Sustainable Development Impacts

Agroforestry and inter-cropping guarantees a higher and diversified production. This is in the sense that the total harvests of the the different crop types & species is normally higher than in mono-cropping. Diversified crops also promotes a more nutritious diet for the farmer’s and their families.

Innovation by re-use of wastes such as plastic containers helps the farmers by spending less.

The use of ecological methods such as composting enriches the soil, mulching suppresses the weeds & inter-cropping with different crop types & species and repellent plants to control pests and diseases greatly lowers the cost of production and this helps in putting more incomes to fund other basic needs i.e. education. It also eliminates the temptation of spraying poison.

The training is done with the lead farmers to be Trainers of Trainees and assisting them to practically establish their model farms, helps them to develop skills that they will use and train others even beyond this project.


RESILIENCE, ADAPTABILITY, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY

By growing drought resistant crop varieties:

- This has helped the community adopt to the effect of harsh environments;

- Most of these crops are traditional foods such as sorghum, millet, cassava etc. and these traditional foods bring people together - strengthening social cohesion. Even when planting trees together this brings communities closer to one another;

- Growing these crops enhances food security and enables them to sell the surplus to their neighbors - also increasing their incomes.

Ecological Farming Techniques:

- Composting, inter-cropping and mulching enriches the soils making it a living soil and this improves the environment. When waste materials are not decomposed properly it becomes a health hazard - which is one of the reasons we are teaching composting;

- Members of the community learning together - especially when sharing local knowledge strengthens their social ties;

- Using locally available materials minimizes costs - channeling more income to other basic needs.The project focuses mainly on the smallholder farmers. This is a vulnerable group that lacks adequate basic necessities in life such as food, clothing and shelter. Therefore, the organization aims at addressing; food security, increased income levels, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion. By focusing on this group and reducing the gap between the rich and the poor we directly address societal inequalities. By getting produce that have both high quantity and quality nutrients this ensures that this community becomes food secure and the surplus are sold. They can meet their daily basic needs with this such as pay for their kids education and provide better shelters.

The innovative approaches that the smallholder farmers are trained on enables them to effectively use the locally available materials and knowledge hence minimizing production costs. Using the low cost inputs i.e. inter-cropping with plants that are crop repellants such as corriander, onions, lemon grass and garlic is much cheaper than them purchasing pesticides.

These farmers produce healthy organic food that enhances their health hence requiring visiting hospitals less. They also use medicinal plants and natural medicines. This also increases disposable income for families to spend on other necessities.

Adhering to all the above techniques allows the smallholder farmers to achieve most of their daily basic needs. These are among the many ways our program addresses inequalities.


REDUCED INEQUALITIES

The project focuses mainly on the smallholder farmers. This is a vulnerable group that lacks adequate basic necessities in life such as food, clothing and shelter. Therefore, the organization aims at addressing; food security, increased income levels, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion. By focusing on this group and reducing the gap between the rich and the poor we directly address societal inequalities. By getting produce that have both high quantity and quality nutrients this ensures that this community becomes food secure and the surplus are sold. They can meet their daily basic needs with this such as pay for their kids education and provide better shelters.

The innovative approaches that the smallholder farmers are trained on enables them to effectively use the locally available materials and knowledge hence minimizing production costs. Using the low cost inputs i.e. inter-cropping with plants that are crop repellants such as corriander, onions, lemon grass and garlic is much cheaper than them purchasing pesticides.

These farmers produce healthy organic food that enhances their health hence requiring visiting hospitals less. They also use medicinal plants and natural medicines. This also increases disposable income for families to spend on other necessities.

Adhering to all the above techniques allows the smallholder farmers to achieve most of their daily basic needs. These are among the many ways our program addresses inequalities.


GENDER EQUALITY

The organization has always championed women participation by:

- Ensuring that 60% of the total beneficiaries are women. This starts when recruiting the project beneficiaries. During project implementation, it teaches the family heads who traditionally are men to allow their wives to have a say in farming activities as in most cases they are the ones providing family labor at the farms;

- Encourages men to allow their wives and daughters to proactively get involved in project activities as they are more vulnerable due to their needs besides being responsible to feeding their families.

- The farming techniques taught are also women friendly such kitchen gardening, tree planting, mulching & cover-cropping, rain water harvesting among others.

- The farming techniques are also less expensive as most of them either use wastes and locally available materials hence affordable to the women who in most cases have minimum income sources.

- The activities earn the women incomes hence become attractive ventures to them i.e. selling surplus from their kitchen gardens, selling tree seedlings, fruits and fire wood.

- C-MAD assists the farmers to form groups and encourages the women to take leadership positions i.e. group officials like chair person, secretary or treasurer.

- The staffing at the organization also ensures that the women are at management level i.e. The Finance Manager, Administrator and the Head of Nutrition are all women. It has also implemented projects which are headed by women.


SOCIAL INCLUSION

The project encourages people of all genders to participate in its activities. While recruiting the beneficiaries, we ensured that people of different groups such as men, women, youths, elders and people living with disabilities were included. This mix of people ensures a society that is rich in knowledge. The elders in most cases have vast knowledge on culture and this information is vital, especially to the youth. The youth in most cases are fast learners and are m much more ahead in technology, hence they can easily share current information to their elders. When women are included and taught how they can venture into income generating activities then they become empowered and provide for their families.

During recruitment of the beneficiaries the organization stresses a diverse composition of beneficiaries so that at least 40% comprises the youth. The elders normally comprise the highest number of smallholder farmers and therefore there is no need to place extra stress on this group as they are naturally represented. People with disabilities are always encouraged to participate as the organization embraces permaculture and one of the permaculture ethics states that "care for the people" and this means regardless of their situation. This helps them feel appreciated and valued in the society. These are some of the ways we are seeking to build a broad coalition within our group in our participatory model.