USAID KENYA | ABFSF FY 2014ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT
 |
USAID KENYA | ABFSF FY 2014ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT |
disbursement of karachuonyo helb loan - 1 November 2013 – 30 October 2014
Award No: AID-623-A-12-00013
Prepared for United States Agency for International Development/Kenya
C/O American Embassy
United Nations Avenue, Gigiri
P.O. Box 629, Village Market 00621
Nairobi, Kenya
Prepared by
One Acre Fund
PO Box 482
Bungoma, Kenya, 50200
DISCLAIMER
CONTENTS
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii
II. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS (Qualitative Impact) 1
III. ACTIVITY PROGRESS (Quantitative Impact) 5
IV. CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 25
V. PERFORMANCE MONITORING 25
VI. PROGRESS ON GENDER STRATEGY 25
VII. PROGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING 26
VIII. PROGRESS ON LINKS TO OTHER USAID PROGRAMS 26
IX. PROGRESS ON LINKS WITH GOK AGENCIES 27
X. PROGRESS ON USAID FORWARD 27
XI. SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT STRATEGY 27
XII. GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE (if applicable) 28
XIII. SUBSEQUENT QUARTER’S WORK PLAN 28
XIV. GPS INFORMATION 29
ANNEXES & ATTACHMENTS (MAXIMUM 10 PAGES) 31
Annex I: Schedule of Future Events 31
Attachment 1: Success Stories………………………………………………………...………………32
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ABFSF Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers Program
AOR Agreement Officer Representative
EMMP Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan
GL Group Leader
GOK Government of Kenya
FO Field Officer
HQ Headquarters
HR 1 High Rainfall 1 (USAID Geographical Location)
KARI Kenya Agriculture Research Institute
KAVES Kenya Agriculture Value Chains Enterprise
KEPHIS Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services
KHCP Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project
KMDP Kenya Maize Development Program
MLND Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease
PERSUAP Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safe User Action Plan
PMEP Performance Management and Evaluation Plan
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG United States Government
I. ASSET-BASED FINANCING FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS PROGRAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Qualitative Impact
The Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers Program (ABFSF) was designed to change the circumstances that are causing smallholder farmers in Kenya to under-produce staple crops, to facilitate the expansion of One Acre Fund’s model, and to increase smallholder farmers’ access to financing through the provision of credit and high quality seed and fertilizer within the HR 1 region. In addition to this, the program was designed to develop linkages for smallholder farmers to seed and fertilizer firms such as Western Seed; provide them with technical assistance through a network of trained field officers; and assist them with group formation for aggregating surplus production. The period of performance for this annual report is November 1, 2013 to October 31, 2014 and covers the entire 2014 planting season.
This year we served 80,494 clients, successfully delivering high quality seed and fertilizer prior to the rains starting in March. Of the total clients we enrolled, 48,595 were new clients for the 2014 season, of which 30,129 were female members (62 percent). We distributed $4.602 million in new loans to these clients, including $2.761 million to our female clients. We had an extremely successful end to repayment for the 2014 season, ending at 100% repayment of loans. This is an indication of strong customer service provided by ABFSF.
Throughout the course of the 2014 planting season, we provided a series of improved planting and harvesting trainings for a variety of crops (maize, millet, sorghum, beans, and sukuma wiki), fertilizer and top dress application trainings, and pest and crop disease mitigation trainings. We also conducted post-harvest support, and held a crop storage campaign to encourage farmers to store their crops through the peak hunger season. We analyzed the self-reported results of our 2013 storage campaign, and 91 percent of our operational areas reported farmers changing their storage behavior due to the campaign.
We have completed hiring and onboarding of new field officers and group leaders for the 2015 planting season, and client recruitment is underway. We are currently hosting enrollment meetings in the villages where we work, which allows farmers to speak with an ABFSF field officer, ask questions about the program, and sign an initial contract for enrollment. We are experiencing very strong interest from smallholders in our areas of work.
Quantitative Impact
The ABFSFprogram positively affected crop sales andplanting and storage behavior for smallholder farmers within the HR 1 region. Specifically, we had an estimated impact of $988,042 in new sales and 3,448 metric tons of new maize sold; $1.275 million in new sales and 2,004 metric tons of new millet sold; and $335,110 in new sales and 679 metric tons of new sorghum sold.One hundred percent of registered farmers used improved planting techniques and over 84 percent of farmersreported a mild to no hunger season through improved storage of grains. Overall, we exceeded most of our targets and we were able to ensure that our farm families were food secure.
Constraints and Opportunities
Prior to the 2013 planting season, we noticed the spread of a crop disease called Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND). Due to this, we conducted an intensive campaign to educate our farmers on alternative crops and the benefits of crop diversification so that farmers would not be fully reliant on one crop for a source of income and to improve their overall food security. We worked closely with our Agreement Officer Representative (AOR), to identify alternative products to offer within our loan package and determined to offer millet, sorghum and sweet potatoes in 2013.
In 2014, we chose to continue offering the diversified crop package to our farmers due to a continued risk of MLND and a continued focus on a diverse diet. This year, we offered millet, sorghum, and certified beans. We also provided a small increase in maize offerings and small amounts of MLND tolerant seeds. Throughout the season, our field officers tracked MLND identification, reporting suspected cases through weekly Key Performance Indicators and following up with lab tests. Approximately 22% of our sites have experienced some level of MLND presence in 2014. However, we are confident that our diversified crop bundle will protect most of our farmers from major crop loss.
As a result of our learnings, in 2015 One Acre Fund will offer a general crop package which is maize-based with the option to add millet, sorghum and/or beans. In four districts where MLND remains a significant risk, we will offer a MLND Resistance Package which includes sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes, a vegetable variety pack, and the option to add a small amount of MLND-tolerant maize seed. All ABFSF farmers will receive collard seeds, tree seeds, fertilizer and top dress, crop and funeral insurance, post-harvest technologies, and will have the option to purchase a solar lamp.
Subsequent Quarter’s Work Plan
There is no deviation from the approved annual work plan. In the next quarter, we will continue to enroll farmers in the program and finalize contract signing for the 2015 planting season. Group leaders and field officers will assist in forming farmer groups and will begin to collect pre-payment of loans, which is an initial sign of commitment from enrolled farmers. We will also work with various seed and fertilizer companies to procure farm inputs for the season as we prepare for input delivery, beginning in January.
II. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS (QUALITATIVE IMPACT)
Field Officer and Group Leader On-Boarding and Staff Capacity Building
We successfully on-boarded nearly 200 new field officers at the end of 2013, in preparation for the 2014 planting season. New field officers were trained on how to provide the best customer service, market the loan package, deal with challenging situations in the field, develop capacity of group leaders, and conduct land evaluations. Following field officer onboarding, we provided training to over 8,000 volunteer group leaders on how to form farmer groups, develop a group constitution, assign roles and responsibilities, establish the internal group collateral form, and ensure timely repayment.
Throughout the year, we provided several trainings designed to build the capacity of our local staff team, from volunteer group leaders to headquarters staff to field directors. See Exit Strategy & Sustainability section below for a description of all courses offered in 2014.
Enrollment and Pre-Payment of Loans
Our 2014 base crop package contained ¼ acre of maize and ¼ acre of millet or sorghum, along with tree seeds, sukuma wiki, beans, chlorine, funeral insurance, and drought insurance. 80,494 clients signed loan contracts at the beginning of the year, and just over 60 percent of these were female members.Each farmer group developed a group constitution that outlined theirgoverning rules, purpose,and the rights and responsibilities of the members. The group constitutions are agreed upon and enforced by all the members, and reviewed by program staff.
In order to qualify for a loan,farmerswere required to pay KSH 1,000 prior to input delivery as pre-payment to be eligible for their core package loan. Farmers who opted for top-up products (e.g. additional crops, solar lights) were required to pay KSH 2,000 as pre-payment. By requiring a pre-payment, we ensured that farmers were invested in the program and committed to following through.
Land Evaluation
At the beginning of the planting season, our field officers conducted land evaluations to ensure that our farmers would be able to have a good harvest. The land evaluation enabled us to: 1) ensure that the loan amount the farmer signed up for was appropriate; 2) review the quality of the land to ensure that it was ready for planting and advise farmers on land preparation; and 3) confirm proximity of land with other group members, as group members tend to help each other out during the planting season.
Funeral Insurance Enrollment
As part of the loan package, all ABFSF farmers are entitled to funeral insurance. During enrollment, we shared with farmers that the purpose of the funeral insurance policy is to help cover funeral expenses in case of the death of an ABFSF participant. All costs of the funeral insurance are covered within the loan package, so there are no additional expenses to the farmer or his/her family.
Input Delivery
This year, we successfully delivered high quality fertilizer and seeds to a total of 80,494 farm families in the HR 1 region by partnering with several seed companies, fertilizer suppliers and truck companies. We engaged six different truck companies, housed our inputs in five warehouses, and developed a system of loading trucks and delivering inputs daily.In order to ensure that we delivered the correct input types and quantities to each farmer, the field team worked closely with the logistics department to develop and implement several checklists to ensure that the exact quantity, plus a buffer, was loaded into each truck.
This year we created “truck kits” that contained all the essential items that field officers needed to prepare their sites for input delivery. Input delivery locations were chosen based on proximity to farmer groups, suitability for refresher agricultural trainings, and available space to unload and safely store the inputs until the farmers received them. In addition to building in multiple levels of quality control steps throughout the process, we established a customer service hotline for farmers to call if there were any issues.
Solar Lights
Solar lights offer immense economic and educational benefits to our clients, as farm families are able to reduce kerosene, battery, and cell phone charging expenses, while their children can study for longer and in better conditions. This year, 32,570 ABFSF farmers (representing about 40% of our members) purchased a Sun King Pro II solar light, an updated model which is 50% brighter, runs for six hours longer, and has other improved features over the previous model.
Planting Trainings: Maize, Sorghum, Finger Millet and Certified Beans
With the arrival of the rains in early March, ABFSF farmer groups began planting their farm inputs. Field staff facilitated trainings on proper planting techniques for maize, beans, millet and sorghum before farm inputs were delivered to the field. In the weeks following input delivery, lessons were reiterated with interactive demonstrations.
Sukuma Wiki (Collards)
Farmers were trained on the nutritional benefits of sukuma wiki – which effectively supplements a traditional grain-heavy diet – and were provided with knowledge about how sukuma can be used as an income-generating crop. In April 2014, each farmer received 25g of seeds divided into 3 sachets. Farmers were instructed to plant the seeds in seed beds at three intervals throughout the year, and then transplant them into their fields.
Germination Monitoring
ABFSF monitors germination rates once our farmers have planted in order to catch germination issues early on and quickly determine the cause. Since we encourage our farmers to plant nurseries, we work with them in transplanting any plants that are not doing well with plants from the nursery. This ensures that the plant can still take advantage of the fertilizer that is currently in the soil. Additionally, if there is an issue with the seeds, we work with the seed providers to provide new seeds to our farmers.
Top Dress Training
In April we delivered top dress inputs and training to all our farmers. Top dress fertilizer (CAN) was delivered to members, and training was provided on proper weeding and gapping techniques, timing of application, appropriate quantities to use for each plant, as well as placement of the top dress fertilizer to ensure maximum uptake.
Pest and Disease Mitigation Training
ABFSF teaches farmers how to identify the most common pests and diseases that affect maize, sorghum, millet, beans, and sukuma crops. We teach methods for preventing and treating these diseases and pests in order to prevent harvest loss. The techniques outlined in our PERSUAP and EMMP have informed these trainings, and we focus on techniques that do not require chemical spraying.
Crop Harvest Training
Our crop harvest trainings consist of strategies to identify when the crops are ready to harvest, improved harvesting techniques, and crop storage preparation. This season, field officers provided hands-on, interactive crop harvest trainings for maize, sorghum, millet and bean crops. Our trainings teach farmers about each step of the process necessary for a strong harvest, including: harvest timing, cutting, rationing, drying, threshing, winnowing and preparation for harvest storage.
Storage Pledge Campaign
In order to influence farmer behavior and encourage farmers to store extra maize through the hunger season, we conducted a storage pledge again this year called Tatu Hadi Tatu. We encouraged farmers to store three bags of maize until March, thus helping them to get through the peak hunger season by providing special bag tags to denote which bags should to be stored until March.
Innovative Learning: Demo Plots and Crop Tools
This season, ABFSF field officers utilized “demo plots,” hosting trainings at members’ farms with healthy plants to discuss proper planting and harvesting techniques. Field officers also used creative quizzes to ensure that our farmers learned the new harvesting techniques on which they were trained.
In order to maximize training compliance and ensure proper adoption of planting techniques, we had groups elect a crop leader for each crop. Crop leaders were responsible for attending trainings to become the group expert on a specific crop, cutting and assembling the planting strings for their specific crop that were used during planting, and equipping themselves with crop planting reference cards and spacing sticks for the different crops. The picture-based crop reference cards are a condensed version of ABFSF planting techniques, translated into the local language.
