REMIND-K

(RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND MARKETING
FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT)

CAPACITY BUILDING PROPOSAL

1. BACKGROUND

REMIND-K (Research, Extension and Marketing for Integrated Development) is a Non-governmental Organisation registered in Kenya in 1995 under the NGO's Act of 1991. The NGO is a nonprofit-making, non-political, nonreligious, nondiscriminating and an equal opportunity entity. It is run by a voluntary Board of Trustees, a management of top programme leaders, a team of professionals, and coopted members of the community.

REMIND-K puts emphasis on policy research aimed at promoting the application of science and technology to sustainable development. This is done through research, training and information dissemination.

2. MISSION

REMIND-K was established to help improve household food security and incomes of small-scale farmers in East Africa (with emphasis on Kenya as a starting point) through:

Appropriate on-farm research in soil fertility;
Hands-on farmer training and extension of results in sustainable agricultural and livestock management practices, utilising quality low cost farm inputs and appropriate technologies;
Developing strategies for marketing farm produce in times of plenty to avoid shortages during lean times;
Solid waste management;
Soil and water conservation, and overall environmental education campaigns.

3. BROAD OBJECTIVES

Rising populations, decreasing land holdings, soil fertility and productivity, rising costs of agricultural inputs, and inadequate access to information and to markets are among the significant constraints facing the small-scale farmers in Kenya. As a response to the above, REMIND-K was formed to:

Conduct on-farm research in collaboration with farming communities on soil fertility, to identify appropriate low-cost (and preferably locally available) quality inputs that enhance soil fertility and crop and livestock productivity.
Help in the development of technologies that will enable farming communities maximize their production potential.
Conduct on-farm research into the most efficient ways of utilizing these inputs to maximize returns.
Provide training and extension materials that help farming communities adopt sustainable and appropriate farming methods that maximise productivity.
Enhance environmental conservation through education activities in collaboration with the local communities, donor agencies, public and private sectors, and other institutions.
Provide support in the distribution of affordable inputs to small scale farmers.
Collaborate and network with donor agencies, public and private institutions, and other NGOs in the implementation of local, national and regional community based projects.
Provide consultancy services in sustainable agriculture and solid waste management for individuals, and for private and public sector institutions.

4. STAND ON INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

REMIND-K recognises the important role played by communities in the conservation of natural resources, as well as the need to understand the underlying knowledge systems and practices that relate to biodiversity conservation and utilisation. The link between biological and cultural diversity is central in the search for development options, which ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, especially for food and medicine. REMIND-K will evaluate local uses of biological resources and help develop better methods for sustainable use and conservation. In the face of modernisation, traditional cultures get disrupted and indigenous knowledge is lost rapidly. The centre will tap the wealth of indigenous knowledge on livestock and crop management skills, and herbs and their medicinal value to people and animals. To lend credibility to this pool of knowledge, REMIND-K would like to research, analyse and document this information before it is lost. This will include such things as setting up a data bank and starting a herbal garden to nature and preserve as many of these valuable species as possible.

5. COLLABORATION

Remind (K) seeks cooperation and collaboration with specialized groups such as donor agencies, public and private institutions, other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), in the implementation of diverse sustainable projects both locally and internationally.

6. CURRENT SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT

The programme activities of REMIND-K are implemented through three main sources of support: grants, income-generating activities, and voluntary intellectual contributions. While grants represent the main source of financial support, income-generating activities will be enhanced over the years to increase self reliance and maintain continuity.

6.1 GRANTS

REMIND-K does not have regular sources of support for its general operations and relies on project funding for specific activities. A number of institutions have directly provided project support to REMIND-K over the years. These funds have been tied to specific projects and the NGO has simply implemented the projects on behalf of the donors.

6.2 INCOME GENERATION

From time to time the NGO has been contracted to carry out consultancy work for the UN, HABITAT, several private institutions, and individual farmers on solid waste management, sustainable agriculture and livestock management, and publications.

6.3 VOLUNTARY WORK

A large share of the research and extension work undertaken is done on voluntary bases and reflects the interest of the research community in availing their expertise to the development effort. This is possibly the most important input into the operations of REMIND-K although it has not been quantified.

