Harvesting from

our ecosystems
Experiences from Changieni Rasili Mali
A Natural Resource Management Facility
 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Vision Who we are

Empowered communities Act Change Transform (Act!) is a leading Kenyan not-for-
living a life of dignity. profit, non-governmental organization involved in diverse
development initiatives in Kenya. Act!’s main programme
focus is in Environment and Natural Resources
Management; Democracy and Human Rights; Peace
Building and Conflict Transformation; and Livelihoods.

Mission Our holistic approach to development is delivered

Act!’s mission is to enable communities
in Kenya and neighbouring countries to be
active participants in their development
through capacity strengthening, grant
management and advocacy.
through grants management and capacity development.
Established in September 2001 as Pact Kenya, and
rebranded in 2011 as a fully-fledged indigenous
organization, Act! has provided forums for articulating
issues and processes, shared her expertise, experiences
and best practices related to capacity building and grant
management.

Act Change Transform (Act!)

All rights reserved
Editorial: Festus Mutua, Communications Specialist, Act!
Design & Layout: Artful Eyes Productions Ltd
Emerging Lessons from Empowering local communities on natural resources management.
Published by: Act!

The production of this booklet is supported by the Government of Sweden (through the Swedish International Development Agency) and the Government
of the United Kingdom (through the UKaid). No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means,
electronically, mechanically, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the written consent of the copyright owner.

2 Disclaimer
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi, UKaid or their
government’s official policies.

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Introduction
T
he Kenyan economy relies heavily on the country’s natural
resources both in terms of people’s livelihoods and as a
contribution to national income. However, exploitation
and competition for the country’s limited natural resources
continues to jeopardize the state of our environment, mainly due
to unsustainable and unplanned exploitation leading to among
other things the adverse effects of climate change that have caused
negative socio-economic effects across most sectors with the most
vulnerable being agriculture and livestock, forestry, water, hydro
energy, tourism, health and fisheries. But all is not lost. There is
hope. Communities all over Kenya are feeling the change.

Through Act!’s Changieni Rasili Mali Facility, notable milestones

in the management of natural resources in Kenya have been
achieved. Communities all over Kenya have been empowered to
sustainably manage natural resources for improved livelihoods
across the programme’s thematic areas: Land, Environment,
Climate Change, Water and Agriculture. The programme is
supporting the Government of Kenya in achieving the socio-
economic objectives outlined in Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Kenya’s
2010 Constitution while also delivering on the development
strategies of the Swedish and UK Government.

Table of Contents
Agriculture under Changieni Rasili Mali 5

Mavuno Yetu (Our harvest) 7

Even the driest areas, food production is possible 10

Going indigenous with food 12

Farming our Ocean (The Tuna fish) 14

Adapting to changing times 16

3
Climate smart farming 18

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Acknowledgement
The production of this Photo Book has been a team effort. Our thanks go to our local
partner organizations: Agency for Pastoralist Development (APAD), Community Action
for Nature Conservation (CANCO), Development Training and Research Africa (DETRA)/
Grassroots Development Initiatives Foundation Kenya (GRADIF-K), Kenya Organization
for Environmental Education (KOEE), Farm Practice Initiative (FPI), Ziwani Mugiko Women
Group and community members who agreed to share their stories and insights on their
experiences and changes brought about by the Changieni Rasili Mali (CRM) Facility. We
are gratefully indebted to them for their willingness.

Special gratitude to Act!’s team: Nancy Rapando -(Agriculture Thematic Lead), Anthony
Kariuki, Harriet Kongin, Michael Karanja, Henry Kuria, Julius Wairoma, Festus Mutua,
Susan Njambi, Felesia M.Odada, Linda Etale, James Kamenju, and Benjamin Kiuru;
whose leadership and technical guidance propelled the development of this booklet.
Lastly, the success of this booklet would not have been possible without the support of
our funding partners: the Government of Sweden (through the Swedish International
Development Agency) and the Government of the United Kingdom (through the UKaid).

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Agriculture under
Changieni Rasili Mali
5

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Agriculture under
Changieni Rasili Mali
Agriculture systems continue to face growing risks relating
to natural disasters, environmental changes, health threats,
resource constraints and economic factors that include markets
and volatility of food prices. In Kenya, poor natural resource
management aggravates the situation, notwithstanding the
complex climate change related threats. The Kenya farming
systems depend on the three major ecosystems that include
land, water (oceans, lakes and rivers) and the forests that act as
water towers while providing ecosystem services necessary for
supporting agriculture.

The Agriculture Thematic Area of Changieni Rasili Mali Facility

seeks to develop agricultural development solutions that underpin
the fact that ecosystems need to be protected as farmers struggle
to produce food. The program interventions are anchored in
recognition of the “two- way street”, by the fact that most of the
natural resources are being depleted to pave way for agricultural
growth while at the same time agricultural activities can be
key contributors to restoration of destroyed ecosystems. The
programme is funded by the Government of Sweden and UKaid,
6 who through Act! have given grants and helped strengthened the
capacities of local non state actors in order to achieve the country’s
food security objective.

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Mavuno Yetu
(Our harvest)
7

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Mavuno Yetu
(Our harvest)
From the foot of Mount Kenya in Tharaka
Nithi County, it is evident that it is not only
about maize. Fruit farming is changing
the lives of many farmers. The harvest
is all year round and malnutrition is a
thing of the past. This is thanks to the
efforts of the GRADIF-Kenya / DETRA
partnership with funding from Act!

Changieni Rasili Mali

Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Even the driest,

Food production
is possible
10

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

From Pastoralism
to Agro pastoralism
(The case of Turkana County)

Perennial hunger occasioned by

effects of climate change and livestock
depended livelihoods might become a
thing of the past in Turkana County. The
Changieni Rasili Mali Facility working
with her partner Agency for Pastoralist
Development (APAD), along river Turkwel
are now promoting alternative crop-based
livelihoods using irrigated agriculture.

The face of the earth here is changing from

the dusty patchy land to green blossoming
farms. The once pastoralist community are
now embracing farming. From sorghum
to vegetables, the farmers now don’t lack
“Those who left this place in search of food elsewhere are today coming back after
food. They have plenty of surplus to sell to
learning that food situation has improved here, thanks to this irrigation scheme,” 11
meet their household needs and pay for
Lokuda Emase, member of NAPAK Irrigation Scheme.
their children’s educational needs.

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Going indigenous
with food
12

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Going indigenous
with food
In Makueni, Machakos and Kitui
Counties, Farm Practice Initiative
(FPI), supported by Act! is
training farmers on growing and
utilization of drought resistant
crops for improved food security
and household cash incomes.

Increased awareness on climate

change has helped farmers
realize that doing farming
cannot be “business as usual”.
They have now adapted to
growing traditional food crops
such as millet, cassava, sorghum
that are quick maturing and high
yielding.
13

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Farming our Oceans

(The Tuna fish)

14

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Farming our Oceans (Tuna Fish)

As resources that our coastal communities depend on continue to diminish due
to environmental threats caused by growing population, deep-sea fishing is
increasingly becoming important. However lack of appropriate fishing gear and
market infrastructure are key constraints among the fishermen.

Community Action for Nature Conservation (CANCO) with funding from the
Changieni Rasili Mali Facility, has mobilized stakeholders including local fisher
folks in the fish industry through Tuna Fisheries Alliance of Kenya (TUFAK) to
develop infrastructure for increased production and marketing of Tuna fish.

“For long, we did not know about the

value of these other fish types such as Tuna
but through training, we have now learned
and beginning to use this knowledge to grow
our markets and support our families,” 15
Mercy Mghanga, a member of
Tuna Fisheries Alliance of Kenya (TUFAK).
Changieni Rasili Mali
 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Adapting to
changing times
16

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Green house farming

providing solutions to
horticultural farmers.
The changing climate and the pressure on land
has necessitated the adoption of agricultural
intensification systems that will see increased
production in the small spaces.

In Nyandarua County, women farmers have

not been left behind; they have picked green
house farming as a solution to increased
horticultural production. Ziwani Mugiko, a
local women group is empowering farmers on
green house farming whilst facilitating them
to access market opportunities.

17

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Harvesting from our ecosystem

Climate Smart
Farming
18

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Changieni Rasili Mali: A Natural Resource Management Facility

Using conservation agriculture

practices to manage water and
temperature stress by farmers
Climate change threats on agriculture are increasingly requiring
that farmers develop strategies that manage the increasing moisture
and heat stress related challenges. In Western Kenya, Kenya
Organization for Environmental Education (KOEE), a community-
based organization under the Changieni Rasili Mali Facility, is
working with the faith based leaders to support farmers to adopt
conservation agriculture practices. Through trainings on simple
practices like manuring and mulching, farmers have enhanced food
production even in the driest moments.

19

Changieni Rasili Mali

 Elysee Plaza, 3rd Floor
Kilimani Road, off Elgeyo Marakwet Road
P. O. Box 76390-00508 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 208179231/40, Cell: +254 722 203 721
Email: info@act.or.ke, Website: www.act.or.ke

With funding support from:

www.act.or.ke