Tree Campaign
Trees help prevent soil erosion on our members’ farms, provide a source of firewood and poles for building, and can be used for income generation after a few years of growth. We train our farmers on these important benefits, and this year introduced a training on the financial benefits of delayed tree harvesting. Each ABFSF farmer received 10g packets of Grevillea tree seeds and planting bags, and were trained on proper tree planting and transplanting.
Customer Service
Our Customer Engagement department continues to grow in order to serve our farmers more effectively. This year weutilized our customer care hotline, which allows farmers to call in with complaints, suggestions, or compliments including refund requests, payment record mismatch and input delivery complaints, crop-related questions, and words of thanks.
The Customer Engagement department also sends text messages to farmers with loan repayment information and ways to earn exciting incentives for early repayment. When a farmer makes a payment on her loan, she is sent a receipt via text message. These messages are translated into Swahili and local dialects by the Customer Engagement team. This year we also added text messages with reminders about planting, top dress and harvesting techniques at specific times.
Expansion
In 2014 we expanded into new sites in Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori, successfully delivering inputs and training new staff within these sites:
• Western Kenya - Busia: Within Busia we added 10 new field officers for 10 new sites, and successfully distributed inputs to and trained 6,857 farmers.
• Western Kenya – Siaya: We expanded into five new sites, split a current site to increase the number of farmers that we serve, and distributed inputs to and trained 3,372 farmers.
• Nyanza: Homa Bay& Migori:We expanded into 9 sites in Migori and 12 sites in Homa Bay. In Homa Bay we successfully distributed inputs to and trained 5,642 farmers and in Migori we successfully distributed inputs to and trained 2,362 farmers.
Repayment
We are extremely pleased to report that in September we reached 100% percent repayment for the 2014 season, exceeding our target of 95%. This strong repayment is primarily due to an increase in the use of incentives with our farmers and field staff, initiatives to encourage farmers to repay at a good pace over the course of the season, and strong customer service provided by the project.
Preparation for the 2015 Planting Season
Over the past quarter, we began preparations for the 2015 planting season. Because field-based leaders are our primary representatives to farmers and are crucial to our clients’ success, we take selection procedures for new field officers and group leaders very seriously. Field officer candidates undergo a rigorous interview process which includes an application and aptitude test, a practical assessment, team activity, one-on-one interview, and job shadowing. As a result of this process, we hired more than 800 total field officers in August. These FOs have completed an intensive onboarding process which includes training on topics such as client enrollment and group formation. Volunteer Group Leaders are recruited by Field Officers based on their natural leadership abilities and are chosen based on an application that includes basic numeracy, literacy and problem solving skills. These Group Leaders are now receiving training from Field Officers on client recruitment and marketing.
We have executed various marketing initiatives to attract potential clients for 2015. For example, we utilized “maize demo plots” during the 2014 harvest season, which are a tool for simultaneously training current clients on proper harvesting techniques, and attracting non-ABFSF farmers in the area to our program. We have learned that potential clients are much more likely to enroll when they have personally met a farmer in the program, therefore we will use some of our farmers as “replication agents” who split off from their farmer groups to create new farmer groups, recruiting their trusted neighbors and peers through word-of-mouth marketing. We are also hosting informational meetings with farmers in villages where we work to market the 2015 crop package and answer questions about joining the program.
Lessons Learned
During the program year, we learned quite a few very important lessons that we are putting into practice for the 2015 planting season:
1. Recruiting field staff from a pool of existing farmer group leaders can lead to better hires.
2. Grain storage commitment mechanisms, such as storage campaigns that include group storage pledges and "bag tags," can increase local storage and thus harvest profitability, and potentially reduce the effect of the hunger season on our farm families.
3. Changing the planting behaviors of our farmers is a challenge, but we our training and messaging on crop diversification has been well received.
4. There is a need to continue building the capacity of our field staff and group leaders to ensure sustainability and greater reach of the program. A greater investment in field managers helps to improve customer service and manage field operations smoother.
5. Crop leaders, crop planting reference cards, and planting tools assist in the adoption of multiple crop trainings for our farmers.
6. Effective coordination between our field teams and logistics team allowed for an efficient and effective distribution of multiple crop products to hundreds of sites in time for planting.
7. Crop diversification within our package is extremely valuable when dealing with changing weather patterns and diseases such as MLND.
8. Repayment incentives and bettercollection trainings for staff have made the repayment process more efficient, and have ensured excellent customer service and client protection.
III. ACTIVITY PROGRESS (QUANTITATIVE IMPACT)
Overall, our program performance was strong in 2014, as indicated by meeting or exceeding most of our quantitative targets. Below is a high level overview of the indicators:
New Farmers Enrolled—exceeded target:We enrolled 80,494 total farmers for the 2014 planting season, including 48,595 new farmers and 31,899 returning farmers. This exceeds our target of 31,000 new farmers. Of this, 62% are female and 38% are male.
Field Officer Recruitment—exceeded target: For the 2014 planting season, we hired a total of 190 new field officers, 51 percent of whom were women. Through effective recruitment, we were able to exceed our revised target of 145 new field officers. We received stronger candidates than expected and made a decision to increase the number of field officers within certain sites as our beneficiary numbers will increase next season. These new field officers are helping to better serve our program beneficiaries through high quality customer service and will be key drivers to ensure continued success in our program.
Repayment Indicator—exceeded target: Agriculture loan repayment has been completed within all geographic districts in Western and Nyanza provinces for the 2014 season, and we are pleased to report that we reached 100 percent repayment of loans, exceeding our goal of 95 percent. Since we are providing a service to our farmers, we see the repayment rate as an indication of customer satisfaction and a very important indicator of success for our program. At 100 percent repayment, we canconfidently state that our farmers are extremely satisfied with the services that we have provided to them.
Number of hectares under improved technology—exceeded target: We define new technology as the combination of the use of fertilizer, physical, management and cultural practices in the fields and do not disaggregate the data among these categories. We currently have a total of 10,156 new hectares of maize, millet, and sorghum (7,006 target) under improved technology. Overall, we exceeded our target for number of hectares of maize, millet and sorghum under improved technology.
Number of farmers or others who have applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG Assistance—exceeded target: We define new technology as the combination of the use of fertilizer, physical, management and cultural practices in the fields and do not disaggregate the data among these categories. One hundred percent (targeted 75%) of new farmers applied new technology as a result of USG assistance. This breaks out to 48,595 new farmers (targeted 23,250), of which 29,157 (targeted 12,787) are female farmers. Overall, we exceeded our target for farmers who have applied new technologies or management practices.
