Rainwater harvesting along dry river valleys for small scale irrigation and livestock use

The Challenge

Food and water insecurity remain the two most critical constraints to development in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) of Taita Taveta. Prolonged droughts and degradation of natural resources have left communities vulnerable to climate shocks. Despite the agricultural sector contributing significantly to the national GDP, the potential of these drylands remained unlocked due to a lack of sustainable land use practices and inadequate water infrastructure.

The Solution

Mazido International implemented a resilience-building initiative aligned with Vision 2030 and MDG goals to eradicate extreme poverty. We utilized a mix of strategies including:

• Water & Soil Conservation: Construction of sand dams and promotion of on-farm conservation structures to capture surface runoff.
• Pasture Management: Investing in fodder conservation technologies to improve livestock production.
• Advocacy: Establishing the ‘Sauti ya Mkulima’ platform to influence policy and improve citizen participation in natural resource governance.
• Education: Launching the “Greening with Age” campaign in schools to inculcate environmental stewardship in the younger generation.

The Impact

The project successfully increased community awareness and adoption of climate-smart technologies, achieving the following results:

908 Farms Transformed

We supported 908 farms in establishing soil and water conservation structures, with an additional 427 farms now practicing fodder and pasture conservation. To sustain this, 135 farmers were trained as ToTs (Trainers of Trainers).

5,000 Trees Planted

Through our “Greening with Age” campaign, we reached 2,496 students across 20 learning institutions, resulting in the planting of 5,000 trees to restore local green cover.

Policy Influence

Our advocacy efforts successfully influenced 2 County-level and 2 National-level policies regarding natural resource management. We also established the “Sauti ya Mkulima” platform to give farmers a voice in governance.

2 Sand Dams Constructed

To address water scarcity directly, we constructed 2 sand dams and established 15 model farms, directly reaching 2,168 people with climate change adaptation knowledge.