Introduction
The Conservation Agriculture Project aimed to build upon the base knowledge the smallholder farmers had gathered through the initial CA training, and incorporate the safe and effective use of Crop Protection Products (CPP) to further increase crop yields and improve family income, health and quality of life. CETRAD implemented 2 projects, Laikipia and Makueni projects. By the end of the Laikipia project in December 2009, 512 farmers had already adopted CA with better knowledge on safe and effective use of crop protection products. The project also trained 1601 farmers in Laikipia east District.
The Makueni project started in June 2008 aimed to upscale CA technology using the experiences of the Laikipia project. By 2010, 778 farmers had adopted CA and 2122 farmers were trained on CA and safe use of crop protection product.
Main outputs of the project include:
1. Mapping CA practices and documenting farmers adaptation experiences in the Mt. Kenya region;
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Figure 1: Spread of CA and CPP practicing farmers in the focal areas in 2007 |
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Figure 2: Spread of CA and CPP practicing farmers in the focal areas in 2008
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Figure 3: Spread of CA and CPP practicing farmers in the focal areas in 20 |
2. Cost-Benefit Analysis of CA
This study made a cost-benefit analysis of conservation agriculture project as practiced by small holder farmers in Laikipia East District. The CBA takes into account the environmental, economic and social aspects of this innovative production technique that has a great potential to sustain crop production in marginal areas. The analysis is based on the data collected and experiences gained from the work done in Laikipia East district in particular covering the main cluster areas that include Kalalu, Ngenia, Sweetwaters, Mathagiro, Njoguini, Nturukuma, Segera and Akorino. The study concluded that the Conservation Agriculture project in Laikipia is economically feasible and further investiment into the speed of the technology is highly recommended.
CETRAD runs a rich hydromet data and information base generated from its long term and comprehensive monitoring network in the upper Ewaso Ngiro North river basin. Most of this data is now linked through a real time transmission system and interfaced to its database as well as to some selected Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs) in the upstream areas.