Value of Agricultural and Rural Loans—exceeded target: The total loans disbursed this season to new and continuing farmers totaled $7.544 Million, with $4.526 Million to female farmers and $3.108 Million to male farmers. We have provided a total of $4.602 Million in new loans ($2.883 Million target) and a total of $2.942 Million of continuing loans. Our average loan amount per farmer this year was $91.52. Overall, we exceeded the value of agriculture and rural loans target.
Number of individuals who have received USG supported short-term agriculture sector productivity or food security training—exceeded target:One hundred percent (targeted 90%) of our total farmers (80,494 farmers) received USG supported agricultural training. This breaks out to 48,595 new farmers (targeted 27,900), of which 29,157 (targeted 23,760) were female farmers, and 31,899 are continuing farmers. Overall, we achieved our target percentage and number of farmers who received agricultural and food security training.
Percent of farmers who store maize locally for future sales—exceeded target: We are pleased to report that a total of 91 percent of our farmers stored maize locally for future sales, exceeding our target of 75 percent. This can be attributed to our storage campaign and trainings, and increased crop yields.
Maize: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF implementation:
• Sales—exceeded target: Analysis of our 2013 Maize Storage Study indicated strong maize sales even with a reduction of total maize planted due to a diversified crop package. Due to the program interventions, farmers were able to plant their land with high quality inputs and therefore increase their yield on the land planted. The value of incremental sales at the household level was $31.52 compared to a projection of $22.77. We estimate that the program contributed a total of $988,042 in new maize sales in the local market in the HR 1 region (exceeding our goal of $705,939) and $846,421 in continuing sales.
• Metric Ton—exceeded target:Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in farmers’ volume of maize as well. Due to this, the value of incremental volume at the household level was .11 metric ton compared to a projected .06 metric ton. We estimate that the program contributed a total of 3,448 metric tons in new maize sales in the local market in the HR 1 region (1,820 targeted) and 2,952 metric tons in continuing sales.
Millet: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF implementation:
• Sales—exceeded target:Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated strong millet sales as farmers were able to plant more land with high quality inputs and therefore increase their yield on the land planted. The value of incremental sales at the household level was $63.65 compared to a projection of $35.59, as millet was more popular with our farmers than anticipated. We estimate that the program contributed to a total of $1.275 Million of total new millet sales in the local market in the HR 1 region, exceeding our goal of $622,781.
• Metric Ton—exceeded target:Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in farmers’ volume of millet. The value of incremental volume at the household level was .10 metric ton compared to a projected .08 metric ton. We estimate that the program contributed a total of 2,004 metric tons of new millet salesin the HR 1 region (1,460 targeted).
Sorghum: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF implementation:
• Sales—below target:Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that the program contributed a total of $335,110 in new sorghum sales in the local market in the HR 1 region, falling just short of our goal of $336,872 in new sales. This is due to the fact that the value of incremental sales at the household level was $24.69 which was below our projection of $44.92, as sorghum was less popular with farmers than anticipated.
• Metric Ton—below target: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that the value of incremental volume sales at the household level was .05 metric ton, below our projection of .12 metric ton. We estimate that the program contributed a total of 679 metric tons in new sorghum sales in the HR 1 region markets, falling short of our goal of 869 metric tons.
Gross Margin per unit of land of Maize—exceeded target:We achieved $854 gross margin/hectare against our target of $369 gross margin/hectare. Due to the threat of MLND in 2013, we significantly reduced this target. However, farmers did not experience the anticipated level of MLND impact and an increase in gross margin was experienced. Furthermore, analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in local market prices for maize from the previous year ($32.91 per 90 kg bag vs $39.76).
Gross Margin per unit of land of Millet—exceeded target:We achieved $982 gross margin/hectare against our target of $643 gross margin/hectare. Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that this significant increase in farmers’ gross margin was due to higher harvests for millet than projected and steady market prices for millet.
Gross Margin per unit of land of Sorghum—exceeded target:We achieved $877 gross margin/hectare against our target of $589 gross margin/hectare. Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that this significant increase in farmers’ gross margin was due to higher harvests for sorghum than projected and steady market prices for sorghum.
Prevalence of households with moderate to severe hunger—exceeded target:Eighty-four percent of our client base reported that they experienced a mild to no hunger season due to the program intervention, compared to 61 percent last year and thus surpassing our target of 60 percent.
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TABLE 1: NUMBER OF NEW FARMERS ENROLLED
INDICATOR TITLE: Number of new farmers enrolled
INDICATOR NUMBER: Custom
UNIT
Number (Farmers) DISAGGREGATE BY: Gender; New and Continuing
Results:We enrolled 80,494 total farmers for the 2014 planting season, including 48,595 new farmers and 31,899 returning farmers. This exceeds our target of 31,000 new farmers. Of this, 62% are female and 38% are male.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
W M W M W M W M W M W M W M W M
Total New 0 0 0 0 48,000 32,316 31,000 48,595 31,000 110,000
New 0 0 0 0 19,370 12,946 30,129 18,466
Continuing 0 0 0 0 19,777 12,122
TABLE 2: NUMBER OF NEW STAFF WHO BECOME FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF ONE ACRE FUND
INDICATOR TITLE: Number of new staff who become full-time employees of One Acre Fund
INDICATOR NUMBER: Custom
UNIT
Number
(New Staff) DISAGGREGATE BY: Geographic Location; Gender
Results: We hired 190 new field officers for the 2014 planting season, exceeding our goal of 145 new field officers. Just over 50% of the new field officers are female.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
W M W M W M W M W M W M W M W M
Total 0 0 0 0 200 94 137 145 96 94 220 565
Chwele 0 0 0 0 12 14 6 5
Webuye 0 0 0 0 7 4 3 16
Lugari 0 0 0 0 14 26 8 18
Butere & Siaya 0 0 0 0 14 20 9 5
Bungoma 0 0 0 0 5 5 2 3
Ranchuonyo 0 0 0 0 9 7 7 10
Busia 0 0 0 0 6 8 12 6
Homa Bay & Migori 0 0 0 0 4 3 15 6
Other 0 0 0 0 23 50 34 25
TABLE 3: NUMBER OF HECTARES UNDER IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY OR MANAGEMENT POLICIES AS A RESULT OF USG ASSSISTANCE
INDICATOR TITLE: Number of Hectares under Improved Technology or Management Policies as a result of USG Assistance
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1.2 / 4.5.2-2
UNIT
Number (Hectares) DISAGGREGATE BY:New and Continuing hectares; combined physical, chemical, management and cultural practices in one as they are all used on the land; per the definition it states: If hectares are under more than one significant improvement, only select the most important in order to avoid double counting; so we will place all of our info under Physical
Results: In the 2014 planting season, we had a total of 10,156 new hectares of maize, millet, and sorghum (7,006 target) under improved technology. Overall, we exceeded our target for number of hectares under improved technology.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New (Physical) 13,584 7,303 7,006 10,156 8,773 29,363
Continuing (Physical) 0 6,765
TABLE 4: NUMBER OF FARMERS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE APPLIED NEW TECHNOLOGIES OR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AS A RESULT OF USG ASSISTANCE
INDICATOR TITLE: Number of Farmers and others who have applied new technologies or management practices as a result of USG Assistance
INDICATOR NUMBER: 4.5.2-5
UNIT
Number (Farmers) DISAGGREGATE BY: Gender; New and Continuing. We only work with farmers, and we introduce improved physical, chemical, management and cultural practices at the same time.
