Culture Banana

Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania

This project seeks to develop a robust commercially sustainable SMU value chain in Kenya and Tanzania. The project’s three objectives are: 1) to establish a pilot small, trial-size version of a commercial-scale value chain in each country by actively linking the sorghum farmers to the market outlet for surplus grain, 2) to strengthen capacity of sorghum value chain stakeholders for increased production and marketing of SMU for consumption and malting industry, and 3) to develop partnerships with private seed companies to provide quality seed of SMU varieties to the participating households.


During the year under review, specific progress made with regard to Agricultural Markets and Policy Program include:• Undertaking studies to determine sorghum

variety preferences for various market segments and identifying which producer groups could meet this demand.

• Meetings with sorghum value chain stakeholders in the two countries to strategize on how best to unlock increased value and synergize. Market preferences and produce quality specifications were shared through interactions. This information was also communicated to the sorghum farmers to enable them to respond to specific market needs.

• Market streamlining activities included demand creation. Several large public and private sector organizations such as – World Food Programme (WFP), Unga Feeds, East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and East African Malting Limited (EAML) – agreed to buy sorghum from the project

farmers. This process was facilitated through setting bulking agents who have defined collection centres where farmers bring their produce.

• Through Equity Bank, farmers and other value chain players were trained in financial planning and provided with banking facilities and credit as needed. The Bank also provided advance loans to bulking agents, especially during the period of high produce when farmers need to be paid for produce delivered.

• The project entered into negotiations with sorghum seed companies to ensure favorable pricing and timely supply of seeds.

• With the increased production, entrepreneurs have ventured into service provision; for instance, there is a thresher in six of the eight project districts. Recognizing that this would help create sustainable demand, the project responded by linking entrepreneurs with thresher importers and fabricators.

Mechanical threshing of sorghum to enhance market acceptance of sorghum grain

Grain ready for market

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• The project initiated discussions with the government and major sorghum stakeholders to deliberate on policy issues that would help achieve food security and other development goals.

• The project established 13 grain buying centers to store the grain while awaiting collection by buyers. Before the grain was delivered to the collection centers, 17 stores were operated by different groups. Established grain collection centers attracted more sorghum grain buyers.

• The project has ensured that there are more suppliers providing inputs such as certified seeds, herbicides, crop protection chemicals (pesticides and fungicides), fertilizers and sprayers. Farmers’ access to certified improved sorghum seed has improved. Fertilizers and agrochemicals are now available in greater quantities, and in close proximity to the farmers.

Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya

This project worked with established buyers, who are commercial end-users of high quality sorghum grain;

these included EAML and the WFP. The goal was to understand the demand needs and demand cycles in order to link them with farmers. However, the project focus remains improvement of food security at the household level.

Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods (FOSEMS)

In its third year of implementation, the goal of this project is to improve food security, ecosystem management and nutrition. The goal of economic empowerment of participating small holder farmers was also realized as part of the Agricultural Markets and Policy Program.

During the year under review, project beneficiaries were linked with commercial sorghum markets, giving them the opportunity to improve household income levels. Data collected shows that 8–10% of the total harvest was being sold. Proceeds from the sale of sorghum were used to increase household assets, meet household expenses, pay school fees and participate in group saving schemes.

Good quality white sorghum grain Loading of grain on to 40-ft truck for delivery to end market



Commercialization and regional trade in Sorghum in Tanzania and Kenya

The UNDP–AFIM Catalytic Fund for Regional Agri-business Value Chain Development funded this project to accelerate sorghum commercialization and regional trade. During the year under review, the project focus was establishing and strengthening linkages among value chain partners in Tanzania and Kenya.

Apart from improving household food security, the project has been very successful in unlocking economic potential for smallholder farmers through participation in regional sorghum trade. Over 2,000 smallholder farmers, 10 micro and small enterprises in Kenya and Tanzania have benefited from this project.

Aggregators were identified – one in Kenya and two in Tanzania – and supported to provide much needed assistance to farmers. Links were set up with established markets for the marketing of high quality sorghum grain for malting and food relief.