7. SOME MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

8. OTHER PROJECTS CARRIED OUT BY REMIND-K'S RESEARCHERS/TRAINERS

ACTIVITY/PROJECT/ CONSULTANCY LOCATION & PERIOD SPONSOR AMOUNT (US$) OUTCOME 1 On-farm development of a soil fertility kit to validate the appropriate quantity of fertilizers in combination with compost and manures to increase maize output. The exercise was carried out in collaboration with local farmers and community based organisations. Siaya & Busia Districts
April, 1996
to
April, 1997
Rockefeller Foundation 40,000.00 Soil fertility kit developed according to project objective. 2 On farm training of small-scale farmer groups in the proper husbandry of high value horticultural crops such as cabbages, carrots, onions, brinjals, tomatoes and various indigenous vegetables.
The purpose of the project was to help the farmers improve household nutrition and incomes.
Ileho and Lunyu locations of Kambiri Division, Kakamega District.
February, 1998
to
January, 1999
FAO FARMESA SIDA 5,000.00
A Training Manual was developed and published in Kiswahili. The manual is entitled: Kijitabu Cha Mafunzo Kuhusiana na Mazao Yaliyoteuliwa ya Hali ya Juu ya Mboga na Matunda.

n/a	GROUP	LOCATION & PERIOD	ACTIVITY	SPONSOR
1	Amani Christian Community	Oyugis South Nyanza 1996	Poultry rearing & production management.	Amani Community Project. US$1,000.
2	Ikonyero Women's Group and Lotego Women's Group	Vihiga District 1996	Kitchen Gardening for household food security and "Kuni Mbili Jiko" demonstrations.	One World Development Foundation. US$400
3	Kuku Women Group	Dandora, Nairobi. 1997	Training in organic waste management through recycling (making compost/manure).	Uvumbusi Club US$300
4	Wekhonye Women Group	Dagoretti, Nairobi 1997	Training in organic waste management through recycling (making compost/manure).	United Nations Environment Programme'sCleanup Nairobi. US$3,000
	Bidii Women Group	Biafra, Nairobi 1997
	Grogan Women Group	Kirinyaga Rd, Nairobi 1997
	Kibera Line Saba Women Group	Kibera, Nairobi 1997
	Mukuru Kayaba Women Group	Mukuru, Nairobi 1997
5	Patrons of the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda	Kampala, Uganda 1996	Organic waste recycling into compost	Wildlife Clubs of Uganda US$300
6	Secondary School Heads of the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya	Nairobi, Kenya 1996	Organic waste recycling into compost	Wildlife Clubs of Kenya US$300
7	Kenya Institute of Organic Farming	Nairobi, Kenya 1996	Composting Technology in small farming systems in Kenya.	Kenya Institute of Organic Farming US$150
8	Sustainable Agriculture Development Programme (SACDP)	Thika, Kenya 1996	Management of Soil Organic Matter though Composting.	SACDP US$100
9	Ringili Demonstration Farm on Organic Agriculture. (Project of Church of Uganda, West Nile)	Arua, Uganda 1996	Evaluation of the Impact of organic farming among the District's farming communities.	Tear Fund US$400
10	Baraka Agricultural College, Molo	Molo, Kenya 1995	Preparation of Course Content in Sustainable Agriculture.	Baraka Agricultural College US$400
11	Mukuru Composting and Urban Agriculture Project.	Nairobi, Kenya 1997 / 1998	Recycling of municipal organic waste into compost for urban agriculture.	UN Habitat US$7,000
12	Capacity Building for Community Based Urban Waste Management	Dodoma, Tanzania 1997	Researched and presented a Paper on Capacity Building for Community Based Urban Waste Management.	Forest Action Network US$800

9. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

REMIND-K plans to run continuous programmes by reducing its dependancy on donor funding, which is neither guaranteed nor regular. To achieve this, the NGO has acquired three adjacent pieces of land totalling 30.5 acres in Kwang'amor Village, Kwang'amor Sublocation, Kwang'amor Location, Amukura Division, Teso District, Western Kenya Province. The NGO would like to setup a permanent resource and demonstration centre on on this piece of land and appeals to would be sponsors to consider coming to its aid.

Institutional capacity building is a way forward in breaking away from continuous dependancy on donor funding. The centre will be a beacon to foster development aspects among the local population towards family food security and self-sufficiency.

The centre will, apart from housing REMIND-K's headquarters, be used mainly as a training and research facility, where local farmers will be given hands-on training in the production, processing and marketing of agricultural and livestock products. Individuals (both local and international) interested in areas such as sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, etc., can visit the centre for research and training purposes. This could be run alongside an exchange programme through which interested degree or research students from around the world can come and carry out studies/research in specific areas of interest in a the setting of Busia and Teso Districts.

10. JUSTIFICATION FOR LOCATING THE PERMANENT CENTRE IN BUSIA/TESO

Busia and Teso Districts are among the poorest areas of Kenya, with more than half the households living in absolute poverty. A major reason for this is low agricultural productivity, and the resulting food insecurity. As is common in much of Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture in Busia/Teso can be described as resource-poor, or low-external-input agriculture.

One of the important characteristics of the region is that it is a high-risk environment for farming. Almost all crop production is dependent on rainfall, and rainfall is unreliable and often inadequate. The region's climate is becoming drier, with shorter and less predictable rainy seasons. This combined with poor soils, leads to a very high risk of crop failure. There is need to collate and share knowledge and experience in biotechnology, composting, growing food with very little water, agroforestry, organic farming, livestock production, marketing, and research. Sustainable agriculture - the production of more food from smaller pieces of land with as little investment as possible and maximum improvement of the environment - is the only way forward. The region must develop a practical, low-cost system of growing food everywhere: in the smallest of spaces, in the harshest of environments, under the most unyielding of conditions; simply by studying, following and adapting nature's own very logical and efficient systems.

The lack of State resources, the current dominant development thinking that highlights rapid industrialisation as being the way forward, and the policy of privatising and commercialising even essential services to rural communities, means that communities must be empowered with the knowledge and self-confidence needed to respond to the challenges they face.

The Centre will run special courses in sustainable organic farming - the only method of farming that does not cause damage to the environment because unlike chemical farming methods, it feeds the soil not the plant. Organic methods, by imitating and even enhancing nature's own processes, are extremely eco-friendly and begin at the beginning - with the health of the soil. Soil becomes more, rather than less productive with use. Healthy soil provides the conditions for development of a miniature ecosystem, and the farmer whose land has one will discover what a powerful ally he or she has enlisted.

In the search for food security in this area is the need to address the "feast and famine" pendulum swing from situations where farmers are not able to sell their crops to one where drought and famine loom. A further consideration important to farmers is the matter of marketing what they grow. The Centre will intervene to see that the region's food is not "thrown away" because of the factors above.

While the centre will offer excellent strategies for sustainable land use on any scale, training priorities will be directed towards small-scale subsistence farmers, many of whom live on marginal unproductive land and for whom the concept of food security is an impossible dream. The centre will offer the following courses simplified to suit the needs of the target audience:

Basic Biological courses
Principles and practices of Biointensive Agriculture
Crop production
Livestock management
Agricultural extension and community development
Animal draft power
Family health and nutrition
Basic Principles in Farm Management and Marketing
Water Harvesting and Conservation
Agroforestry

The Centre will be an important intervention in the socio-econo-cultural affairs of the region. Though better information leads to better practices, REMIND-K appreciates the fact that information alone solves or improves nothing unless it moves you to act, until you make it your own through practical experience. If the small-scale farmers have inexpensive access to information and the encouragement to use it, through such a centre, they can produce more food with less financial investment, and without damaging or polluting the environment.

REMIND-K appeals to well-wishers to help it initiate this programme by availing technical, logistical, financial and moral support.

11. FINANCIAL COSTS FOR SETTING UP THE PERMANENT CENTRE

n/a	DESCRIPTION OF ITEM		AMOUNT (KSHS)
1	The NGO has received a donation of 30.5 acres land from a well wisher who hails from the area and and is supportive of our projects.	LR. No. South Teso / Aumukura / 249 18.30 Acres Approx.	0.00
		LR. No. South Teso /Aumukura / 1535 6.75 Acres Approx.	0.00
		LR. No. South Teso / Aumukura / 1539 5.45 Acres Approx.	0.00
2	Construction of buildings, water tanks and similar infrastructure on the above piece of land as per attached plan.	Fencing materials + Labour	250,500.00
		Office Block, classrooms, residentials & stores	3,180,000.00
		Water Tanks	870,000.00
		Cattle Dip	220,000.00
		Drilling Water hole	200,000.00
		Solar equipment for lighting & pumping Water	580,000.00
3	Office furniture & equipment.	One Computer, accessories and software	250,000.00
3	Office furniture & equipment.	Lockers, desks, chairs and tables	250,000.00
4	Materials and inputs for training and demonstration purposes	Eight drought animals (oxen)	120,000.00
		Two ox-ploughs	10,000.00
		One ox-cart from Approtech	45,000.00
		One manual water pump from Approtech	6,000.00
		10 dairy cows (incalf heifers)	500,000.00
		One Artificial Insemination kit	150,000.00
		One chaff cutter	30,000.00
		Pangas, slashers, hoes and similar farm tools	10,000.00
		Assorted seed	250,000.00
		Reference materials & stationery	500,000.00
Subtotal			7,421,500.00
5% Contingency			371,075.00
TOTAL SUM (KSHS)			7,792,575.00

The amount required is approximately USD111,323.00

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| Last Updated: Monday, February 14, 2000 |

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