desertification: a threat to livelihoods in arid and semi-arid lands

A magazine on drylands development and sustainable agriculture / Issue 65, December 2012

DESERTIFICATIONA Threat to Livelihoods in Arid and Semi-arid Lands

BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 20122

EDITORIALDear Reader,

The threat posed by deserti!cation and land degradation has drawn global attention in recent decades as projections of the world’s population show that there will be an enormous demand for food by 2050. Yet land available for farming is not expanding. At the same time, awareness about damage created by

intensive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, degraded soils and reduced biodiversity is leading more people to push for an alternative path towards achieving global food security. The twin phenomena of climate change and variability are further complicating the outlook, especially because they have a strong negative impact on the world’s arid and semi-arid lands. As noted in the !rst Open Column, experts at the United Nations long foresaw the threat posed by deserti!cation and decided to focus the attention of the global community on it when the UN declared 2010 - 2020 the Decade for Deserts and the !ght against Deserti!cation (UNDDD).

The good news is that a number of best-practices to combat deserti!cation are emerging from di"erent parts of the world. These range from a combination of both traditional and modern rangeland management practices to planting of drought-resistant grasses such as Vetiver grass, the use of which is the focus of the Technical Note in this issue. The increasing popularity of conservation agriculture, which is discussed in an interview with Geo"rey Kironchi, has the potential to enhance the resilience of dryland soils. In Kenya’s Baringo County, women have proven their ability to e"ectively manage degraded dryland environments by rehabilitating them to cultivate pasture from which they are earning livelihoods. As one of the family of magazines produced by the AgriCultures Network, this issue of Baobab highlights the phenomenon of deserti!cation at a time when the United Nations Convention to Combat Deserti!cation (UNCCD) is scheduled to hold its 2nd Scienti!c Conference in Fortaleza, Brazil in February 2013. The AgriCultures Network is a strong advocate of sustainable agriculture that promotes biodiversity conservation and promotes soil health. This type of agriculture is mainly practiced by small-scale farmers who are most vulnerable to deserti!cation and land degradation.

We would like to add our voice and share ideas on how small scale farmers could better contribute to the global debate around this issue, which poses a direct threat to their livelihoods. As always, we welcome feedback from readers of Baobab to ensure it remains the dynamic platform that it has been for exchanging information and knowledge on dryland agriculture and the sustainable management of landscapes.

We wish all our readers and partners a Merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful and productive 2013.

James NguoRegional Director

BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 20122 BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 2012 3

ISSN: 0966-9035Baobab is published four times a year. It is a magazine on small scale sustainable agriculture which is the East African edition of the AgriCultures Network global magazines.

Editorial BoardJames NguoAnthony MugoNoah LusakaEsther Lung’ahiSamwel MwangiFiona Imbali - Editor

IllustrationsShadrack Melly

Cover Photo byRobert Murray RAE Trust

Layout and DesignLisa Waweru (Noel Creative Media)

Important NoticesCopyrightArticles, pictures and illustrations from Baobab may be adapted for use in materials that are development oriented, provided the materials are distributed free of charge and ALIN and the author(s) are credited. Copies of the samples should be sent to ALIN.

DisclaimerOpinions and views expressed in the letters and articles do not necessarily re!ect the views of the editors or ALIN. Technical information supplied should be cross-checked as thoroughly as possible as ALIN cannot accept responsibility should any problems occur.

Regional Editions1. Farming Matters global edition by ILEIA2. LEISA REVISTA de Agroecologia, Latin America edition by

Asociacion ETC andes.3. LEISA India, by AME foundation4. AGRIDAPE, French West African edition by IED Afrique5. Agriculture, experiences em Agroecologia, the Brazilian edition

by AS-PTA6. Chinese edition by CBIK

Talk to usThe Baobab magazine Arid Lands Information Network, ALINP. O. Box 10098, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, KenyaAAYMCA Building, Third !oor, Along State House Crescent,O" State House Avenue, NairobiTel. +254 20 2731557 Telefax. +254 20 2737813Cell: +254 722 561006E-mail: [email protected] Or visit us at www.alin.net

About ALINArid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is an NGO that facilitates information and knowledge exchange to and between extension workers or infomediaries and arid lands communities in the East Africa region. The information exchange activities focus on small-scale sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation, natural resources management and other livelihood issues.

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20

PROJECT FOCUS:Financial Incentives for

Pastoralists

OPEN COLUMN:Creeping Deserts Threaten

Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods

ON THE SUBJECT OF:Integrated Soil Fertility

Management and Gender Dynamics in Rural Uganda

Other Pages...GUEST COLUMN: Global Action to Combat Deserti!cation ....

.......................................................................................................................................................... Pg 11

TECHNICAL NOTE: Cultivation of Vetiver Grass .......................................... Pg 14

STORK STORY ................................................................................................................. Pg 18

OPEN COLUMN: Creeping Deserts ............................................................. Pg 22

ContentsContentsTHEME OVERVIEW:

Strengthening the resilience of Dryland Communities

BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 20124 BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 2012 5BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 20124 BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 2012 5

STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE

OF DRYLAND COMMUNITIES

Towards a new paradigm

THEMEOVERVIEW

By AgriCultures Network and Groundswell International

Photo: Macina!lm


STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE

OF DRYLAND COMMUNITIES

Towards a new paradigm

Desertification and land degradation are not just natural

phenomena. They are the outcomes of long-term over-

exploitation and mismanagement of fragile ecosystems. To

address these problems, we cannot pursue the same ways of

thinking that have led to this situation. We need to take a

different perspective - one which is already presenting itself.

The Meraidjonga Women Farmers Association in Mali.


In February 2013, the United Nations will organise a major conference on deserti!cation, sustainable land management and resilience. This is now more relevant than ever. The UN itself estimates that 1.5 billion people around the world are directly a"ected by land

degradation, while every year 12 million hectares of land become unproductive through deserti!cation. The e"ects are worsened by climate change. Pastures are scorched, crops and livestock often do not survive.

The impact can be devastating. For example, impover ished dryland communities in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa are experiencing high levels of chronic mal nutrition, hunger, child mortality and migration, in an environment that is at risk of being degraded beyond repair. Humanitarian aid to cope with each new crisis costs over a billion dollars each time, and leaves many new problems in its wake.

Land degradation is not just the result of natural dis asters. It is also the outcome of long -term over exploita tion of natural resources and ecosystems, generated by the dominating approach to agricultural development. However, promising initiatives demonstrate that a new paradigm is emerging.

The old modelThe dominant model of agricultural development leads to con#ict and controversy. Policies and practices continue to be biased towards export oriented, commercial production in areas that have access to more reliable rainfall, inputs, roads and markets. But tens of millions of small -scale farmers who live in fragile drought prone areas cannot a"ord industrial inputs, such as hybrid or genetically engineered seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or irrigation.

The current neo- liberal development paradigm, focused on rapid growth, does not see investment in ecologically fragile, drought prone areas as being eco nomically feasible. It foresees (and often drives) many small -scale farmers and pastoralist communities living in such areas to leave and work in towns and cities or large scale commercial plantations or farms. Food aid is dispensed during periodic droughts and shocks while this “inevitable” transition goes on.

A variety of experiences of farmers, NGOs and scien-tists over past decades has laid the basis for a new agricultural paradigm. A small selection of these experi ences is presented in this issue of Farming Matters. A central concept in this new paradigm is the resilience of farming communities and their ecosystems. This con cept has two aspects: ecological resilience, coping with drought and climate change, and socio political resilience, the ability of farmers to develop their skills and voices to choose their own development path.