Four aggregators – two in Tanzania and the others in Kenya – have on-going supply contracts with EAML (Kenya) and Serengeti Breweries (Tanzania) as well as with WFP in Kenya and Tanzania. The aggregator model was identified as the best-suited approach to stimulate commercialization and trade activities while the Whole Value Chain strategy would be applied in enhancing production and productivity gaps among target beneficiaries.

Opportunities for enhancing the capacity of aggregators were identified and shall be addressed in the future. Africa Harvest will focus on enhancing the aggregators' ability to fully exploit their potential and catalyze improvements in the value chain. This requires capacity building in agronomy for the aggregators’ staff and training farmers to improve productivity and quality of grain. It is also important to limit the number of grain aggregation centers and improve access to funding.

The existence of a ready market for sorghum grain and forage in animal feed production and industrial products (ethanol) was established.

Linkages with leading players in the animal feed manufacturing segment in the region (East Africa) was established and shall be leveraged in the future to provide an alternative market for high quality sorghum.

Tissue Culture Banana

As part of the Agricultural Markets and Policy Program, the TC Banana Project in Nyeri District focused on establishing sustainable market linkages for farmers. A baseline survey on the status of production and marketing of banana showed that the crop was ranked third in importance, both as food as well as a cash crop.

Business Development and Project Manager, Mr Nehemiah Mburu, oversees the delivery of day-old Kenbro chicks to a women’s group

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The marketing system was inefficient with up to four intermediaries between the farmer and the market. Most of the farmers were forced to sell their produce at low farm gate prices. The project worked on disintermediation between the farmer and the market. Groups were trained to form committees that would spearhead marketing initiatives. The committees and the group leaders were trained in entrepreneurship and negotiation skills. These groups were linked to six banana traders. They were also encouraged to start collating green bananas from the conservative banana orchards before the bananas planted during the project time matured.

By the time the project came to an end, 118 metric tons of fresh bananas valued at Ksh 1.3 million (over US$ 15,000) were sold through the market linkages. This initial buying and selling of bananas helped the project establish seven collection and marketing centers in strategic sites.

Africa Harvest also successfully linked farmers to sources of clean planting material; this resulted in farmers planting 73,360 TC banana crops over

the course of the project, an overall investment valued at Ksh 33 million (nearly US$ 40,000). To ensure that the farmers could access clean planting materials after the end of the project, hardening nurseries were established in different areas. Four nursery entrepreneurs were identified and trained in TC banana technology, nursery establishment, management and entrepreneurship. Out of them, two entrepreneurs were supported to start the nurseries.

References

IFAD 2013. Access to Markets: Making Value Chains Work for Poor Rural People. Available on: http://www.ifad.org/english/market/index_full.htm

Mwaniki A. 2006. Achieving Food Security in Africa: Challenges and Issues. Available on: http://www.un.org/africa/osaa/reports/Achieving%20Food%20Security%20in%20Africa-Challenges%20and%20Issues.pdf

The World Bank. 2013. Africa's Agriculture and Agribusiness Markets Set to Top US$One Trillion in

Farmers at a banana marketing center.


41Communication for Development and Knowledge Management

The new Strategic Plan expanded the Communication for Development Program to include Knowledge Management. The Board and Management realized that the organization was generating huge amounts of knowledge and there is need for a better process of capturing, distributing and effectively utilizing this knowledge.

The information and knowledge that is in people’s heads and that has never been explicitly set down needs to be captured and made available, so it can be used by others in the organization (Koenig 2012). After more than a decade of transforming the lives of poor communities, Africa Harvest also discovered that there is rich information from the communities it works with. This information can enrich future project implementation, especially with regard to increasing project ownership by target communities.

During the period under review, the new program began the process of collecting information from different projects and sharing this internally and externally through meetings, workshops and conferences, websites and social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. The Program also put much effort to regularly inform diverse stakeholders through regular online newsletters.

For effectiveness, the Communication for Develop-ment and Knowledge Management program has been defined into seven themes:• A GHA-sensitive public engagement strategy• A GHA-based public technology acceptance• Innovative use of ICT• Community engagement with behavior change

monitoring• Publications and use of other multimedia modes• Documentation and knowledge management• Promotion of technology

During the period under review, the program was implemented through these projects:1. The Africa Biotech Outreach Project2. The Africa Harvest 10-year Strategic Plan3. Africa Harvest Annual Report4. Brochures for Training: Sorghum for Multiple Uses

(SMU) Value Chain in Kenya and Tanzania5. Agriculture Stakeholders’ Forums6. Food Security and Livelihoods through an

Improved Sorghum Value Chain in Kenya7. Online outreach

1. The Africa Biotech Outreach Project

In slightly more than a decade, the biotech debate in Africa has shifted significantly from “whether to adopt the technology” and the safety of the technology to “what crops and traits will be useful for the continent”. While there is still a lot that needs to be done to increase acceptance and a better appreciation of science in general, the new focus is putting in place science-based and workable biosafety and regulatory systems.

There is also new thinking that increased funding and better designed public/private sector projects could be the answer to gaining required traction. This is supported by the few joint research and development projects that have helped expand the basis for public acceptance. By focusing on African crops such as banana, cassava and sorghum, biotechnology is now viewed as part of a bouquet of possible solutions.

During the year under review, there were four countries that had commercialized biotech products in Africa. Kenya – which is the fourth country (after South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt) to have a GM law – expects to commercialize Bt cotton soon.


Uganda and Nigeria have Biosafety Bills that could be passed into law after Presidential ascent (for Nigeria) and Parliamentary debate (for Uganda).

The Africa Biotech Outreach Project is supported by Croplife International. It focuses on biotech outreach, acceptance and effective implementation of science-based Biosafety laws in several African countries. Africa Harvest has the mandate for Kenya, Uganda and Burkina Faso. During the year under review, several key achievements were made:• In partnership with EuropaBio, Africa Harvest

organized an exchange visit for African and European journalists to visit various biotech research projects in Uganda. Of strategic importance to Africa Harvest, was the inclusion of journalists from Burkina Faso (where Africa Harvest is involved) and Ghana (where Africa Harvest plans to work in 2013).

• In 2012, the project placed greater emphasis on biosafety and regulatory outreach.- For Kenya, the goal was to speed up

commercialization, protect legislative gains and reach out to key stakeholders involved in the Bt Commercialization Taskforce.

- For Uganda, efforts focused on speeding up the passage of the Biosafety Bill and activities related to media outreach.

- In Burkina Faso, the project focused on defending and expanding technology achieve-ments, especially in French-speaking West Africa.

• In all the target countries, stakeholders such as farmer leaders, journalists, agricultural extension officers, government officials, and representatives of community-based organizations were sensitized on GM technology.

• Training on Technology Stewardship, Issues Man-agement and Communication for Scientists, Policymakers and Regulators: The project spearheaded capacity building of key stake-holders so as to improve understanding of, and decision making over the technology.• Stronger links were developed, between

public research institutions, universities and regulators. This is a precursor to more effective networking, sharing information and training objectives that contributes towards public acceptance of plant biotechnology.

In other activities related to the Africa Biotech Outreach Project:• Africa Harvest CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu, was one of the guests at the launch of a new index on food security.

Farmers from several West African francophone countries visited Burkina Faso to witness the success of Burkinabe Bt cotton farmers. They are seen receiving certificates of attendance after the Africa Harvest / INERA capacity building workshop.

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The Index was developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by DuPont.

• Africa Harvest hosted a “CLI Grantees Social Me-dia Workshop” at its Nairobi Office. The resource persons were Deb Castious and Alex Rikus from CLI. Attendees included IT and web developers from AfricaBio, AfricaHarvest, ABSF and ISAAA. SCIFODE (Uganda) and AATF also sent represen-tatives. Three key goals were achieved:a. Capacity building designed to take advantage

of the emerging social media opportunities.b. Discussions on how the CLI Africa grantees

can best pool resources to maximize information sharing opportunities through the social media.

c. Possibility of setting up an African Social Media Platform.

2. The Africa Harvest 10-year Strategic Plan

After the Board of Directors adopted the Strategic Plan, the Communication for Development Program and Knowledge Management Program provided leadership for the editing, design and printing of the document. The Plan was distributed in hard-copy version as well as PDF and other online formats. Internal and external audiences were reached through a Board press conference (at which the Plan was launched), through social media (Facebook and Twitter) and several editions of online newsletters.

3. Africa Harvest Annual Report

Like the Strategic Plan, the Annual Report was approved by the Board of Directors. A similar distribution strategy was effected. Most stakeholders were reached utilizing the segmented databases that the Program developed. Data confirms that the two documents drive the most visits to the main Africa Harvest website.

4. Brochures for training: Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and Tanzania

Brochures were developed for training farmers on sorghum field management, pest and disease management and harvest and post-harvest handling under the Robust Commercially and Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) Value Chain in Kenya and Tanzania project.

5. Agriculture Stakeholders’ Forums

Africa Harvest is a member of District Stakeholder Forums in Tharaka, Meru South, Kibwezi, Imenti North, Kitui and Mwingi. The organization chaired the Stakeholders’ Forum in Meru south while acting

Dr Andrew Kiggundu of Uganda’s National Agricultural Organization explains to journalists from Burkina Faso, Romania and Germany about the Vitamin A-enriched banana confined field trial. This was part of an Africa Harvest /EuropaBio joint African-European journalists field trip to showcase how biotechnology is being used to address African challenges.



as key stakeholder in the other district forums. The Forums played a fundamental role in networking, data base profiling, organization of field days and farmer training. Africa Harvest’s field officers were elected to serve in various capacities and levels in the Forums, enabling participation in district development-related decision making.

6. Food security and livelihoods through an improved sorghum value chain in Kenya

While implementing this project, Africa Harvest prepared brochures and branding materials. To enhance wide reach, especially to target communities, the brochures were prepared both in English and the local language, Kikamba. The brochures were printed and supplied to beneficiaries for reference and future use. The brochures were shared with all the target beneficiaries and contained information (from

planting to harvesting) on sorghum as well as planting information on other drought-tolerant crops (cowpeas and green grams) that were grown by the beneficiaries – as a value add measure. A project banner was also developed and printed for use in branding the project, particularly during community events.

7. Online outreach

The main institutional website, www.africaharvest.org witnessed a sharp increase in the number of new visitors. We continued to monitor the interests of various visitors and use these metrics to better position content, especially on the front page,

In August 2012, we implemented the use of Twitter, which increased the visibility of the content we develop in articles, publication and annual reports, and also resulted in the increased views on the

Delegates at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center, where they spent time to finalize writing a book on biotechnology in Africa. The book, edited by Africa Harvest CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu and Communication Director, Mr Daniel Kamanga will be published by Springer, one of the world’s largest science publishers.

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website. The social media following has increased steadily.

SMSIn September we started using an SMS platform to communicate with farmers on projects. Over 1,700 farmers were reached using the SMS. We are now able to send notices of meetings, community engagements and other information in vernacular languages. “All our farmers own mobile phones, so it is much easier to send them an SMS to communicate important information”, says Wangari Kiragu, Africa Harvest Senior Program Officer. Farmers used the SMS platform to send enquiries and feedback to Africa Harvest, which has increased real time interaction.

YouTube

The Africa Harvest YouTube account http://www.youtube.com/user/AfricaHarvest has over 30 videos which continue to receive views. The most popular video is the BBC feature on Africa Harvest’s work on Tissue Culture Banana.

Africa Harvest Communication Director, Mr Daniel Kamanga, joins other Croplife International grantees – who represent over 90 countries – during a team building and bonding exercise, which involved cooking their own meals, at a Washington, D.C. venue. CLI was the first organization to fund Africa Harvest and has continued to do so every year for more than 10 years.

Newsletter databases and distribution

We have segmented our database into six different target audiences covering the regions and countries we work in. The most active of the databases is the Africa Harvest internal newsletter that seeks to keep the staff, board and stakeholders engaged and updated on important events to boost team work and productivity.

References

Koenig, M. 2012. What is KM? Knowledge Manage-ment Explained. Available on: http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/Editorial/What-Is-.../What-is-KM-Knowledge-Management-Explained-82405.aspx




Africa Harvest CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu, greets the Director General in DRC’s Ministry of Planning, Mr Roger Mibulumukini na Mbeka as Ms Prudent Ndlovu (Board Director) and Mr Daniel Kamanga (Communications Director) look on.

47Finance, Administration and New Business Development

Africa Harvest puts the right people in the right positions so as to effectively execute its work. Staff members keep abreast with the industry through training and workshops. It also strives to build and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders. The new Strategic Plan has broken the Finance, Administration and New Business Development Program into the following themes:

• Providing support for project initiation• Resource mobilization

Below: Africa Harvest Board (seated L to R): Deputy Chairman, Mr Joe Kibe; CEO, Dr Florence Wambugu; and Chairman, Dr Moctar Toure. (Standing L to R): Ms Prudence Ndlovu (South Africa), Professor Shabd S Acharya (India), Professor Matin Qaim (Germany), Attorney Ralph Grunewald (representing Attorney David Faber), Dr Blessed Okole (Cameroon) and Dr Grace Malindi (Malawi). Dr Arthur Carty (Canada) is missing from the picture.

• Accounting and finance administration• Human resources administration• Compliance and donor liaison• Monitoring and evaluation• Institutional development• Institutional policies• Coordination of Board of Director’s activities


Biographies of Board of Directors

Dr Moctar Toure is a Senegalese national and serves as the Chair of the Board. He is a soil scientist who turned into an institutional development expert from experience. He obtained his Diplomed’IngenieurAgronome from the Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Agronomie de Rennes (France) in 1970 and his Doctorate from the University of Rennes (France) in 1973. He spent the first 15

years working for the Senegalese NARS, where he rose to the position of Director General of the Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA). He served for 4 years as the National Director for all Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Research in the Ministry of Sciences and Technology. He then moved to the World Bank and for about 18 years, served in various capacities including Executive Secretary for the Special Program for African Agricultural Research (SPAAR). Two years prior to retirement, he moved to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to lead the Land Degradation Team. Currently, he is a member of many advisory committees and is involved in consulting tasks.

Mr Joseph Gilbert Kibe is the Chairman of the Kenya Horticulture Development Authority. In the past, he has served as a civil servant in Kenya and as Permanent Secretary in various government ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Makerere University College of the University of London. He has rich experience in policy for-

mulation and implementation, HR management and

budgeting and accounting for financial and physical resources. He is currently involved in agricultural de-velopments as an investor, with particular interest in international horticultural trade. His special interest in financial investment and corporate governance has led to his current involvement as Director in over 10 private sector companies and not-for-profit founda-tions and trusts.

Dr Florence Muringi Wambugu is the founder, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Harvest Biotech since 2002. She is a plant pathologist with specialization in virology and genetic engineering. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Bath in England, and has had post-doctoral research experience at Monsanto,

USA. For over 30 years, she has dedicated her life to agricultural research, where she made significant contributions to the improvement of sorghum, maize, pyrethrum, banana and sweet potato. Previously, she worked as the Africa Regional Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) AfriCenter in Nairobi, and as a Research Scientist at KARI. She has published over 100 articles and co-authored various papers. She is also the author and publisher of Modifying Africa. In 2005, she led an international consortium that was awarded US$ 21 million under the global competitive grant by the BMGF. She is a recipient of several awards and honors, including the Norwegian YARA Prize in 2008. She is currently a Board Member in several international agencies.

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Professor Shabd S Acharya is the Chair of the Program Committee of the Board. He is Honorary Professor at the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur (India). He is Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing; Chairman of the Editorial Board of Agricultural Economics Research Review; Chairman of the Consortium Advisory Committee

for India’s National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP); Project on Risk Assessment and Insurance Products for Agriculture; and Chancellor’s Nominee on the Board of Selection of the Rajasthan Agricultural University. He serves as a consultant to numerous international organizations. Prof Acharya has numerous distinctions. He has written extensively on agricultural economics, agricultural marketing, prices, agricultural development and policy analysis. His publications include 17 books, 44 chapters in other books, 409 research papers/articles, and 73 research monographs/reports.

Ms Prudence Ndlovu is the Chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee of the Board. As Managing Director of Eagle People Organizational Development (EPOD) Global (Pty) Ltd., Ms Ndlovu has spent the last six years at the helm of this entrepreneurial venture, offering human capital solutions. She has

over 15 years’ experience as a Human Resources specialist in large corporations, advising on full function human resource strategy and management. She holds a postgraduate degree in Business Studies, specializing in HR management and a training management qualification. Her corporate experience

spans blue chip companies including J Sainsbury’s Plc, Pick ‘n Pay and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms Ndlovu is the Vice Chairperson of Gauteng of the Business Women’s Association of South Africa, providing enterprise development support and capacity building programs for women entrepreneurs.