Results:One hundred percent (targeted 75%) of our farmers applied new technology as a result of USG assistance. This breaks out to 48,595 new farmers (targeted 23,250), of which 29,157 (targeted 12,787) are female farmers. Overall, we exceeded the percentage and total number of farmers who have applied new technologies or management practices.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
W M W M W M W M W M W M W M W M
Total New 0 0 0 0 36,000 32,316 23,250 48,595 23,250 82,500
New 0 0 0 0 19,800 16,200 19,370 12,946 12,787 10,463 29,157 19,438
Continuing 0 0 0 0 19,139 12,760
TABLE 5: PERCENT OF FARMERS WHO SUCCESSFULLY REPAY THEIR LOANS
INDICATOR TITLE: Percent of Farmers who successfully repay their loans
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2.4 / 4.5.2-29
UNIT
Percent DISAGGREGATE BY: Geographic Location
Results: For the 2014 planting season, we achieved 100% repayment across all our districts, exceeding our target of 95% average repayment. We see this as a very important impact indicator for our program as repayment directly correlates with farmer satisfaction in the services we are providing them.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Total 0 0 95% 99% 95% 100% 95% 95%
Chwele 0 0 99% 100%
Webuye 0 0 100% 100%
Lugari 0 0 97% 100%
Butere 0 0 100% 100%
Bungoma 0 0 100% 100%
Ranchuonyo 0 0 99% 100%
Other 0 0 99% 100%
TABLE 6: VALUE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL LOANS
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Agriculture and Rural Loans
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2.4 / 4.5.2-29
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars in Millions) DISAGGREGATE BY:Gender; New and Continuing
Results:The total new loans disbursed totaled $4.604 Million ($2.883 Million target), with $2.761 Million to female farmers and $1.841 Million to male farmers. In addition, we provided $2.942 Million in continuing loans. Our average loan amount per farmer this year was $91.52. Overall, we exceeded the value of agriculture and rural loans target.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
W M W M W M W M W M W M W M W M
Total New 0 0 0 0 $4.284 M $3.017 M $2.883 M $4.602 M $2.883 M $10.050 M
New 0 0 0 0 $2.356 $1.923 $1.840 $1.177 $1.586 $1.287 $2.761 $1.841
Continuing 0 0 0 0 $1.568 $1.002 $1.765 $1.177
TABLE 7: NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE RECEIVED USG SUPPORTED SHORT-TERM AGRICULTURE SECTOR PRODUCTIVITY OR FOOD SECURITY TRAINING
INDICATOR TITLE: Number of Individuals who have received USG supported short-term agriculture sector productivity or food security training
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1.1 / 4.5.2-6
UNIT
Number (Individuals) DISAGGREGATE BY:Gender only, as we only work with farmers
Results:One hundred percent (targeted 90%) of our total farmers (80,494 farmers) received agricultural training, which is held weekly throughout the planting season. This breaks out to 48,595 new farmers (targeted 27,900), of which 29,157 (targeted 15,345) were female farmers, and 31,899 are continuing farmers (19,139 female farmers). Overall, we achieved our target percentage and number of farmers who received agricultural and food security training.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
W M W M W M W M W M W M W M W M
Total New 0 0 0 0 43,200 32,316 27,900 48,595 27,900 99,000
New 0 0 0 0 23,760 19,440 19,370 12,946 15,345 12,555 29,157 19,438
Continuing 0 0 0 0 19,139 12,760
TABLE 8: PERCENT OF FARMERS WHO STORE MAIZE LOCALLY FOR FUTURE SALES
INDICATOR TITLE: Percent of farmers who store maize locally for future sales
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Percent DISAGGREGATE BY:N/A – Data is taken from a random sample of farmers within all districts
Results: We had a total of 91 percent (targeted 75%) of our farmers who stored maize locally for future sales, exceeding our target for this indicator. This can be attributed to the storage campaign, increased harvest yields, and storage trainings we provided to our farmers.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Total 0 0 75% 86% 75% 91% 75% 75%
TABLE 9: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (MAIZE – SALES)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (MAIZE - SALES)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 CropStudy indicated strong maize sales even with a reduction of total maize planted due to a diversified crop package. The value of incremental sales at the household level was $31.52 compared to a projection of $22.77. We estimate that the program contributed a total of $988,042in new maize sales in the local market in the HR 1 region (exceeding our goal of $705,939),and $846,421 in continuing sales.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 $4.320 M $5.250 M $705,939 $988,042 $705,939 $5.732 M
Continuing $846,421
TABLE 10: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (MAIZE – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (MAIZE – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number (Metric Tons) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in farmers’ volume as they were able to plant more, with high quality inputs and therefore increased their yield on the land planted. Due to this, the value of incremental volume at the household level was .11 metric ton compared to a projected .06 metric ton. We estimate that the program contributed to a total of 3,448 metric tons of new maize sales in the local market in the HR 1 region (compared to 1,820 targeted) and 2,952 metric tons sold by continuing farmers.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 10,560 MT 14,219 MT 1,820 MT 3,448 MT 1,820 MT
Continuing 2,953 MT
TABLE 11: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (MILLET – SALES)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (MILLET- SALES)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated strong millet sales as farmers were able to plant more land with high quality inputs and therefore increase their yield on the land planted. The value of incremental sales at the household level was $63.65 compared to a projection of $35.59. We estimate that the program contributed to a total of $1.275 Million of total new millet sales in the local market in the HR 1 region, exceeding our goal of $622,781.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 N/A N/A $622,781 $1.275 M $622,781 $1.246 M
Continuing
TABLE 12: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (MILLET – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (MILLET – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number (Metric Tons) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in farmers’ volume as they were able to plant more millet with high quality inputs and therefore increased their yield on the land planted. Due to this, the value of incremental volume at the household level was .10 metric ton compared to a projected .08 metric ton. We estimate that the program contributed to a total of 2,004metric tons of new millet sales in the local market in the HR 1 region (compared to 1,460 targeted).