The path forwardIn this new paradigm, farming systems are seen as a whole, with healthy, active soils at the basis. The aim of this paradigm is not just increased productivity, but also resilience to climate change and sustaining the natural resource base. For all three aims, it is essential to increase the organic matter in the soil. This improves water retention and fertility, and prevents erosion. Agro- ecological practices range from recycling nutrients and energy, integrating crops and livestock, using low external inputs and diversifying crops. In an agro ecological approach, these practices go hand in hand with the empowerment of small- scale farmers, both men and women. As farmers gain greater control over their lives, they decrease the risk of crop failure or livestock deaths due to drought and degradation. Farmers reap multiple bene!ts at once: increased productivity and food security, higher incomes, improved food security, adaptation to a changing climate, regeneration of their natural resource base and more autonomy.

Many civil society organisations have worked closely with local communities and interested scientists, to develop and document holistic approaches to dryland management. These approaches are powerful because the technical, social and governance dimensions are closely integrated.

Day by day, these experiences are accumulating. Some initiatives have already been massively scaled up as can be seen in the Sahel (see page 14). Other suc cessful examples include the experiences of community groups for watershed development in Indian dryland regions and in the Peruvian Andes (see pages 18 and 34). Such experiences demonstrate that agro ecological farming is an appropriate and cost -e"ective approach to increase resilience in drought prone, ecologically fragile areas. There is abundant evidence to support this. Yet, there are challenges preventing a more comprehensive upscaling of this approach.


Change is in the airGovernments and donors still have a long way to go in mainstreaming the agro- ecological paradigm. This involves enabling small -scale farmers to develop their skills, expertise and voice, while supporting their use of agro- ecological farming practices. It requires a truly integrated perspective on dryland management, breaking down institutional barriers and improving collaboration between stakeholders.

Building agro- ecological resilience requires a fundamental change in agricultural investment patterns. For example, the UNCCD argues that it is important to build production systems based on the intensi!cation of locally available and adapted biodiversity, using local knowledge, while its !nance mechanism explicitly encourages a large role for the private sector. We would strongly suggest the UNCCD to prioritise investments in strengthening small- scale farmers’ capacities.

Social movements and NGOs have a role to play in supporting the upscaling of agro- ecological practices and fundamental policy change. There is urgent need to improve the documentation, analysis and communication of successful experiences. It

is also important to un derstand the strategies and dynamics that exist in, highly politicised, decision making arenas. Civil society organi sations need to take a broad perspective and build strong alliances, truly exchanging knowledge with farmers and scientists.

The call for change is getting louder. Farmers are becoming more powerful in voicing their concerns and proposals. We are also witnessing a growing movement of con sumer organisations that have become con scious of the need for ecologically responsi ble and socially just food systems.

Policy makers are facing the huge and mounting costs of disasters caused by cli mate change, land degradation and deserti !cation. If they listen well, and open their minds towards a new way of understanding a multi functional approach to agriculture, they may well discover that part of the solu tion is within reach.

The AgriCultures Network and Groundswell International will organise an o$cial work- shop during the upcoming conference of the UNCCD in February 2013 in Fortaleza, Brazil. For more information, please write to Janneke Bruil ([email protected]) or to Peter Gubbels ([email protected]).

Madou Guindo, a farmer from the village of Bankass, in Mali.


PROJECTFOCUS

Financial Incentives to Pastoralists for Range Rehabilitation in Northern Kenya

Phot

o: NR

T


Financial Incentives to Pastoralists for Range Rehabilitation in Northern Kenya

By Caroline Karwitha

Dry lands are predominantly used for livestock production, and are particularly

sensitive to land degradation. The extent and magnitude of rangeland degradation

remains largely unknown because monitoring programmes have been subjective

and poorly documented. The causes of degradation remain uncertain, often because

hypotheses have been articulated too vaguely to test. Whereas over-stocking is clearly

causing damage, we lack sufficient understanding of current socio-ecological systems to identify ultimate and proximate drivers of pastoralist behavior, and thus policy

initiatives aimed at sustainability have not always worked.

Local patterns of vegetation change in pastoralist lands are determined by the complex process of pastoralists’ decision-making. In Northern

Kenya for example, vegetation composition has indeed changed in communal lands, from predominantly palatable perennials to unpalatable annuals. Unabated invasion and spread of unpalatable plants has also altered the ecological integrity of rangeland ecosystems. In East Africa, there is evidence in literature that bush encroachment has caused a decline in the grazing capacity of the herbaceous layer. However, it is noteworthy that some woody plants are considered to be of some value, because they provide leaves and pods to browsers (goats/camels) and to a lesser extent to sheep and cattle during dry periods.

Case Study: West Gate Community Conservancy in Samburu County

Planned Grazing and ReseedingVegetation change as a result of rangeland degradation coupled with climate variability is a reality for Samburu pastoralists in Northern Kenya. The locals have however, stepped up to the challenge and decided to do something to save their livestock and wildlife.

West Gate Community Conservancy is a community-based organisation within the jurisdiction of NgutukOngiron Group Ranch in Samburu County. The Group Ranch covers 34,000 hectares of land, 50% of which is degraded into either bare ground or through encroachment by invasive species.

West Gate Community Conservancy is proactively engaging its members in sustainable resource management. One of the key activities has been mobilising members to rehabilitate their range through planned grazing and reseeding activities. So far, the initiative has managed to rehabilitate about 10% of the degraded land. This new approach to planned grazing within the Holistic Management Decision Making (HMDM) framework identi!es with the traditional


system of resource management. The approach advocates for systematic grazing where livestock is grazed in some areas while other areas are left to recover for future grazing. Animal impact is used as the tool to break hard pans in bare grounds followed by natural dung and urine manuring. The success of this initiative is hinged on cohesive communal decision-making ability being championed through community conservancies.

The community’s next plan is to scale up the initiative by coming up with a grazing plan for the whole group ranch. West Gate conservancy has employed a grazing coordinator, who works closely with the grazing committee. Both work hand in hand to help the community plan and implement the agreed grazing plan.

The work is facilitated by the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) and the Grevy Zebra Trusts (GZT). NRT is an umbrella body of community conservancies within Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Tana, Baringo and Marsabit counties. Its objective is to improve lives of local communities by strengthening their capacity in biodiversity conservation and economic development. It also gives oversight on operations of the communities’ conservancies. GZT on the other hand has been largely involved in supporting the rangeland rehabilitation initiative using the HMDM framework. This has been well received by the community since it mirrors the traditional governance system of range management.

Financial IncentivesThe community has started seeing bene!ts for their e"orts in the form of improvement in forage cover of previously bare lands. More pasture means better quality livestock and thriving numbers of wildlife;

the two key resources in the pastoral areas. These resources are now providing income at communal and household levels in form of tourism and livestock revenues respectively.

In 2012, West Gate bene!tted from a livestock purchase of 337 head of cattle worth Kshs. 10M (US$ 120,000). These were cattle used for animal impact and manuring during the planned grazing initiative, but also accessed areas with adequate pasture to ensure their nutrition was not compromised. Grazing in accordance with the principles of the grazing plan ensured that both the livestock and rangeland health were put into consideration. This market was organized through the NRT Livestock Market Programme. The programme seeks to o"er an incentive to communities showing positive trends towards better biodiversity conservation.