Professor Dr Matin Qaim is Professor of International Food Economics and Rural Development at the University of Goettingen, Germany. He has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Development Economics from the University of Bonn and has held academic positions at the Universities of Hohenheim (Stuttgart), Kiel, and

Berkeley (California). He has extensive research experience related to poverty, food security, and productivity growth in the small farm sector. He has implemented and coordinated research projects in various countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, including on the socioeconomic impacts of agricultural biotechnology and GM crops. Dr Qaim has published widely in scientific journals and books, and has been awarded academic prizes.

Dr Blessed Okole is the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board. He is the Senior General Manager for Infrastructure and Planning in the Technology Innovation Agency, South Africa. He holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany. He was the CEO of LIFElab, the Biotechnology Innovation Center in Durban, and

has 18 years’ international experience in the Research and Development sector of the biotechnology



industry. Prior to joining LIFElab, he held the position of Business Development Manager and Strategic Partnership Manager for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Biosciences unit. He was also the interim Director for the NEPAD Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBio) and the Technology Manager, Plant Biotechnology at AECI, a specialty product and services Group of companies. He has several peer-reviewed publications and holds three patents.

Dr Arthur J Carty is the Executive Director of the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, at the University of Waterloo. From 2004 to 2008, he served as Canada’s first National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada. He was President of the National Research Council (NRC) of

Canada for 10 years (1994–2004). Dr Carty has a PhD in inorganic chemistry from the University of Nottingham. Before joining the NRC in 1994, he spent two years at the Memorial University and 27 years at the University of Waterloo as Professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Chemistry Department and Dean of Research. Dr Carty’s research interests are in organometallic chemistry and new materials. He has 311 publications in peer reviewed journals and five patents to his credit. He is a former President of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, a fellow of the Fields Institute for Research in the Mathematical Sciences and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He has 14 honorary degrees and has received Canada’s highest civilian award as an Officer of the Order of Canada (OC) and been honoured by France as Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite. He has served on many Boards of Directors and Advisory Boards.

Dr Grace Malindi, recently retired as the Director of Agricultural Extension Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Malawi after 38 years in public service. She held various positions, including that of Training Officer, Gender-based Participatory Development Specialist, Deputy Director for Extension Services and Director

of Extension Services. Dr Malindi holds a Ph.D. in Human Resources and Community Development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, and has extensive experience in agricultural extension, gender mainstreaming, farmer training and participatory rural community development. She played a pivotal role in revolutionizing Malawian agriculture from a food deficit nation to a vibrant food surplus nation. Dr Malindi is a member of the Association for International Agricultural Extension Education (AFAAS), Association of Women in International Development (AWID) and the American and Canadian Home Economics Association. Dr Grace has received numerous awards and served on various advisory boards in Malawi.

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Africa Harvest Management Team

Africa Harvest Management Team (left to right): Daniel Kamanga (Communications Director), Silas Obukosia (Director of Biosafety and Regulatory Affairs), Florence Wambugu (CEO), Michael Njuguna (Deputy CEO and Director, Finance and New Business Development), and Rose Njeru (Director, Capacity Building and Technology Deployment).



Summary of Financial Performance

In 2012, Africa Harvest received financial support from 10 funders. This was a slight increase from eight in the previous year. The large number of funders is desirable as it provides diversity and minimizes the risks associated with dependence on a few large donors. The organizational goal is to continue expanding the funding sources in order to achieve the vision and mission of the organization in line with our 10-year Strategy (2012–2022). In coming years, we will place greater emphasis on securing funding from bilateral, multilaterals and foundations.

Income and funding partners

The total grant income was US $ 2,146,967 in 2012. The revenue was mainly received in form of restricted donations from the following funders:• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)• Crop Life International (CLI)• Cooperative Housing Foundation (CHF)• DuPont-Pioneer • Australian Agency for International Development ( AUSAID)• United Nations Development Program ( UNDP)• Financial Transactions Report Analysis Centre (FINTRAC)/USAID• International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

Figure 1. Africa Harvest Expense Allocation in 2012

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Expenditure (See Figure 1) was categorized into four main areas: • Program services 83% (2011: 73%)• General and administrative expenses 11% (2011: 22%)• Sub-grant to partners 3% (2011: 2%)• Fundraising 3% (2011: 3%).

Table 1. Income and Expense Indicators2012 2011US $ "000" US $ "000"

Grant and Investment Income 2,147 2,147

ExpenditureProgramme Services 1,932 1,724 General and Administration Expenses 249 525 Subgrant to Other Partners 82 42 Fundraising 60 60 Total Expenditure 2,323 2,351

Net Surplus (deficits) (176) (204)

Other Comprehensive IncomeMovement in Foreign Exchange Reserve 5 (19)Fair Value Loss in Investment - (14)

Total Comprehensive Income (171) (237)

CashflowCash and cash equivalent beginning of the year 411 1,065 Cash and cash equivalent end of the year 247 411



Table 2. Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation InternationalStatement of Financial Position for the Year ended December 31, 2012

BALANCE SHEET 2012 2011

ASSETS US $'000' US $'000'Non Current AssetsProperty and Equipments 167 198 Intangible Assets 9 11

176 209

Current AssetsReceivables 163 521 Short Term Deposits - 268 Cash and Bank Balances 247 142

410 931

Total Assets 586 1,140

FUNDS AND LIABILITIES

Accumulated Funds and ReservesAccumulated Funds 204 375 Foreign Exchange Translation Reserve (4) (3)

200 372

Current LiabilitiesUnexpended Grants 243 696 Payables 143 72

386 768

Total Funds and Liabilities 586 1,140

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Africa Harvest 2012 – Donor Profiles

DuPont Pioneer

DuPont Pioneer has funded the Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) Project. Under the funding, the Project has done two seasons of confined field trials of ABS in Kenya and Nigeria; has ongoing ABS gene flow study by the University of Nairobi, Kenya; is establishing local analysis of Pro-vitamin A in ABS at Kenyatta University, Kenya; is publishing guidelines for Confined Field Trails Experimentation for Kenya and Nigeria; applying for ABS 203 CFT permit for ABS experimentation in Kenya and Nigeria; and has completed an assessment of progress in the construction of the biosafety level II greenhouse at INERA in Burkina Faso. For more information on DuPont Pioneer visit: www.pioneer.com

AusAID

The Nairobi office of AusAID, through the Australia Africa Community Grants Scheme (AACGS) has funded 60% of the first year implementation activities for the project titled ‘Enhancing Food Security and livelihoods through an improved Sorghum value chain in Kenya’. For more information on AusAID visit: www.ausaid.gov.au

International Fund for Agricultural Development

ICRISAT, in partnership with Africa Harvest, initiated the IFAD-funded Development of a Robust Commercially and Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses (SMU) Value Chain in Kenya and Tanzania. The project rationale is to exploit the value chain opportunities and potentials of using sorghum as food, feed and cash income that will contribute to the achievement of food security and poverty reduction. The project facilitated farmer market linkages for the increased production that is beyond the family food needs.

IFAD also funds the ‘Food Security and Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Livelihoods in Arid and Semi Arid Lands of Kenya’ (FOSEMS) project. The grant was made possible by funding from the Italian government, administered through the Italian Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to IFAD, as a response to the Global food crisis of 2008. Activities during the year included consolidating the gains made with the 80 groups that had been formed or identified for strengthening since the project started in July 2010. FOSEMS project entered into its third year of implementation in 2012. For more information on IFAD visit: www.ifad.org

Global Communities (Formally CHF International)

Global Community in partnered with Africa Harvest in implementing the Protecting and Restoring Economic Sustainability to Ensure Reduced Vulnerability Plus (PRESERV+) project in 2012 that was funded by USAID/Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), The project worked with 26,600 households to mitigate



cyclical drought-induced food insecurity through sustainable agricultural production and asset protection in Kitui, Mwingi and Thakra. For more information on CHF visit: http://www.chfkenya.org

United Nations Development Program

The Regional Sorghum trade project funded by UNDP through the AFIM Catalytic Fund also known as “Accelerating the Commercialisation and Regional Trade in Sorghum by Facilitating Market-Based Linkages Among Value Chain Partners to Increase Productivity and Surplus for Markets in Tanzania and Kenya project,” intends to improve food security and economic potential for smallholder farmers through participation in regional sorghum trade by targeting 2,000 smallholder farmers, 10 micro and small enterprises in Kenya and Tanzania within 24 months. For more information on UNDP-AFIM visit: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/partners/private_sector/AFIM.html

Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center (FINTRAC)/ USAID

The Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (KHCP), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), promoted the growing of tissue culture bananas in Tetu, Othaya, Nyeri Central, Mukurwe-ini and Mathira, Nyeri county Kenya. The project's overarching goal was to promote the production of tissue culture bananas in Nyeri district and at the same time, establish consistent and solid market linkages for the produce. For more information on USAID-KHCP visit: http://www.growkenya.org/partners.aspx CropLife International

CropLife International supports the Communication Program which focuses on increasing awareness about the benefits of biotechnology and to generate and disseminate knowledge to empowers stakeholders including farmers, policy makers, and the public, to make informed decisions about agricultural biotechnology for sustainable development For more information on CLI visit: http://www.croplife.org/

57

Acronyms and abbreviations

AACGS Australia Africa Community Grants Scheme

AATF African Agricultural Technology Foundation

ABS Africa Biofortified Sorghum

AFIM African Facility for Inclusive Market

AGRA Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa

ASAL Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

AusAID Australia Aid

BMGF Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

CBAHW Community-Based Animal Health Workers

CDF Community Development Fund

CFTs Confined Field Trials

CGIAR Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers

CHF Cooperative Housing Foundation

CLI CropLife International

DRC Democratic Republic of Congo

DWO District Water Officers

EAML East Africa Malting

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EIU Economist Intelligence Unit

ERB Kenya Engineers Registration Board

DRD Department of Research and Development

FINTRAC Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Center

Acronyms and abbreviations


FOSEMS Food Security and Ecosystem Livelihoods

GHA Gender, HIV and AIDS

GM Genetically Modified

IAR Institute of Agricultural Research of Nigeria

ICRISAT International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development

INERA Institut de l'Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles

ISAAA International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications

KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute

KEFRI Kenya Forestry Research Institute

KHCP Kenya Horticultural Competitiveness Project

MAFC Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Co-operatives

MOA Ministry of Agriculture

MOUs Memoranda of Understanding

NABDA National Biotechnology Development Agency of Nigeria

NACoLtd Namburi Agricultural Company Seed

NBA National Biosafety Authority

NEMA National Environment Management Authority

NGO non-governmental organization

OFDA Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance

PBSC Plant Biotech Strategy Council

PRESERV+ Protecting and Restoring Economic Sustainability to Ensure Reduced Vulnerability Plus

R and D Research and Development

ROI Return on Investment

SCIFODE Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development

SEUCO South Eastern University College

SMU Sustainable Sorghum for Multiple Uses

SUA Sokoine University of Agriculture

TBL Tanzania Breweries Ltd

TC Tissue Culture

TOTs Trainers of Trainers

UNDP United Nations Development Program

UoN University of Nairobi

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WFP World Food Program

WRMA Water Resource Management Authority

WRUA Water Resource Users Associations

WSC Western Seed Company

59Acronyms and abbreviations

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International (AHBFI)

P.O. Box 642 Village Market 00621Nairobi, KenyaTel: 254-20-444-1113/5/6Fax: 254-20-444-1121

1025 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1012Washington, DC 20036Tel: 1-202-828-1215Fax: 1-202-857-9799

Scotia Plaza40 King Street West, Suite 3100Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 3Y2Tel: +1 416-865-6600 Fax: +1 416-865-6636

www.africaharvest.org

PO Box 3655Pinegowrie 2123Gauteng, South AfricaTel: + 27 11 079 4189

lowres africaharvest ar2012 ver12

Documents

food security

africa harvest website

sustainable sorghum

improved sorghum value

africa harvest annual

africa harvestisbn

sustainable livelihoods

multiple uses smu value