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 N/A N/A 1,460 MT 2,004 MT 1,460 MT 2,920 MT
Continuing
TABLE 13: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (SORGHUM – SALES)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (SORGHUM- SALES)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that the value of incremental sales at the household level was $24.69which is below our projection of $44.92. We estimate that the program contributed to a total of $335,110 of total new maize sales in the local market in the HR 1 region, falling just short of our goal of $336,872 in new sales.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 N/A N/A $336,872 $335,110 $336,872 $673,744
Continuing
TABLE 14: VALUE OF INCREMENTAL SALES (COLLECTED AT FARM-LEVEL) ATTRIBUTED TO FTF IMPLEMENTATION (SORGHUM – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR TITLE: Value of Incremental Sales (collected at farm-level) attributed to FtF Implementation (SORGHUM – METRIC TON)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 2 / 4.5.2-23
UNIT
Number (Metric Tons) DISAGGREGATE BY: New and Continuing
Results: Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that the value of incremental volume sales at the household level was .05 metric tons which is below our projection of .12 metric tons. We estimate that the program contributed a total of 679 metric tons in new maize sales in the HR 1 region markets, falling short of our goal of 869 MT in new sales.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
New 0 0 N/A N/A 869 MT 679 MT 869 MT 1,738 MT
Continuing
TABLE 15: GROSS MARGIN PER UNIT OF LAND (MAIZE)
INDICATOR TITLE: Gross Margin per Unit of Land (MAIZE)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1 / 4.5-4
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars) DISAGGREGATE BY:We capture data at the household level, so we donot disaggregate between genders
Results: We achieved $854 gross margin/hectare against our target of $369 gross margin/hectare. Due to the threat of MLND in 2013, we significantly reduced this target. However, farmers did not experience the anticipated level of MLND impact and an increase in gross margin was experienced. Furthermore, analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated an increase in local market prices for maize from the previous year ($32.91 per 90 kg bag vs $39.76).
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Total 0 0 $750 $824.40 $369 $854 $369
Area (Hectare) 0.38 0.06
Avg. Quality of Sales (USD/90 KG bag) $32.91 $39.76
TABLE 16: GROSS MARGIN PER UNIT OF LAND (MILLET)
INDICATOR TITLE: Gross Margin per Unit of Land (MILLET)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1 / 4.5-4
UNIT
Number
(US Dollar) DISAGGREGATE BY:We capture data at the household level, so we donot disaggregate between genders
Results: We achieved $1,278 gross margin/hectare against our target of $643 gross margin/hectare. Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that this significant increase in farmers’ gross margin was due to higher harvests for millet than projected and steady market prices for millet.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Total 0 0 N/A N/A $643 $982 $643
Area (Hectare) 0.061
Avg. Quality of Sales (USD/90 KG bag) $75.35
TABLE 17: GROSS MARGIN PER UNIT OF LAND (SORGHUM)
INDICATOR TITLE: Gross Margin per Unit of Land (SORGHUM)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1 / 4.5-4
UNIT
Number
(US Dollars) DISAGGREGATE BY:We capture data at the household level, so we donot disaggregate between genders
Results: We achieved $877 gross margin/hectare against our target of $589 gross margin/hectare. Analysis of our 2013 Crop Study indicated that this significant increase in farmers’ gross margin was due to higher harvests for sorghum than projected and steady market prices for sorghum.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Total 0 0 N/A N/A $589 $877 $589
Area (Hectare) 0.024
Avg. Quality of Sales (USD/90 KG bag) $56.63
TABLE 18: PREVALENCE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE HUNGER (MILD TO NO HUNGER)
INDICATOR TITLE: Prevalence of households with moderate to severe hunger (mild to no hunger)
INDICATOR NUMBER: IR 1 / 4.5-4
UNIT
Percent DISAGGREGATE BY:Mild to No and Moderate to Severe. We capture data at the household level, so we do not disaggregate between genders.
Results: Eighty four percent of our client base reported that they experienced a mild to no hunger season due to the program intervention. Given this, we had about 16 percent of our farmers that still experienced a moderate to severe hunger season.
Additional Criteria
If other criteria are important, add lines for setting targets and tracking Baseline Results Achieved Prior Periods FY 2013 Target FY 2014 Target FY 2015 Target End of Activity Target
Achieved Target Achieved Target Achieved Target Target
Mild to No Hunger Season 0 0 60% 61% 60% 84% 60% 60%
Moderate to Severe Hunger Season 0 0 40% 39% 40% 16% 40% 40%
IV. CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
ABFSF had an extremely successful year, with farmers experiencing increased yields, reducing their annual “hunger season” and repaying their loans at 100%. However, we did face a few challenges during the reporting period, each of which has been effectively addressed:
At the beginning of the planting season we discovered that we had received bad seed for one maize variety we offer. We responded immediately by providing new seed to the farmers who received the bad seed, resulting in unexpected costs. However, we were able to cover these costs with funding from non-USG sources. Because we supplied new seed in a timely manner, we do not expect the affected farmers to experience any significant impacts on farm yields.
We have continued to monitor the presence of MLND in Kenya, in order to mitigate its risk to our clients. Throughout the season, our field officers tracked MLND identification, reporting suspected cases through weekly Key Performance Indicators and following up with lab tests. Approximately 22% of our sites in Kenya have experienced some level of MLND presence. However, we are confident that our diversified crop bundle will protect most of our farmers from major crop loss.
Finally, some of the areas where we work experienced the presence of finger millet blast, a crop disease that has the potential to affect yield. As we did with MLND, our crop response teams have identified cases and collected samples for lab testing, which will allow us to learn more about the disease. In our subsequent report, we will be able to share more about potential impacts. However, because of our diversified crop package, we do not anticipate that finger millet blast will substantially alter our farmers’ total income from the program.