Grassroots Community EngagementEnhancing collective action to implement activities such as planned grazing; reseeding as well as supplying cattle to the market is a positive direction towards addressing challenges of the Northern Rangelands in Kenya. However, this requires a robust community engagement at the grassroots. West Gate Range Rehabilitation Initiative is a best practice that should be emulated as it clearly shows how to integrate indigenous knowledge with modern knowledge to address the socio-economic and ecological challenges posed by a changing environment. More importantly, the model o"ers a platform to partner with other communities, the government, Non-Governmental Organisations as well as the private sector who can engage at di"erent capacities

References Harris, R.B., (2010). Rangeland degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau: A review of the evidence of its magnitude and causes, Journal of Arid Environments, 74:1-12

Kassahun, A., Snyman, H. A., Smit G.N., (2008). Impact of rangeland degradation on the pastoral production systems, livelihoods and perceptions of the Somali pastoralists in Eastern. Journal of Arid Environments 72: 1265-1281.

Millenium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005.Regulation of local climate through surface re#ectance and evaporation. Ecosystems and human well-being, Volume 1: Current State and Trends, Island Press, Washington, p. 630.

Caroline Karwitha is a PhD candidate in Range Management at the University of Nairobi. She works for the Northern Rangelands Trust. She can be contacted through: [email protected]

Grazing committee supervising a grazing block

Phot

o: Gr

evy Z

ebra

Trust


Baobab’s ANTHONY MUGO interviewed DR. GEOFFREY KIRONCHI, an expert on deserti!cation. Below are excerpts.

How is population pressure resulting in deserti!cation?As the number of people increases, more land is needed for settlement, food production and pasture. As people get pushed away from humid and arable areas towards the fringes of arid and semi-arid lands, they are increasingly cultivating these areas to produce food. The problem is that most soils in these areas are fragile and prone to erosion. Since most farming communities use traditional methods of cultivation, these fragile soils get stripped of natural vegetative cover leading to loss of top soil through water and wind erosion and hence progressive loss of fertility.

Why do issues of deserti!cation and land degradation deserve focused global attention?A combination of climate change and population pressure poses major threats to the world’s food security and biodiversity. In East Africa for example, climate change is resulting into erratic rainfall patterns and overall reduction in water availability. Depressed rainfall, frequent droughts and rising temperatures, result in the expansion of desert-like agro-ecological zones necessitating global action to reverse the negative impacts of these phenomena.

GUESTCOLUMN

Well adapted black head persian sheep in Somaliland

Dr. Geo"rey Kironchi


What is the best solution to deal with these challenges in order to slow the spread of deserts?One of the best known methods of controlling deserti!cation is conservation agriculture. It requires three main approaches: minimum disturbance of the soil (minimum tillage); maintenance of soil cover through cover crops and mulching, and crop rotation. Australia and North America are two regions where this practice has taken root. As a result, the expansive semi-arid lands in the two regions are well known for wheat production. Conservation agriculture should be combined with agro-forestry with care being taken to grow appropriate species of trees.

Why has degradation of arid and semi-arid lands in the East African region not been controlled?Degradation has mainly been attributed to unsustainable practices in both cropping and pastoral grazing systems. In many arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya, such as Laikipia, Kajiado and Kitui Counties, most land is privately owned making

it di$cult for the governments to control farming practices. On the other hand, most pastoral grazing areas are communal, thus su"er from the “Tragedy of the Commons” - depletion of a shared resource by individuals. There are however good practices that have been observed in some areas such as the Ngitili system in North Eastern Tanzania. Here, communities set aside portions of land and fence it o" to prevent grazing, allowing the natural regeneration of pasture over a long period. During the dry season, this pasture is either harvested or opened up for grazing. In Somaliland, clans run similar schemes. At the end of the growing season, grass is cut and heaped in designated places to dry naturally. It is then preserved for use during the dry period.

Does indigenous knowledge have a role in combating deserti!cation?Communities that have occupied arid and semi-arid lands for many centuries have relied on nothing else but knowledge passed from one generation to the next. It is knowledge that has passed the test of time and has been instrumental for their survival. People have gained skills for studying natural phenomena and have been able to predict rains and droughts. Some communities look at patterns of stars in the

Total maize crop failure in Makueni County.


sky. Others observe the behaviour of animals and trees and make predictions with incredible accuracy based on those observations.

Indigenous knowledge has also proved useful in plant and animal breeding. A good example is a maize variety known as Katumani. It is famed for its drought tolerance and speedy growth. It is a local composite that has in more recent times been improved through breeding at a similarly named Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) station in Machakos County. Even when they plant other “improved” maize varieties, many farmers ensure they also plant Katumani. This has paid off as when they experience near total crop losses from other maize varieties they are assured of some yields from Katumani. Similar examples abound for livestock.

What other interventions could be explored to slow down deserti!cation and land degradation?I am familiar with successful interventions in West Africa, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso. In areas bordering the Sahara Desert, communities have planted indigenous trees on large swathes of land, virtually reclaiming the desert. In programmes supported by host governments, and international development agencies, this success has been the result of participatory processes to get needed

community buy-in.There are important lessons here for the rest of Africa particularly regions that are now most prone to deserti!cation.

The 2nd Scienti!c Conference of the United Nations Convention to Combat Deserti!cation (UNCCD) is set to be held in February 2013 in Fortaleza, Brazil. Which issues should Africa seek global attention about?Africa needs to ensure that the issue of funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes on the continent is on the agenda. It must make its case for support by the World’s worst polluting countries. Secondly, a number of countries on the continent are beset with con#icts resulting to large displacement of people into refugee camps. Vast parts of North Eastern Kenya which have hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees over the past two decades have become severely degraded as a result. The world must come together to deal with the main drivers of deserti!cation: climate change, rapid population increase that has put pressure on marginal land and poor governance that often results in con#icts.

Dr. Geo"rey Kironchi is a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi. He can be reached through: [email protected]

Anthony Mugo is Deputy Director at ALIN. He can be reached through: [email protected]

A crop of Sorghum in Makueni County, Eastern Kenya.


VETIVER GRASS:A solution for Land Rehabilitation

TECHNICALNOTE

By Fiona Imbali

Cultivation of Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is one of the best ways of

preserving soil especially in drylands. Its effectiveness has been proven through practice

since more than 120 countries are documented as currently using it to rehabilitate

degraded land. It can survive harsh climatic conditions and communities in dryland

areas could also explore Vetiver grass’ commercial viability.

Vetiver grass is known principally for soil and water conservation. Its deep root system enables it to tolerate extreme climatic conditions including prolonged droughts, #ooding, !res and frost. It can

tolerate a wide range of soil acidity levels and plays a vital role in clearing heavy metals from the soil. However, it is intolerant to shade.

Dr. James Owino, a lecturer at Egerton University, notes that arid regions cover roughly a quarter of the global landmass, and an estimated 70 per cent of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) experience moderate

to severe deserti!cation. More than 33 percent of Kenya’s population inhabits the ASALs. Vetiver grass’ lack of stolons (long stem or shoot) and rhizomes (a thick underground horizontal stem) enhances its drought-tolerant characteristics.

“Vetiver grass could be used to support a"orestation programs. When planted across the slope, it develops into a narrow barrier of sti" stem grass hedge that reduces soil loss and water runo". The grass can provide a source of fodder for livestock as well as promote plant diversity which makes it an e"ective tool that could help combat deserti!cation. Its strong root systems enables the soil to bind together ensuring that it can withstand the e"ects of tunneling and cracking. The roots grow downwards and thus do


not compete with crops growing next to the hedge,” observes Dr. Owino.

Currently in Kenya, Vetiver grass projects are mainly located in the Coast, Rift Valley, Nairobi, Nyanza, Eastern and Western provinces.

How to Grow Vetiver GrassVetiver grass grows in clumps. It is recommended that one plants it during the start of a rainy season when the ground is wet.

Directions

! Get a clump of Vetiver grass

! Cut the roots to 4 or 6 inches (15cm)

! Keep the grass trimmed to a height of 12 to 20 inches

! Divide the clumps into individual splits

! Plant each split using spacing of between 4 and 6 inch or 45 cm by 45 cm

! Ensure that the nursery is watered properly and mulch with dry grass

Keep Vetiver grass trimmed to a height of 12 to 20 inches and divide into individual splits.

Plant each split into a properly dug terrace on spacing between 4 to 6 inches apart.

Vetiver Grass growing on a hilly slope.

Cut the roots to 4 or 6 inches long to prevent them from drying.


! During its initial stages, ensure that weeds are controlled e"ectively.

! Rapid multiplication can be achieved by dividing and replanting.

! Cut the grass before #owers appear.

Uses of Vetiver! Dried roots can be used for the production of

scented soaps as well as perfumes.

! Vetiver grass has been known to clean up the soils: In Thailand, Vetiver hedges captured and de-contaminated pesticides such as carbofuran, monocrotophos and anachlor used in cabbage growing thus preventing them from contaminating and accumulating in the soils and crops. On pineapple farms in Queensland Australia, it was able to !lter river beds.

! Vetiver grass controls pests, diseases and weeds; its roots attract pests like the stem borer and once they lay eggs on the hairy roots, it prevents the larvae from moving to the leaves.

! Traditionally, it has been used as medicine in Asian countries. It is generally used for cosmetology, aromatherapy, making handicrafts and thatching among others.

...Vetiver grass controls

pests, diseases and weeds;

its roots attract pests like

the stem borer and once they

lay eggs on the hairy roots,

it prevents the larvae from

moving to the leaves..”

Goats feeding on Vetiver.


For over a decade, Mr.Paul Mwadime has championed the cultivation of Vetiver grass in his home area of Voi in Kenya’s Taita Taveta County. Despite abounding challenges, he is widely sought after for his e"orts to promote environmental conservation through growing of the grass.

“When I started cultivating Vetiver grass in Voi, none of the local farmers knew about it. I had tried to plant Napier grass but I realized that it could not su$ciently curb soil erosion. The local tree varieties which were recommended took a long time to mature yet the community needed a quick solution to land rehabilitation,” stated Mwadime.

Mwadime leased land and started a Vetiver nursery which he used to teach the community about the grass. He notes that some community members were skeptical about the viability of the project but after several forums with them, some took it up and are currently reaping maximally from it.

SuccessesMwadime has collaborated with various organisations including the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and European Union. “In 2011, I was awarded a certi!cate of technical excellence by the Vetiver Network International for my e"orts in promoting Vetiver technology in Kenya. During the Mashujaa day celebrations this year, I was also feted as an environmental hero. Recently, I sold Vetiver to a Non-Governmental Organisation in Kajiado worth Shillings 150, 000 (US$ 1747).”

Most of the land in his home area is rehabilitated and the yields have improved tremendously. He has helped his community stabilize river banks like the Wundanyi River. “Several farmers have now started cultivating Vetiver alongside other crops. Some have ventured into !sh farming and the Vetiver comes in handy as it stabilizes !sh ponds.”

If taken up by the government and various stakeholders, cultivating Vetiver especially for the communities in the arid areas will go a long way in curbing deserti!cation.

Mwadime can be contacted through his email: [email protected],or his mobile numbers: +254734835029/ +254724783690.

More Readings from:

http://www.vetiver.org/USA_Yolo%20Agric.htm

http://www.vetiver.com/ICV3-Proceedings/AUS_California.pdf

http://www.vetiver.org/Kenya_WS_report.pdf

Fiona Imbali is the Communications O!cer at ALIN. She can be reached through: "[email protected]

Case Study: Paul Mwadime’s Vetiver grass Farm in Voi

Top: A water pan rehabilitated by vetiver grass.

Left: Mwadime in his vetiver farm in Voi.


STORKSTORY


Integrated Soil Fertility Management and Gender Dynamics in Rural UgandaBy Janet Cox Achora

Like many farmers across the region, Ugandan farmers have had to grapple with

numerous challenges in their quest to reap maximum returns from agriculture.

These include: lack of access to extension services, poor market linkages as well as

insufficient knowledge dissemination.To e"ectively implement good ISFM practices, it is important to understand the gender dynamics around these processes. However, for this system to function well, it requires elements of innovation or an innovative system.

“An innovation system refers to institutional arrangements and networks that lead to creation and application of economically useful knowledge and innovations for improving the wellbeing of society.( Landvall, Kibwika , P. 2006)

The Gender perspectiveTraditional value systems have been a hindrance to women’s advancement as far as technology is concerned. Modern distortions have worsened the situation as women have largely been pushed to the sidelines and have little or no say on modern advancement of technologies.

In many instances, women till land but do not own it. They also have little or no say as to how the pro!ts are shared. Despite playing a minor role in farming, men eventually decide how the yields are distributed as well as being in charge of the farm pro!ts. Women also have di$culties in accessing credit and this is a hindrance to their development as well as being one of the reasons as to why most of them have remained economically disempowered for a long time. There have been instances where women have been reluctant to take loans for fear that their household goods may be auctioned if they fail to repay them. At times they have been known to substitute fertilizers for organic inputs in order to use the money for other household needs and this has led to the

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is de!ned as “the application of soil fertility management practices and the knowledge to adapt these to local conditions, which maximize fertilizer and organic resource use e$ciency and crop productivity.”

The practice of ISFM is a response by experts who recognize that soil degradation and nutrient depletion pose a threat to rural livelihoods. It involves a series of informed management decisions that require in-depth understanding of available resources and their alternative uses. This include: a responsive !eld action throughout the year, continuous assessment of their e"ects and early preparation for future actions. Social dimension of ISFMThe social dimension of ISFM’s practice in Africa involves all family members. Many farming practices in rural Africa are labour intensive especially land preparation which can test the endurance of family members. The tasks are diversi!ed as they involve new skills, actors, technologies as well as investments. ISFM and StakeholdersImplementing ISFM processes involves di"erent actors who include input suppliers and dealers, private sector, the academia, research, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) as well as markets.

ONTHESUBJECTOF


misconception that they are slow in adopting new technological innovations. For over ten years, Apio had been planting cassava, maize and beans on the same piece of land. However, over the years, she noticed that her yields were progressively declining as her crops were constantly being attacked by pests and diseases. She tried crop rotation but this did not reverse the situation. She states that, “lack of purchasing power for farm inputs is a challenge for women. I have not been able to use fertilizer during planting as I cannot a"ord it.” Recently a team from Makerere University School of Agricultural Sciences, on a fact !nding mission paid a visit to Apio and farmers in her group. The main aim of the visit was to enlighten the farmers about soil fertility management practices aimed at improving their yields.

The Makerere team found out that most of the crops planted by the group had wilted in that season. The soils had been over-cultivated and the farmers required a lot of training on agricultural practices on soil management to reverse soil degradation.

Many women farmers have also been disadvantaged on many occasions as they stay in the rural areas where agricultural extension services are not readily available. They have thus been forced to rely on age old traditional knowledge passed on through generations to make a living through farming.

Causes of Soil InfertilityThe farmers in Apio’s group had over-cultivated their farms, thus a major cause of soil infertility which results in poor yields. A common traditional farming practice like burning of crop residue is widely spread. Farmers are unaware that when they leave the soils bare and unprotected from the sun and wind, it eventually leads to soil degradation. Improper crop rotation as well as insu$cient use of fertilizers on degraded land were also some of the causes of soil infertility in the area. The Makerere team made recommendations based on the integrated soil fertility management module to the farmers after the interactions. ReferencesKibwika Paul. (2006) “Learning to make change: developing innovation competence for recreating the African university of the 21st century.” Wageningen Academic Publishers

Integrated Soil fertility Management in Africa: Principles, Practices and Development Process. (2009) edited by Nteranya Sanginga and Paul L.Woomer. TSBF-CIAT

Women Farmer groups in Apac District.

Janet Cox Achora is a PHD candidate in Agricultural and Rural Innovations at Makerere University and also the Coordinator Women of Uganda Network- an NGO working in the "eld of ICTs, Agriculture, Governance, Entrepreneurship and Gender ICT policy Analysis.

Website: www.wougnet.org Email: [email protected]

An expert advises farmers on how to detect a pest-infested cassava plant.


CREEPING DESERTS

THREATEN AGRO"PASTORAL LIVELIHOODS

OPENCOLUMN

By Samuel Mwangi

BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 2012 23

In the world there are many types

of ecosystems, among them hot and

temperate deserts. Hot deserts are

found mainly in the tropics, their

precipitation being occasional rains.

Temperate deserts have their main form

of precipitation as fog or snow. The key

feature distinguishing deserts from other

landscapes is their extremely low amount

of precipitation, usually between 1 mm

to 400 mm annually. Deserts have thus

been considered unproductive due to

moisture deficiency.

As research techniques advanced, scienti!c engagement with desert communities produced new insights on how desert communities thrive in these harsh conditions. Subsequent studies changed the perception

of deserts as unproductive ecosystems; they’re dynamic, hosting signi!cant communities of biodiversity. Plants in deserts, for example, have to be salt and drought tolerant, with unique adaptive features such as spiny and shiny leaves or deep taproots to optimise moisture capture.

Deserts have grown gradually over millennia through deserti!cation. The United Nations Convention to Combat Deserti!cation (UNCCD) de!nes deserti!cation as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. According to the UNCCD, globally, 24% of the land is degrading, with nearly 20% of this being cropland, and 20-25%, rangeland. Over one billion people (15% of world population) are threatened with deserti!cation, most of these in the developing world.

Deserti!cation is indicated by a gradual increase in the aridity of land, loss of fragile ecosystems and their services. This phenomenon has been named ‘desert creep’, a term describing a slow and stealthy desert expansion. Some deserts such as the Sahara Desert, creep fast. The Sahara has been expanding at the


rate of 48 km per year, with drastic e"ects to a"ected populations including increasing poverty, hunger, loss of livelihoods and displacement.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment undertaken under the auspices of the United Nations, involving over 1360 experts from 25 international institutions, reported that since 1950, humans have changed ecosystems faster than any other period in history. The changes occur at multiple levels, compounding their impact on the landscape and complexity, such as the gradual loss of wetland in the drier regions of the world. In the Zoige Wetland National Nature Reserve, on the North-Eastern fringe of western China’s Qinghai-Tibet plateau, is the largest alpine peat wetland in the world, and also the catchment area for Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. Known as the “kidneys of the plateau”, these wetlands provide at least 30% of the water #owing into the upper reaches of the Yellow River. But they are disappearing, with deserti!cation increasing at more than 10% per year. Of the county’s 17 villages and towns, 10 are su"ering from deserti!cation, with over 70,000 hectares a"ected.

Deserti!cation is indicated by previously stable and diverse ecosystems becoming spotted with large empty areas, a condition known as ‘tiger-fur pattern’. The expansion of these spaces leads to loss

of productivity, concentrating human activities on a few pockets of productive land and exacerbating nutrient depletion. Drylands are especially vulnerable to deserti!cation due to their relatively fragile state; their cultivation exposes the land to nutrient leakage, vegetation loss and erosion. Other major e"ects include depletion of aquifers and water catchment loss. Lake Chad, for instance, has reduced in total area by over 95%!

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), has reported that human activities contributing to degradation include; unsustainable land use, poor soil and water management, removal of natural vegetation, overuse of heavy machinery, overgrazing, improper crop rotation as well as poor irrigation practices. Natural disasters, including drought, #oods and landslides also contribute to degradation. The UNCCD sees land degradation as not only an environmental challenge, but as a larger macro-economic issue of importance for sustainable development and poverty reduction.

ManagementDeserti!cation and land degradation should be addressed in an integrated manner. Actions should aim to build resilience to climate change, sustainable management of water, soil and forest resources, as well as to agricultural production. In order to ground


these actions, research and extension should be enhanced, including early warning and disaster risk management systems. Other solutions include

! Regulating land use patterns and zoning;

! On-farm agroforestry. A recent report released by UNEP and the Kenya Forest Service noted that people would invest more in trees if they could earn a decent living out of them. The big challenge lies in meeting energy demands of 75% of the population which relies on wood fuel and charcoal.

This decade has been designated the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the !ght against Deserti!cation (UNDDD 2010-2020). It is a call of concern about deserti!cation, recognising that climate change is compounding human induced degradation and deserti!cation. Land owners, ecosystem managers, and all global citizens alike ought to take individual action in arresting continuing degradation and deserti!cation. It is, as former US Vice President and Nobel laureate, Al Gore pointed out; the only earth we have.

Top: Degraded landscape in MEKET, Ethiopia.

Right: Children in semi-arid Mutomo, Kitui County, Kenya.


OPENCOLUMN

PASTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR LAND REHABILITATION IN BARINGO

Production and management of pastures

is a critical issue in pastoral areas for

sustained livestock production. Most

communities rely on natural grass

that blossoms during rainy seasons.

This article highlights Dr. Meyerhoff ’s

wealth of experience of over 30 years

of working with the Rehabilitation of

Arid Environments (RAE) Trust,

in Baringo County, Kenya aimed at

improving community livelihoods through

pasture development and management.

By Dr. E. Meyerho#, Social Scientist, RAE Trust


PASTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR LAND REHABILITATION IN BARINGO

Degraded Baringo lowlands

The degraded lowlands of Baringo County exemplify the challenges experienced throughout Kenya’s dry lands[1]. 70 per cent of Baringo County is arid or semi-arid unproductive land[2] due to loss of vegetative

cover through soil erosion. Over 550,000 people have had to grapple with the silting of Lake Baringo; the main source of fresh water in the area. This has been necessitated by the cycle of increased water run-o" and #ash #oods mainly caused by erratic rainfall; intensive storms worsened by deforestation, as well as intensi!ed grazing. Rehabilitation e#orts pay o#Rehabilitation of Arid Environments (RAE) has successfully supported communities in rehabilitating 5,500 acres of land in Baringo, Laikipia, Marsabit and other dry land areas. Currently, there are over 50 ‘community’ pasture !elds run by women’s groups and 700 ‘private’ !elds managed by individual families.

Over 450,000 drought resistant trees have been planted and 10 tonnes of indigenous dryland perennial grass seed distributed and seeded annually. Some local groups have been able to generate income through activities like; selling of grass seed, hay, honey and fattened livestock. Some have earned an annual income of over Kshs 1.5 million (US$ 17,000.00). Pastoralist communities have been able to take loans worth over Kshs 750,000 (US$ 8,500.00) with private rehabilitated !elds used as collateral. Gradual behavioural change amongst pastoralists has been observed as many have shifted from owning large herds of livestock to managing small numbers of high value livestock in small enclosures. This has largely led to the alleviation of poverty as livelihoods have improved tremendously. Viable mitigation and adaptation strategies to climate change have also been occasioned. Women e#ectively managing dry land environmentsWomen’s workload has increasingly become heavier as a result of their changing roles in society. Traditionally, men looked after cattle, but currently in Baringo women do that. They also have to ensure that domestic tasks like looking after the children, searching for scarce resources

Top: Naitemu Women’s Group inspecting their Fattened Cattle grazed during the dry season and sold when prices were higher.

Bottom: A comparison between a community rehabilitated pasture #eld and an open space in Baringo.

Phot

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such as !rewood and water are well taken care of. It is also upon them to ensure that children attend school. Men prefer ‘o"-farm’ activities. Many have migrated to the urban centres in search of employment while women take care of the farms and thus becoming the overall farm managers. Many women have become active ‘dry land environmental managers’; widows, women’s groups as well as wives have e"ectively been able to manage grass enclosures or fodder banks. Pro!ts made are used to improve their families’ livelihoods. Harvesting grass seed and cutting thatching grass were previously men’s responsibilities but women are taking them up well. The most pro!table activity that they are in charge of is the fattening of cattle; emaciated bulls are bought when prices are low, fattened on rehabilitated !elds for three months and sold for double the purchase price. Women have become active in all stages of the cattle fattening process from purchase, husbandry and sales. Naitemu women’s group taking lead in fattening livestockNaitemu Women’s Group has 33 women members. They manage a community !eld of 95 acres. In 2011, they carried out two fattening activities with 34 bulls which earned them an income of Kshs. 617,000 ( US $ 7,200). By the end of 2011, the group’s account had over Kshs. 370,000 (US$ 4,300.00), with Kshs. 150,000 (US$ 1.700.00) paid as dividends among members. In 2012 the group purchased 37 bulls for fattening. They also harvest grass seed and honey. They also sell posts from mature trees. Today, income generated from these activities has enabled the women to meet the ‘modern’ needs like paying school fees for their children as their community gradually changes from a ‘traditional’ livestock-based economy.

Lessons LearntCommunity pasture development and sustainable management has proved to be valuable.Elders are glad that rehabilitated !elds have halted soil erosion and traditional species of grass and trees that had disintegrated, are currently able to #ourish. Fodder banks grown near homesteads have ensured that women’s workload is less. Well fed cattle produce more milk and therefore improved nutrition amongst the households while some farmers have found market for excess milk. Available fodder throughout the year even during prolonged droughts has lessened con#icts over grazing !elds that were previously rampant. Importantly, food security is assured. The development of dry lands is a long term task. Many of the initiatives started by RAE are now sustained and promoted by communities themselves. However, innovative local strategies need further support to expand, such as the marketing of diverse !eld products like the fattened livestock. With long term funding, these activities can be up-scaled to other dryland areas as a measure to combat deserti!cation and land degradation. [1] For example: Bryan, R. B, (Ed), (1994), Soil Erosion, Land

Degradation and Social Transition Geoecological analysis of a semi-arid tropical region, Kenya, Advances in Geoecology 27, Catena Verlag, Germany

[2] Wahome, E.K. (1984), ‘Soil erosion classi!cation and assessment using LANDSAT imagery: a case study in Baringo District, Kenya’, Technical Report No. 105, Kenya Rangeland Ecological Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Kenya.

For More information Contact:

RAE Trust, P.O. Box 1051, Nakuru, Kenya www.raetrust.org E-mail: [email protected]

RAE Extension O$cer discussing Field Utilisation Options with a Field Manager on Good growth of indigenous grasses after the rains.


THE GMO DEBATEKenya Government Bans Importation of GMO Products

There is renewed focus on Genetically Modi!ed Organisms (GMOs) in Kenya and the role of the government in ensuring the safety of citizens following recent reports linking consumption of the products to cancer. In November 2012, Kenya’s Minister for Public Health and Sanitation Ms Beth Mugo, announced a ban on importation of GM foods following a Cabinet decision after the !ndings of the now controversial research undertaken in France were published in September, 2012.

Most GM foods imported into Kenya - mainly GM maize and corn soya blend – is brought in by relief agencies, particularly the World Food Programme (WFP) to help families facing hunger in arid and semi-arid areas. According to the head of Kenya’s National Bio-safety Authority, Prof. Dorington Ogoyi, cereals must be milled before being transported to the destinations to avoid cases of GM seeds ending up in the !elds. However, there are GM products whose importation is approved for research purposes in laboratories and con!ned !eld trials.

Controversy over whether or not GM foods are allowed in Kenya has persisted with advocates of

organic and agro-ecological agriculture doubting whether government agencies are sincere about the issue. In the run up to this year’s World Food Day, The Kenya Biodiversity Coalition in liaison with farmer’s organisations and civil society organisations presented a petition to President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Parliament demanding for the proper and mandatory labeling of GMO products whose threshold is beyond 1 percent.

In 2007, the Kenya Biodiversity coalition raised a red #ag and released a list of GMO products which include infant foods and other products which they noted the government had been slow in enforcing; given the said foodstu"s were still in the market without clear distinction and labeling. The groups argued that Article 46 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees consumers the right to information as well as protection of consumers’ health, safety and economic interests, of which the government had demonstrated laxity to implement.

More detailed insights on GM products will be covered in our next issue.

OPENCOLUMN


Dairy Goats and Food Security in a CHANGING

CLIMATEFood security is a prevailing topic in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

(ASALs). Rearing dairy goats has proved to enhance resilience of

communities and contribute towards food security in the ASALs.

By Florian Duss

Dairy goats require fewer resources to maintain yet they give higher returns than cattle. They consume less fodder which helps small holder farmers to save on pasture. They also occupy less

space but still produce enough milk for a typical family of six members. A recent consistent e"ort to introduce dairy goats in Kenya was led by The Arid Lands Resource Management Project II (ALRMP) of the Ministry of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands (which has since ended). Its aim was to enhance food security as well as reduce livelihood vulnerability in 28 drought-prone districts in Kenya.

One approach used was to assist local self-help groups to take up the rearing of dairy goats by training them and partially funding (75% - 85%) the purchase of dairy does and a buck for breeding. The goats were registered with the Dairy Goat Association of Kenya (DGAK), which checked the

farms and organised the rotation of the bucks to prevent inbreeding.

In Nguruman, Kajiado County, ALRMP supported several groups on such projects. “The local goats that some 17 households kept did not give enough milk for our families. We managed to raise Kshs.58, 000 (US$680.00) towards the project and we applied for government support to buy a dairy nanny each and one billy goat which they funded,” says Saida Eddi from Tenebo group.

The pure German Alpine goats are kept in a zero-grazing system. “It takes some time to get the feed for the goats, but I am glad that I have su$cient nutritious milk for my family. The milk is especially good for the children as it is easier to digest than milk from cows. We are also able to generate more income through selling dairy kids. One goes for Kshs. 8,500 (US$99) compared to local breeds which go for Kshs. 3,000 (US$35). We also sell surplus milk at Kshs. 40 (46 US cents) per litre. We have plans to start making yoghurt which we intend to sell to the shops in the nearby market centres.”


Policy implications Dairy goats can make an important contribution to food security in ASALs, particularly in combination with an e"ective fodder management system.

! There is need to introduce supportive policies to ensure inbreeding is discouraged through lifting the import ban on live animals.

! A reliable system of registering dairy goats needs to be devised, not only as a preventive measure against inbreeding but also as a tool for improving livestock through selective breeding.

! The market situation for goat’s milk and products needs proper assessment in order to enhance benefits for farmers.

See alsoFarmers Dairy Goat Production Handbook: http://bit.ly/oe6YgV

Arid Lands Resource Management Project II: http://bit.ly/oq3fDr

Joy Goat Development Programme Uganda

http://bit.ly/qxZR1A

Florian Duss is an LLM student at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. His email is: #[email protected]

SustainabilitySmallholder dairy goat farming in Kenya is increasingly being promoted by development organisations as it is perceived as an option to boost farmers’ incomes as well as improving rural livelihoods. “Six dairy goats need the same pasture as one dairy cow”, says Thomas Chege from the Ministry of Livestock Development o$ce in Isinya. ALRMP recommended the substitution of local goats and cattle for dairy goats to prevent overgrazing to mitigate the e"ects of drought. Dairy goats have a ready market as they are cheaper than cattle.

The rearing of dairy goats is not free of challenges however. The main ones are the following:

! Inbreeding is a problem faced by many smallholder farmers. There is therefore the need for thorough record keeping of pedigrees (for pure and cross breeds) as well as an e"ective rotation of bucks across the country.

! If kept in a zero grazing system, dairy goats, especially for the milking females, need to be supplied with an adapted diet. They also need proper housing: dry and free from droughts to prevent exposure to diseases.

! Goat’s milk is not traditionally consumed everywhere in Kenya, which makes it hard to market in some regions.


How to water Baobab MagazineIntroductionThe Baobab is a quarterly magazine that is published in March, June, September and December. Every issue has a theme that guides the topic one can write on. Topics for 2012:• December: Deserti!cation: A threat to livelihoods in

arid and semi-arid lands.

How to WriteKnow what you are writing about in advance and think clearly, carefully re#ecting on:• WHAT was the initial context and what were the

di$culties faced?

• WHAT were the reasons for the approach taken to improve the situation?

• HOW did they go about it and who took the initiative?

• WHEN did all this happen, and to what extent was the timing important?

• WHAT happened as a result?

• WHY did it work out as it did? (We appreciate opinions/analysis/conclusions relevant to !eld level, as well as recommendations for policy makers).

• WHERE did the action take place?

Please Ensure that You1) Thoroughly read the call for articles and check that

the article !ts well with the theme being covered.

2) Explain any terms or ideas that may not be understood in every part of the world.

3) Acknowledge all sources and references used.

4) Explain any abbreviations used.

Full editorial support is provided. As the articles go through a rigorous editorial process, authors are usually requested to provide additional information or clari!cations. We would therefore rather have too much information than too little in the !rst draft!

Format1. Articles should be about 700 to 1000 words (one,

two or three-page articles) and should be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected] as a word document attachment.

2. Include no more than !ve references. Each reference should include title, year of publication, name of author, and publisher.

3. Please provide a current contact address at the bottom of the article. This will also be published in the

magazine. We would also appreciate a contact phone number for our own use.

The editor reserves the right to decide whether or not to publish an article or contribution after receipt of the !rst full draft. Articles that are accepted will be edited to the Baobab house-style and shortened if necessary. Contributions edited in this way will be returned to the authors for approval before publication. Articles accepted for publication in the Baobab may be chosen for translation in any of the six regional editions. We will endeavour to inform authors if their article appears in other editions.

PhotosPictures speak volumes. Two to four pictures relevant to what you have written about must accompany your article. Illustrations, drawings, or maps are also welcomed. Please provide the name of the photographer or artist. Please ensure the photos or illustrations are of suitable quality.

Send the pictures as attachments in jpeg format of at least resolution 300 pixel and above. Also remember to include a caption outlining the people or activity in the picture.

Creative Commons LicensePlease note that we use the “Creative Commons License Attribution non-commercial share alike 3.0 unported’’ policy regarding copyright. We encourage free and open exchange of information. As such readers and authors are encouraged to copy and circulate articles from the Baobab quoting the source. In addition, this means that we may use submitted photos or text in our other publications. We will try to contact you and credit your work in accordance with the licence.


Call for Articles Call for Articles Let us Know by SMS!

Water-E!cient Production of Rice and Other Cereals: Exploring Alternative Cultivation Methods in a Changing ClimateAs the impact of climate change manifests in changing patterns of drought and rainfall; and as the global population rises, scientists and farming communities are focusing on new grain varieties that require less water to grow. One crop that has attracted increasing interest among researchers is rice. About 3 billion people, nearly half the world’s population, depend on rice for survival. In Asia, much of the population consumes rice in every meal. In many countries in the region, rice accounts for more than 70 per cent of human caloric intake[1].

For other regions, particularly Africa, although the focus to achieve food security might not be rice, it is increasing in popularity at the rate of 6 per cent. Still, there is need to introduce new cereals to areas that have historically not grown them in order to increase communities’ food options. This could be coupled with introduction of technologies that increase e$ciency in the use of water. To ensure that production of maize, the main grain staple in the continent, is maintained, the focus will need to be on the improvement of maize-growing techniques to use less water.

The next issue of Baobab will focus on alternative ways of cultivating rice, with special attention on highland rice and the emerging System for Rice Intensi!cation (SRI). We will also feature stories on other grain staples grown on the continent. Of interest also are articles featuring innovative processes that have resulted in adoption of new grain varieties and readiness by a"ected communities to consume food types they have not traditionally consumed.

We welcome articles on this topic including pictures and suggestions of other people, experts or organisations that can contribute to it. All pictures must be 300 pixel resolution and above and should be in jpeg format. Please write to the Editor [email protected] by February 15, 2013.

[1] http://www.patentlens.net/daisy/RiceGenome/3649/3591.html

Dear Reader,The short messaging service (SMS) option of getting in touch with the Baobab editorial team is back! Send us an SMS letting us know what you think about a certain article, suggestion for future articles or any other general comment.

To send an SMS, start with your name, gender, age, location, country, email, postal address followed by the letters BB, page number of article then your comment.

For example:Mwalimu Juma, M, 43, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, [email protected], P.O. Box 123 Kwetu. BB. Page 17. I increased my goats’ milk production by following your advice!

Or

BB. Future article. How to do drip irrigation in an arid place

BB. Comment. I received my copy of the Baobab!

BB. Question. How can I subscribe to the Baobab?

Send your SMS to the number + 254 717 032 322.

Deserts and Deserti!cationDeserti!cation and land degradation is the greatest environmental challenge of our time and a threat to the global well being. The United Nations Convention to Combat Deserti!cation (UNCCD’s) Luc Gnacadja a top drylands o$cial recently stated.

Drought and deserti!cation threaten the livelihoods of over 1 billion people in more than 110 countries around the world.

The world’s deserts are divided into four categories:

Subtropical, cool coastal deserts, cold winter deserts and polar deserts.

Subtropical deserts are the hottest. They include:Sahara, Arabian, Kalahari, Australian desert, Chihuahuan in Mexico and Mojave in the United States.

Cool coastal deserts:Namib in Namibia and Atacama in Chile

Cold winter deserts are marked by stark temperature di"erences from season to season. They include:Great basin in the United States, Colorado Plateau-U.S.A, Patagonian-Argentina-, Kara-Kum, Kyzyl-kum in Uzbekistan, Taklamaka in China Gobi in Mongolia China.

Polar deserts:Arctic in the United States and Greenland. Antarctic in Antarctica.

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0778851.html

Book ReviewsA RURAL REVIVAL IN TANZANIA A Rural Revival in Tanzania tells the story of how an agroforestry project has brought new life to Shinyanga region; an area once degraded and once referred to as the Desert of Tanzania. By restoring the traditional system of land management and introducing new agroforestry practices, the HASHI project now called Natural Forestry Resources Management and Agroforestry Centre (NAFRAC) has helped to improve the welfare of tens of thousands of villagers. The Shinyanga experience could help to transform lives and landscapes in other areas which have su"ered serious degradation. Ngitili is a sukuma word for enclosed fodder reserves. The book highlights the revival of this traditional system of land management involving communities in fodder conservation for use in the dry season. Case studies are highlighted that focus on privately-owned Ngitilis and communal ones. The bene!ts of re-establishing Ngitilis are discussed in reference to restoring denuded landscapes.

The booklet is available from:World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, GigiriP.O. Box 30677 – 00100,Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 20 7224000Email: [email protected] you can download from the World Agroforestry Centre website: http://www.worldagroforestry.org/downloads/publications/PDFs/B16751.PDF

MANGO FRUIT FARMING HAND BOOKMango Farming Handbook is a technical manual written in very simple language for mango

production in Africa. The manual highlights the origins of the mango tree and the di"erent varieties commonly grown. The book covers the various aspects

of Mango production that includes growth period, soil and climate requirements, Mango propagation that includes seed propagation, grafting and budding techniques and much

more.

The manual highlights the management practices like pruning, irrigating the orchards, weeding and much more. The various

steps involved in harvesting are covered and includes post-harvest management practices. The book gives tips on value addition

through processing and marketing. The common Mango pests and diseases are described and well-illustrated with colour photos.

The manual is ideal for use by extension o$cers, farmers, students, researchers and anybody with interest in knowing more about

Mangoes.

The book is available from KENGAP PUBLISHING LTDP.O. BOX 12898 – 00400 Nairobi

Tel; +254 20 8026476/7E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.kengap.co.ke

Mobile: +254 722575544/723491549

Email:[email protected]


From Our

Readers

Dear Editor, I am a local farmer and a teacher at Nzaalani Primary School. As a farmer I enjoy activities such as growing fruit trees and developing both indigenous and exotic forests. I found BAOBAB issue 63, September 2011, very informative. We have been looking at strategies to combat deserti!cation in Ukambani region through our own initiatives that include water harvesting, building bush gabions on gullies and hill slopes which we have shared with the local community. We were happy to learn that the next issue of BAOBAB will be on deserti!cation and we are looking forward to it. Thank you for the good work.

Paul Mutemi MusyokaKainthango Village, Kyuso District, Kenya

Dear Paul,We appreciate your feedback. We would like to thank you and your team for your e"orts towards combating deserti!cation in your region. We hope you !nd Baobab issue 65 interesting and useful in your work. Please keep us updated and continue documenting your initiatives for wider sharing.

Dear Editor, I have been a subscriber of your publication since 2002. I sent you one article during the !rst month of 2003. It was published on the March 2003 issues and it was titled “Bugna’s experience on IPM FFS implementation.” Since then, I have been a member and I have received the hard copy of the publication regularly until the recent years. However, due to unknown reasons, I have been excluded from the subscribers list and I couldn’t get the publication regularly. Could you please include me in your list and send me the regular publication. I can assure you that I will be an active contributor to the publication. Thank you in advance for your usual support. I am looking forward for your recent and new publications

Kahsay TeklehaimanotP.O.B. 54, Woldiya, Ethiopia.

Dear Kahsay,Thank you very much for your timely e-mail. We still publish the BAOBAB and I remember your article on IPM and Farmer Field Schools in Ethiopia.

However, after deliberations at ALIN, the Baobab publication shall from now henceforth be available only in the electronic version and thus hard copies shall no longer be available.

Please feel free to download our past BAOBAB issues from our website http://www.alin.net/Baobab%20Magazine

We would like to encourage you to send it to as many friends as possible to ensure that it is widely read.

We also publish JotoAfrika focusing on climate change issues and available at http://www.alin.net/Joto%20Afrika

Please feel free to get back to us in case you still need more clari!cation.

Dear Editor, Greetings from Karagwe.

I am working for Farming Partnerships Initiatives, the local organisation working with rural farmers within Karagwe District located in North-Western of Tanzania. I would like to inform you that your copies have been more useful in my work as a Project Coordinator. Please don’t remove my name from your mailing list. If possible, send me all the copies that I have missed. Last year I received just only two copies of Kilimo Endelevu these are Vol.1 issues 3, January 2010 and Vol 1. Issues 2 October 2009 and BAOBAB the last copy was issue 63 September 2011.

Rev. Heavenlight M.Luoga,P.O. Box 242, Karagwe, Kagera, Tanzania.

Dear Reverend Heavenlight,We are glad that you are !nding the BAOBAB publication insightful in your daily undertaking. The publication shall from now henceforth be available only in the electronic version and thus hard copies shall no longer be available. Please feel free to download our past Baobab issues from our website http://www.alin.net/Baobab%20Magazine. We would like to encourage you to send it to as many friends as possible to ensure that it is widely read.

BAOBAB ISSUE 65, DECEMBER 2012 35

Baobab is published by ALIN with support from ILEIA - The Centre for learning on sustainable agriculture. ALIN and ILEIA are members of AgriCultures, a global network of organisations that share knowledge and provide information on small-scale, sustainable agriculture worldwide.

agr icultures

NETWORK

“Nowhere is this challenge more critical

-- and the need for action more pressing --

than in the Horn of Africa. From Kenya to

Ethiopia, Djibouti to Somalia, the devastating

consequences of drought, desertification and

land degradation are playing out before

our eyes. The worst drought in 60 years

has placed more than 13.3 million people --

predominantly women and children -- in need

of emergency assistance.”

Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International

Development.

“Land and soil are the property not only of the present

generation but also of the future generations. We have

the responsibility of using them in a sustainable way so as to

enable our descendants to enjoy bene!ts from healthy and

productive ecosystems.” Lee Don-Koo, Minister of Forest Service in the

Republic of Korea.

Drought does not have to become famine. Too often the international

community reacts too late. Too often decisions are taken based on

false economies. In the end, we count the cost not just in human lives

but in the extra expense of responding to crises that could have been

averted for a fraction of the price. The world’s dry lands are too often

an investment desert, seen by governments and the international

community as a lost cause.”

Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general.

“Land degradation is a global phenomenon, with 78 per cent of the degrading land taking place in the non-dry lands. Degrading the bu"er zone of the dry lands increases dry lands’ vulnerability to degradation. The demand for productive land is high and competition over various

land uses is intense. The recent food crises were not accidents and they are not over. But in an increasingly interdependent world, land-related

crises will mutate into new global crises.”Luc Gnacadja, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

desertification: a threat to livelihoods in arid and semi-arid lands

Documents

sustainable agriculture

issue of baobab

dryland agriculture

type of agriculture

cation unddd

phenomenon of deserti

cation unccd

semiarid landsbaobab