The Kenya Maize Development Program (KMDP) is a four-year project funded by USAID whose main objective is to increase rural household incomes by increasing maize productivity and production in target areas, increasing access to agricultural markets and business support services and improving the effectiveness of smallholder organizations.

Historically, Nyanza Province is a politically marginalized area. It has been neglected to the point of impoverishment. Though there is now a democratically-elected government, protracted neglect by previous governments and the recent civil unrest, coupled with the menace of HIV/AIDS, are having serious repercussions on development and especially food security. These debilitating circumstances are making it difficult for the communities to fully explore and benefit from the few natural resources they have left.

The project aims to increase access to extension services for the adoption of appropriate dairy farming practices. Project participants will have access to credit to increase milk production twofold (from an average of 4 liters to at least 10 liters per day). Finally, the 100 livestock farmers in Nyolo community have established a milk processing plant and process and market their dairy products collectively. This project is being carried out by a local CBO with the assistance of a national microfinance institution.

The project aims to increase water access for 1,263 households in 5 locations and reduce time spent in search of water through the development/rehabilitation of at least 10 small water projects (3 Sub-Surface Dams, 2 spring protection and 5 shallow wells) by 2009. Secondly, the project aims to improve household nutritional status and prevent starvation for 1,263 households by increasing overall food production through enhanced soil fertility and watershed management by 2009.

The primary focus of this project is increased participation in the agricultural production chain through technical skills training and access to financial services, thus leading to year-round availability and use of nutritious foods and increased incomes. This project seeks also to increase inheritance rights by 50% while also decreasing the HIV prevalence rate by 50% through community-based awareness and support systems. This project is being carried out by local CBOs.

The main objective of the program is to increase the number of qualified professional women who are empowered with the skills and knowledge to advocate for female farmers so as to enhance their role in food systems. Women equipped with technical training in agricultural, environmental and social sciences are well placed to promote rapid improvements in the food systems within their communities, particularly in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Financial Services Associations are savings-led community financial institutions similar to credit unions. This program enables individual rural communities far from population centers to establish financial services associations which enhance their economic security, creating start-up capital for income generating activities or expanding current livelihood strategies.

This program works in partnership with, and seeks to strengthen, the registered community-based organization Friends of Katuk-Odeyo (FOKO). While the program works across numerous themes, there is a strong emphasis in sustainable agriculture, particularly with farmer-led experimentation, promotion of options for soil fertility improvement and water harvesting and conservation.

Regular food shortages in this area result from low agricultural productivity due to the effects of HIV/AIDS, which has produced large numbers of orphans and widows/widowers. Health care services consume much of the population’s meager resources. The Future for AIDS Orphans (FUFAO) project aims to improve the lives of HIV/AIDS-affected people in the Oyugis area of Nyanza province by increasing income and improving food security among 340 participants. The project will provide 20 heifers, 40 dairy goats, 15 pairs of donkeys and 95 pairs of oxen and accessories.

Poultry specific surveillance / detection

This project helps to provide a sustainable livelihood to orphans living near Lake Victoria, recognized as the first home of the Kenya AIDS epidemic. The project identified 1,920 HIV/AIDS orphans, siblings and their families and has provided them with dairy goats to improve their access to better nutrition and income. It also includes plans to assist these orphans through training in integrated agriculture and organic farming systems to produce vegetables for market and to provide balanced diets and improved nutrition.

Farming Systems Kenya in the Narok District of the Southern Rift Valley is establishing and strengthening a livestock marketing federation that will assist the community to access timely market information, organize joint livestock marketing to the Kenya Meat Commissions slaughterhouse at Athi River, lobby and advocate for positive policies and engage with the relevant authorities on other important issues that affect the Maasai such as education and infrastructure. See: http://www.cwsea.org and click on Food Security.

no current activities on avian and pandemic flu.

behavior change Communication via mass media campaigns - building the capacity of local health workers to respond to the avain and pandemic flu - case detection, notification, and referral

The project was initiated by local farmers who invited Heifer Kenya to participate in its implementation. To address the critical needs of families who are living in poverty in this area, the project promotes milk and meat-goat production and commercial beekeeping. When justifiable surpluses of milk and market stock are created, the project will develop a milk-processing unit to process and market goat milk, and will develop organized marketing systems for slaughtering stock. Surplus honey will be processed and marketed.

Kimisha Mwangaza Women Group is located in central Kenya, about 10 miles from Kerugoya. This dairy project, funded by Heifer International Kenya, is owned by the 36 women in the group, 16 of whom are widows or single mothers. It will provide them with 18 quality heifers and training in integrated cattle husbandry to help increase their incomes. Another 18 families will benefit through "Passing on the Gift" which means that the offspring of the original animals will be given to these families.

ADRA Kenya transfers knowledge to and develops skills of the targeted communities to enhance their capacities to manage sustainable agricultural and development initiatives. Farmers in the communities increase household income by (a) adopting improved agricultural technologies, (b) increasing agricultural marketing systems and (c) increasing the effectiveness of small-holder organizations to provide business services to members and represent business interests.

The Maasai pastoralist clans living in Loita and Keekonyokie have some of Kenya’s highest poverty rates. This project seeks to improve the livelihoods of these communities through the development of sustainable livestock disease control strategies and marketing. The livestock donated for this project will include over 70,000 cattle, 200,000 sheep and 240,000 goats as well as donkeys for transport. Heifer International, with Heifer Netherlands, will provide technical assistance and funding.

MUDEP is implemented through a local community-based organization known as the Village Development Committee (VDC). The work of MUDEP and the VDC keys on alleviating numerous problems endemic to the area, specifically issues of food security and access to income generating activities. One of the key strategies for the program is the bulking of food security crops, which are drought and disease tolerant, on large pieces of land. This is coupled with a strong emphasis on Farmer Field Schools and the use of green manures, which help to improve farming methods and increase local production.

Community-based development in pastoral Massai communities in Narok District. Food security and livelihoods addressed through a commuity-based approach with local management, including interventions in water, education, agriculture, and health. Extensive focus on diversification of income strategies to cope with land pressure and decreasing herd sizes.

The project addresses the need for enhancing women’s employment and income, primarily among low-income women who are unlikely to access formal employment opportunities in the short term but could benefit from resources, technical inputs, knowledge, and information to improve products and market access.