V. PERFORMANCE MONITORING
Throughout the course of the season, our field program teams and monitoring & evaluation teams tracked dozens ofKey Performance Indicators (KPIs) each week, including enrollment numbers, attendance at group trainings,crops planted, adoption of ABFSF farmingpractices, storage practices, and presence of crop disease, among others. Our robust KPI dashboard enabled ABFSF staff to identify issues or challenges in real-time, and then immediatelywork to course-correct. For example, if KPIs show a drop in attendance or planting compliance for a specific sub-district in a givenweek, we immediately work with staff in that area to identify the root cause and address it.
In order to capture impact measurement and crop yields at harvest time, ABFSF evaluates the harvests of at least one thousand Kenyan farmers to measure the difference in farm income between test and control farmers in a given crop season. "Test farmers" are randomly selected from our customer roster. "Control farmers" are newly-enrolled clients that have not yet planted with us, therefore forming a highly similar control group that minimizes selection bias.We physically weigh harvests and calculate the weighted average market price a farmer would receive for their crops using published local market prices.
ABFSF is committed to providing excellent customer service to farmers which ensures strong program performance. We do this by providing high quality farm inputs, improved trainings, and maintaining a commitment to empower our members which builds loyalty and trust with our farmer base.
VI. PROGRESS ON GENDER STRATEGY
ABFSF seeks to meet the needs of both male and female smallholders, particularly those who experience exclusion from financial institutions due to their rural location or gender. Currently, just over 60% of our clientele are female and we work to ensure the project is gender sensitive. For instance, our trainings address women's lower average education levels bydelivering all farm education through verbal, interactive, and pictorial methods, and through encouraging group activity, which is oftenmore culturally acceptable than women undertaking activities independently. We also actively recruit female staff to make up for thegender imbalance among local leaders and to ensure our staff are aware of the special challenges women farmers face. Over40% of all our field staff in Kenya are women, a proportion that has steadily increased over the project period and well exceeds average employment ratios in our areas.Finally, by putting inputs and credit directly into women farmers' hands, wehelp ensure women become more active decision-makers in their households. An external evaluation of our Kenya programfound that the most common use of excess income from the program is on school fees for their children, consistent withwomen's greater economic empowerment.
VII. PROGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING
The project’s environmental mitigation and monitoring strategies continue to operate as intended, in accordance with our EMMP and PERSUAP. After harvesting training, farmers receive training on how to generate a large pile of organic matterto improve the overall health of their soil. We focus on land intensification rather than clearing additional farm land for cultivation. In other words, increased productivity ofexisting land with the project means that the farmers do not need to clear additional land to grow more food.We also train our farmer on microdosing of chemical fertilizer, which maximizes plant uptake is maximized and minimizes environmental leakage.
ABFSF teaches farmers how to mitigate the most common pests and diseases that affect their crops. Our PERSUAP and EMMP have informed these trainings, and we focus on techniques that do not require chemical spraying. Two of the safest and most effective methods include: 1) weeding crops frequently and at the appropriate times, which prevents pests from breeding and hiding, and disease from spreading; and 2) removing plants that show signs of damage from disease or pests immediately to prevent infection of healthy plants. Furthermore, we provide guidance on how to prevent specific diseases and pests from harming crops. For example, to prevent red-billed Quelea birds from eating sorghum and millet seeds, farmers are shown how to tie simple reflectors and noise makers to their stalks made from household items which scare birds away.
The project team trains our farmers on proper application of Actellic Super Dust during the GrainStorage Training using methods outlined in our PERSUAP and EMMP.Clients are trained on the following: proper applicationto increase the chance of controlling thepest/disease problem without need for a repeatapplication; constructing a mixing site with awaste disposal system that is far from waterbodies; providing for safe storage of pesticides and application equipment; and applying pesticides a good distance from the home in a safe environment. Furthermore, farmers use protective tools when applying the pesticide, such as gloves and masks.
VIII. PROGRESS ON LINKS TO OTHER USAID PROGRAMS
Kenya Feed the Future Innovation Engine: This year wehad several positive meetings with the KFIE team. The Innovation Engine is investing in innovators that are providing private-sector oriented innovations in agriculture and nutrition. In particular, we discussed some of their innovators that are focusing on low-cost soil testing and market price information, and we had conversations about ways of improving planting trainings and market access. We would like to collaborate with them regarding the soil testing innovations and possibly mFarm.
Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project: We have been in touch with the project staff of the KHCP project to discuss the nutrition training that they have provided to their beneficiaries, and they supplied us with their training material.
Kenya Agriculture Value Chains Enterprise (KAVES): We have been in ongoing conversations with the KAVES project on areas of collaboration. Going forward, we will continue to talk with them about their work with the Maize Value Chain.
Farm Inputs Promotions (FIPS) Africa: We continue to share resources on MLND mitigation and messaging for smallholder farmers with FIPS Africa.
IX. PROGRESS ON LINKS WITH GOK AGENCIES
Strong local government relations remains a primary focus for ABFSF, especially now that devolution has begun to take effect in Kenya. This year we distributed reports outlining our field activities and plans to key local government contacts in the counties of Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya, Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Vihiga, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, and Tranz Nzoia. We were also heavily involved in the Agricultural Sector Development Support Program (ASDSP), particularly in the counties where we are on the steering committee – Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Siaya, Kisii, and Nyamira. Interactions with other committee members produced fruitful relationships for networking and information-sharing, and we remain committed to helping ensure the success of ASDSP.
At the beginning of the 2014 planting season, we solicited feedback from local government officials to understand their priorities for each county. We received a variety of excellent feedback, all of which was taken into consideration within the 2014 season. Key topics included soil testing, feedback on our 2014 crop package, praise for our customer care desk, and increasing mechanization among smallholders.
In February, March and April, we held a series of input delivery visits for Ministry of Agriculture officials. The objective of these visits was to give government stakeholders an opportunity to see the inputs we deliver and learn more about the way we serves farmers. Visits were held in Kisii, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Busia. Guests in attendance included county chief agriculture officers, county directors of agriculture, ASDSP county coordinators, sub-county agriculture officers, and ward agricultural extension officers.
In parts of Kisii and Nyamira counties this year, MLND has been identified by some farmers as the cause of notable crop failure. This year we gathered data on affected areas and report this to the relevant county and sub-county officials. Further, we harmonized advice to farmers with government contacts in the affected counties and gave immediate guidance to our clients.
We were honored to host the Agriculture Secretary for a field visit in Wagai, Siaya County in September. Local ministry of agriculture staff from Siaya County, Gem Sub-County, and Ugunja Sub-County were also present for a day of farmer testimonials and agricultural trainings.
