Building adaptive capacity and improving food security in semi-arid Eastern Kenya
This info-note (PDF) from CGIAR’s CCAFS elaborates on the adaptive capacity and improved food security in East-Kenya. Wote, located in a semi-arid zone of eastern Kenya, is characterized by highly weathered soils. Soil erosion is rampant due to lack of adequate vegetation cover at the beginning of the rainy seasons, and also due to the sparse shrubs. Land degradation and limited soil fertility replenishment have contributed to reduction in agricultural productivity, reducing potential crop yields due to soil nutrient depletion. Some projects have worked on improving land management practices to replenish soil moisture. These include cut-off drains or diversion ditches, artificial waterways, retention ditches, bench terraces, reverse slope bench terraces, terraces where excavated soil is deposited uphill to form embankments, grass strips, trash lines, road runoff, planting pits, and irrigation. Additionally, farmers practice agro-forestry, and have established woodlots and trees on boundary. Also, water management practices based on water harvesting, surface tanks and communal water pans were introduced. The info-note shows that collective action has led to increased agricultural investments, and provided an avenue for dissemination of climate-smart technologies. Cereal–legume intercrop innovations offer farmers multiple benefits that contribute to increased farm resilience, greater food security and better incomes.