To read the other learning briefs in this series, please follow these links: Flood Mitigation and Resilience, Peacebuilding and Conflict Mitigation, and Sustainable Financing Methods.
Background
This learning brief is part of a series highlighting the work of the Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (RAPID+) program in Kenya. The program is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), with additional contributions from Millennium Water Alliance, participating county governments (Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Turkana, and Marsabit), selected private sector partners, and the four implementing organizations: CARE Kenya, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Food for the Hungry (FH), and World Vision (WV).
The RAPID+ program aims to improve access to safe and sustainably managed water and rangelands in pastoralist communities across all RAPID+ project countries, thus contributing to resilient livelihoods for communities in a peaceful environment. RAPID+ is designed to address two core problems and the complex interactions amid changing climate conditions: insufficient access to adequate and sustainable water for multiple uses and declining rangeland resources.
RAPID+ also aims to improve efficiency in the operations and maintenance of water infrastructure; increase the capacities of governments and communities to manage water resources and services; strengthen the institutions for rangeland management; encourage opportunities for the private sector; target the use of innovative technology where it is appropriate and sustainable; and reduce the disparities of gender in access to and control of water resources.
The following set of stories from the RAPID+ program focuses on the theme of Innovative Tools and Capacity Building in Garissa, Marsabit, and Isiolo counties.
Garissa County: Haso Innovation Hub
Hassan Yussuf, an innovative farmer from Garissa, identified a gap in the county’s fodder market. As a member of the Jamhuri group farm on the outskirts of Garissa municipality, he recognized the increasing demand for livestock feeds due to recurring droughts and shrinking grazing lands. Motivated by this need, Hassan ventured into irrigated agriculture in 2021, focusing on fodder, vegetables, fruits, and cereals. The expansion of five livestock markets in the county presented further opportunities, especially for alternative animal feeds.
Hassan planted ten varieties of fodder, including Panicum, Super Napier, Calliandra, three species of Brachia Ria (including Mulato), Nandi Grass, Sugar Graze, Guatemala Grass, and Starke Ayres. Facing water challenges due to his farm’s location 2 km from the Tana River, Hassan invested in a shallow well and used a gasoline-powered pump to irrigate his 2.5-acre farm. However, the cost of fuel—averaging KES 18,000 per month—increased over time due to rising fuel prices. Additionally, Hassan lacked expertise in fodder value addition, further limiting his farming potential.
Program Intervention
With funding from the SDC, RAPID+ addressed both water and rangeland challenges faced by the Haso Innovation Hub. The intervention included the installation of a solar pumping system and a 5,000-liter elevated storage tank. RAPID+ also organized training sessions on fodder production and value addition for 15 farmer groups from across Garissa County. Farmers were introduced to various fodder types, their production methods, and nutritional benefits.
As a result of these interventions, the hub now saves KES 18,000 per month on fuel costs. The solar-powered irrigation system also allows Hassan to share water with a neighboring horticultural farm growing mangoes, limes, pawpaws, and bananas. With reduced pumping costs, Hassan expanded his farm by half an acre and planted 100 passion trees and vegetables.
During the intervention, RAPID+ partnered with other institutions, including:
- Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP): Supported the procurement of a chaff cutter and organized training for fodder farmers.
- SOLO Organization: Funded the fencing of Hassan’s farm.
- County Government of Garissa: Facilitated training for Hassan and brought other farmers to learn from the model farm.
Impact
The following outcomes were identified and observed as a result of the program and subsequent partnerships:
- Hassan now saves KES 216,000 annually on fuel costs, previously spent on powering the diesel generator.
- He expanded cultivation by ½ acre, planting passion fruit and vegetables.
- The farm has become a model of best practices, having trained 25 farmers through RAPID+, with support from other organizations for additional study visits. Training areas included fodder production, storage, silage processing, and baling.
- Three farmers of the initial 25 trainees have replicated this model on their farms, and more are expected to follow.
- A steady income has been generated through periodic sales of fodder to the Garissa Livestock Market, a regional hub. Since January 2024, Hassan has earned KES 36,000 from fodder sales, although his 2023 sales were lower due to the oversupply of humanitarian livestock feeds by the government and other organizations.
Marsabit County: Dololo Dokatu
The Dololo Dokatu community consists of settlers from Boru Haru Drip Location. They faced severe water scarcity, which affected both their livestock and household income. Determined to find a solution, the community settled around a borehole in Dololo and formed the Dololo Dokatu Farmer Group. Their goal was to establish a table banking system to provide financial support for education and healthcare among the members. To enable table banking to be successful, they needed to have seed capital and income that would be remitted to the group account. One particular source would be to utilize the water for productive use, and members would get income that would be remitted to the group.
The RAPID+ program stepped in to support the group by solarizing their borehole. This critical intervention significantly reduced water pumping costs, ensuring a more reliable water supply. Additionally, the program facilitated the piping of water to neighboring farms, enabling the group to engage in horticultural production and diversify their livelihoods.
Unfortunately, their progress was interrupted by a period of insecurity caused by conflicts with neighboring communities. The group members were forced to abandon their farms and relocate to safer areas for approximately three years. However, in 2022, peace negotiations led to a breakthrough, allowing the Dololo Dokatu farmers to seize the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Upon their return, the group reached out to RAPID+ for further support in horticulture production and pasture establishment. The program conducted a needs assessment exercise and collaborated with the Marsabit County Department of Agriculture to provide training for the group. The topic covered included the status of forage and pastures in the region, pasture varieties, fodder improvement methods suitable for the area, pasture, and fodder conservation, and the identification of suitable grass seeds for reseeding. The training also emphasized maintaining soil fertility through practices such as the use of manure and other organic fertilizers.
A Resident’s Story: Ms. Qabale Bonaya
Ms. Qabale Bonaya, a single mother of eight and a member of the Dololo Dokatu Farmer Group, also manages the group’s farm. She recounts how the farm has transformed her life:
“Most of my older children were unable to finish school. After separating from my husband ten years ago, I struggled to manage their school fees alone. I tried to support their education by selling charcoal and crushing stones for concrete, which I sold for money. However, these businesses were physically demanding, and at times, I barely earned enough to sustain us. When conflict broke out in 2019, we left Dololo for a safer area, and my children stopped attending school. But after the peace negotiations in 2022, our family returned, and I resumed my charcoal business. Transportation remained a significant challenge, as boda-boda operators would take earnings from a third of my goods for transportation costs. Only three of my children managed to attend school occasionally due to the uncertainty of paying school fees.
Things changed when the RAPID+ program, through Food for the Hungry, helped establish the Dololo Dokatu farm. Not only did I benefit as a group member, but the group also employed me as the farm’s caretaker, earning me Ksh. 4000 each month. Additionally, my youngest son, Barack, received a school uniform, and another staff member registered him for possible education sponsorship. I’ve also gained valuable skills since becoming the farm’s caretaker, such as checking for pests, spraying pesticides, pruning plants, and bookkeeping for farm sales. Eventually, I was able to establish my maize farm.”
RAPID+ Intervention
The RAPID+ program initially provided training to the farmer group on fodder and crop farming. Subsequently, the program arranged for regular visits by officers from the county’s Directorate of Agriculture, offering ongoing mentorship to the group throughout their farming journey. The program also supplied fruit trees and banana seedlings to help the group establish a model farm. To support fodder irrigation, the group received two water tanks and 400 meters of piping. RAPID+ further advocated for additional support from partners. For example, the Center for Research and Development in Drylands assisted in constructing a hay barn. At the same time, the county government donated maize and green gram seeds to support their agricultural efforts.
Current Status
The group currently earns an average of Ksh. 19,000 monthly from crop sales. They cultivate various crops, including tomatoes, pawpaws, bananas, kale, spinach, and hot peppers. They also seasonally plant maize, green grams, and beans. The produce is primarily sold within the local community, with some sold along the way to the market. Due to distance, none of the produce reaches the market directly. The group pools its earnings into a shared account, allowing members to request loans when needed. At the end of the year, a portion of the earnings is distributed among the members, while the remainder is reinvested into the farm for further development.
In addition to crop farming, the group received apiculture training from Nature Apiaries, a private partner engaged in the program. Following the training, the program supplied and helped the group set up beehives on their farm. Nature Apiaries has committed to purchasing honey from the group once the harvest is ready. The World Food Program is also supporting the group by installing and setting up a fishpond.
A Brighter Future
Qabale, her family, and the community are hopeful for a brighter future. They aim to sustain their progress while seeking new opportunities. They plan to expand their farmland, diversify their crops to access broader markets, and increase their income. They have already stored hay bales in the barn and plan to harvest more for storage while allowing some to mature for seed harvesting and bulking in the field. The group’s goal is to ensure that households are food secure, establish reliable income streams, and foster a thriving, self-sufficient community.
Isiolo County: Prosopis Juliflora Management in Merti, Isiolo County
Kenya experienced a prolonged drought between 2014 – 2017, which led to loss of vegetation cover, leaving lands bare in major parts of the Northern and Eastern regions. Isiolo County was among the affected counties, especially in the Cherab, Chari, Sericho, and Garbatulla wards. The prolonged drought was followed by rains above average in 2018.1 Following the rains, the Merti community in Isiolo County found itself amidst a serious invasion by Prosopis juliflora, which earlier presented itself as the best and most tolerant plant in the area. The weed rapidly spread across the wards along river Ewaso Nyiro, invading the grazing areas and cutting off accessibility to community assets such as boreholes, mosques, and schools. The plant, popularly known as Mathenge or Biskuti mjinga was introduced in Merti around 1988. The plant is said to have been introduced in good faith through government agencies and other development partners as a solution to land degradation in the ASAL areas. This rapid spread and invasion were witnessed after the 2018 rains when the community realized that the plant was invasive. Earlier, little was known regarding its negative contributions until it engulfed the rangeland and limited access to key community assets.
Negative Effects Associated with Prosopis Juliflora
- Increasing resource-based conflicts because of shrinking rangeland assets, colonized grazing fields, and water sources. The tree completely suppresses undergrowth and blocks access because of dense thorny thickets.
- Lowering the water table with its deep-root system of up to seventy (70) meters.
- Infectious human and livestock diseases such as Leishmaniasis and Katika disease in donkeys. The thorns are poisonous, causing unhealing wounds which the community associate with ‘cancer’. It also provides suitable breeding grounds for biting insects such as Sand flies and mosquitos.
- Increased wildlife menace due to encroaching Prosopis forests which can host dangerous carnivores.
- Prosopis forests function as hiding grounds for criminals. Cases of rape and theft have been on the rise.
- Too much consumption of Prosopis pods cause tooth decay in livestock and constipation in children because of its high sugar content.
- Loss of vegetation diversity of mainly useful native flora and fauna.
“After some years of introduction, the plant colonized almost the entire land such as Merti town, homesteads, grazing fields, and water sources. We lost grazing fields and rivers in addition to health complications to both human and livestock associated with the invasive plant. This did not sit well with us hence we made a clarion call to address this menace. Firstly, the focus was to clear the plant to open pathways to grazing fields and water points as well as reduce the encroaching forest to the homesteads. We came out and used whatever tools were at our disposal as well as our own creativity to reduce the invasive species.” – Halima, Coordinator, Prosopis Management Groups
Addressing the Prosopis Menace
Three women groups of about sixty (60) members were established to address the challenges resulting from the rapid spread of the Prosopis. The three groups started by clearing pathways used by livestock to access water and grazing areas and managed to restore three pathways successfully. Due to the benefits realized from these three groups, many other groups were formed. Currently, there are twelve (12) groups with a membership of over one thousand two hundred (1200) members. The groups have so far cleared over twenty (20) acres of land.
RAPID+ program and the Woody Weeds Plus program conducted assessments of the area and met the members of this self-driven women initiative. The Woody Weeds Plus program provided technical insights and approaches to improve the work the women were doing. It linked them with the County Implementation Group tasked with implementing the National Prosopis management policy.
The RAPID+ program continues to work with these groups to accelerate the management of invasive plants. The program has supported training and processes towards the formalization of these women groups as Community Based Organizations (CBOs). RAPID+ has also provided improved safe handling equipment, including gumboots and gloves to hasten the reclamation of areas invaded with Prosopis. It is also supporting the women’s groups to set up livelihood activities on the reclaimed parcels of land.
These groups also received support from the government administration through the Deputy County Commander’s office on addressing matters resulting from conflict over cleared lands.
“The women groups have done a superb job redeeming and restoring the image of Merti town and its environs. The women are highly motivated and full of energy when coming out in masses to work despite their limited capacity in both skills and equipment. As the chairperson of the Merti Sub-County, I will do my level best to ensure the women groups capture government attention and receive support from both government and other development partners. Working with the chiefs and assistant chiefs in the Sub-County, we will sensitize members to dedicate themselves in fighting this weed. We will ensure the women are allowed to utilize reclaimed lands to derive livelihoods such as fodder production, bee keeping as well as tree planting as committed by the president of Kenya. My office appreciates RAPID+ program for the commitment and great support that they continue extending to the groups. Many partners too will be encouraged as this calls for a concerted effort.” – Michael Kioni, Merti Deputy County Commissioner
Resources
To read the other learning briefs in this series, please follow these links: Flood Mitigation and Resilience, Peacebuilding and Conflict Mitigation, and Sustainable Financing Methods.
For additional information about the RAPID+ program, please click here.
For additional questions, please contact June Samo, RAPID+ Program Director, (june.samo@mwawater.org)