X. PROGRESS ON USAID FORWARD
Please see update below in section XI. Sustainability and Exit Strategy.
XI. SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT STRATEGY
Part of our strategy to develop sustainability, show progress towards USAID Forward, and provide an exit strategy is to develop internal resources to manage the field operations. We are doing this by continuously investing in local staff development at all levels of our operations. This year, ABFSF provided several trainings designed to build the capacity of our local staff team:
• Group Leader University: ABFSF facilitated a group leader curriculum to build capacity amongst our volunteer group leaders to manage their farmer groups. ‘Group Leader University’is a month long training course that uses practical, hands-on activities to teach microfinance, agriculture, and community organizing skills. This year, we spent additional time on financial planning and community organizing in response to group leader feedback.
• Field Officer Advanced Leadership Course:This year we conducted a FO Advanced Leadership Course with 34 field officers from all operational areas. The course contained a combination of hard and soft management skills to prepare our field officers to become the next field leaders. Certified trainers, from our certified training program, led courses on conflict management, financial management, clear communication, and cash compliance.
• Certified Trainer Program: Our certified trainer program, or “train the trainer,” teaches field managers how to improve their own training techniques. Upon completion, the new Certified Trainers led monthly staff development trainings and led an FO Advanced Leadership Course.
• Fast Track Program: ABFSF provided a “fast track” program to prepare high performing field manager level staff for placement in advanced field-based leadership roles within the project. Specialized courses in problem solving, critical thinking, computer skills, mentorship, financial and work planning, and Key Performance Indicators were offered.
• New Leaders HQ Program (previously “Department Development Course”): Our New Leaders HQ course providedour headquarters staff with a range of skill training from work planning to clear communication to conflict resolution. This year, each set of trainings was tailored to the needs of each HQ department.
• Field Director Development Course: Our field director course providedsenior field staff with training on specific technical and management skills such as performance management and software programs.
XII. GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE (IF APPLICABLE)
Not applicable.
XIII. SUBSEQUENT QUARTER’S WORK PLAN
There is no deviation from the approved annual work plan. In the next quarter, we will continue to enroll farmers in the program and finalize contract signing for the 2015 planting season. Group leaders and field officers will assist in forming farmer groups and will begin to collect pre-payment of loans, which is an initial sign of commitment from enrolled farmers. We will also work with various seed and fertilizer companies to procure farm inputs for the season as we prepare for input delivery, beginning in January.
Planned Actions Actual Status Explanations for Deviations
Enrollment for 2015 season begins (October 2014) We have begun enrollment, and we are hosting farmer enrollment meetings in the areas where we work N/A
Contract signing complete (November 2014) Client contract signing has already begun, and we will complete contract signing in November as planned N/A
Loan pre-payment for 2015 season begins (November 2014) Loan pre-payment will begin as planned in November N/A
Group constitutions complete (December 2014) Group constitutions will be completed and signed by each farmer group in December N/A
Farm training begins (January 2015) In January we will begin farmer training on the topics of land preparation and soil erosion N/A
XIV. GPS INFORMATION
TABLE 20: GPS INFORMATION
Implementing Mechanism/
Activity
Task ActivityName Implementing Partner Sub-Awardee Amount Start Date End Date Nationwide? Location Admin 1(County) Longitude Latitude Precision Code Admin 2(Constituency) Admin 3(Location) Admin 4(Sub location) Admin 5(Town/Village)
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province Bungoma N/A N/A N/A Bumula, Kabuchai, Kanduyi, Kimilili, Mt Elgon, Sirisia
Tongaren, Webuye East, Webuye West N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province Busia N/A N/A N/A Butula, Funyula, Matayos, Nambale, Teso North, Teso South N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province Kakamega N/A N/A N/A Butere, Ikolomani,, Khwisero, Likuyani
Lugari, Lurambi, Malava, Matungu. Mumias East, Mumias West, Navakholo
Shinyalu N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province Siaya N/A N/A N/A Alego Usonga,
Gem, Ugunja N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province Vihiga N/A N/A N/A Emuhaya, Hamisi,
Sabatia N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Nyanza Province Homa Bay N/A N/A N/A Homa Bay Town, Kabondo Kasipul, Karachuonyo
Kasipul, Ndhiwa
Rangwe N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Nyanza Province Migori N/A N/A N/A Awendo, Rongo, Suna East, Suna West, Uriri N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Farm Input Delivery Farm Input Delivery One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Nyanza Province Nyamira N/A N/A N/A Kitutu Masaba, North Mugirango, West Mugirango N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province (Member farms) Bungoma N/A N/A N/A Bumula, Kabuchai, Kanduyi, Kimilili, Mt Elgon, Sirisia
Tongaren, Webuye East, Webuye West N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province (Member farms) Busia N/A N/A N/A Butula, Funyula, Matayos, Nambale, Teso North, Teso South N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province (Member farms) Kakamega N/A N/A N/A Butere, Ikolomani,, Khwisero, Likuyani
Lugari, Lurambi, Malava, Matungu. Mumias East, Mumias West, Navakholo
Shinyalu N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province (Member farms) Siaya N/A N/A N/A Alego Usonga,
Gem, Ugunja N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Western Province (Member farms) Vihiga N/A N/A N/A Emuhaya, Hamisi,
Sabatia N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Nyanza Province (Member farms) Homa Bay N/A N/A N/A Homa Bay Town, Kabondo Kasipul, Karachuonyo
Kasipul, Ndhiwa
Rangwe N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 N Nyanza Province
(Member farms) Migori N/A N/A N/A Awendo, Rongo, Suna East, Suna West, Uriri N/A N/A N/A
ABFSF Participant Training Crop planting, harvesting & post-harvest technology One Acre Fund N/A N/A 4/16/2012 4/15/2015 Nyanza Province (Member farms) Nyamira N/A N/A N/A Kitutu Masaba, North Mugirango, West Mugirango N/A N/A N/A
Annex I: Schedule of Future Events
N/A – In the coming quarter, ABFSF staff will prepare for the 2015 planting season. During this time, several administrative tasks are scheduled, such as onboarding of staff and recruiting clients. However, we have no applicable events (e.g. participant trainings, ceremonies or conferences) scheduled in the coming quarter.
ATTACHMENT 1: SUCCESS STORIES
Q1 2014 – Using Harvest to Buy Livestock
Anna is a farmer with the Asset-Based for Smallholder Program in Western Kenya. This past season, due to the trainings provided by the program on crop diversification and food security, Anna decided to plant ¼ acre of millet, ⅛ acre of maize, and ