NATURE+ supports Kenyan smallholders with equipment, training for value-added agrobiodiversity production

Smallholder custodians of agricultural biodiversity in two Western Kenyan counties now have the equipment and training needed to produce value-added products derived from their crops. The solar-powered dryers, winnowers, threshers, and vacuum-packing units safeguard crops and seeds from inclement weather, open new markets for products derived from local agrobiodiversity, and reduce labor demands, particularly for women and children.

By Rachel Kibui, NATURE+, with thanks to Dr. Carlo Fadda

Smallholder farmers have been urged to adopt collective farming, diversify their agricultural practices, and embrace value addition to improve food security, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance their economic standing, and create employment opportunities. These actions will empower smallholders and provide long-term sustainability to their farming ventures.

Promoting seed diversity, ensuring food security

Between 2018 and 2021, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (the Alliance), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Benefit-sharing Fund, took significant action to promote and protect seed biodiversity to support food security in Western Kenya. Three community seedbanks were established—one in Vihiga County and two in Kisumu County. These seedbanks are crucial to conserving traditional crop varieties such as sorghum, finger millet, beans, leafy vegetables, and maize. These crops are integral to food security and contribute to maintaining agrobiodiversity.

Recognizing the need for a more sustainable model, the Alliance decided to enhance these seedbanks, creating linkages between the crops produced from these seeds and the potential for value addition and marketing. This shift aimed to elevate smallholder farmers’ production and economic returns by integrating post-harvest processing and access to new markets.

Farmers from Vihiga’s Itumbu and Lianaginga areas and their counterparts from Kisumu’s Nyakach in Kabudi-Agoro and Nyando areas received vital value-added equipment and processing units to support their farming operations. The new equipment potentially revolutionizes how these smallholder farmers process and market their produce. The initiative was financed by the Alliance, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature of the Netherlands.

Reducing the burden of labor

During the launch of the new processing units, farmers reflected on the many struggles they had faced while working manually. Jane Adhiambo, a farmer from Nyando, shared how winnowing sorghum by hand was a labor-intensive task, especially for women. The repetitive manual work often led to allergic reactions, including coughing and skin rashes. She expressed her excitement about the new machinery, particularly the winnowers and threshers, which would greatly reduce the burden of labor on women while increasing productivity. Additionally, she was hopeful that young people in the region would find employment opportunities within the value chain—from production to processing and eventually marketing.

In Vihiga, farmer Alice Sungu from the Vihiga Community Seedbank and Nutrition Center recalled how unpredictable rains often thwarted their efforts to dry seeds outdoors. One moment the sun was shining, and the next, an unexpected downpour ruined their crops. With the introduction of solar-powered dryers, seeds and produce—including vegetables, cassava, and grains—can be dried in a controlled, efficient manner, safeguarding the quality of the produce and ensuring better outcomes.

Three processing units were constructed; one in Vihiga, and two in Nyakach. The units were fitted with solar-powered dryers, threshers, winnowers, and hermetic packaging materials as part of CGIAR’s Nature-Positive Solutions Initiative (NATURE+). The Initiative and partners also provided technical support to ensure the farmers could operate the equipment effectively and maintain it over the long term.

Supporting seed banking and promoting biodiversity

Dr. Abdoul Aziz Niane, ICARDA’s country manager for the United Arab Emirates and the regional coordinator for the Arabian Peninsula, played a key role. He stressed the importance of supporting farmers who conserve seeds and maintain biodiversity. “Farmers are the main building block in in-situ conservation, and we must support them in saving seeds and maintaining biodiversity,” said Aziz, recalling a conversation with farmers two years ago in which they shared the challenges they faced to process, store, dry and access markets. By providing processing units and modern equipment, the NATURE+ empowered farmers to save quality seeds, aggregate their produce, and improve post-harvest processing for preservation and marketing.

The value of traditional crops, often overlooked, was also emphasized during the launch. These crops are resilient to climate change, pests, and diseases, making them ideal for the fluctuating environmental conditions brought on by global climate change. Not only are they hardy, but they are also highly nutritious, making them vital to food and nutrition security. Farmers are therefore encouraged to grow these crops to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience in their farming systems.

As climate change continues posing significant challenges, farmers need diversified crop varieties that can withstand varying weather patterns. Dr. Destrio Nyamongo, Director of Kenya’s Genetic Resources Research Institute (GeRRI), highlighted the importance of planting early and late-maturing crops to spread climate-related risks. He lauded NATURE+ for supporting seed banking and promoting biodiversity, which in turn strengthens food security.

Working in groups to maximize production

For most smallholder farmers, working independently on small plots of land poses limitations in production and market access. However, collective farming and organizing in groups can offer many benefits, including the ability to scale up production and tap into economies of scale. Dr. Carlo Fadda, the lead of NATURE+ and head of agrobiodiversity research at the Alliance, urged farmers to organize themselves into groups to maximize production. He cited examples from Nyando and Kabudi, where NATURE+ successfully implemented aggregated farms, where individual smallholders combine their land to produce jointly. This collaborative model allows farmers to increase yields and compete more effectively in the market.

In Vihiga, NATURE+ established a two-acre demonstration farm with strong community support, showcasing best practices in permaculture and biodiversity conservation. Dr. Fadda also called on policymakers to reform seed laws to recognize traditional crop varieties, as current legislation heavily favors conventional seed systems. This would ensure that traditional, resilient crops are protected and promoted, benefitting farmers and enhancing national food security.

Through NATURE+ and the support of multiple global partners, smallholder farmers in Kenya are being empowered to overcome the challenges they face and build more resilient, sustainable farming systems. By embracing biodiversity, value addition, and collective action, these farmers are paving the way for a more secure and prosperous future.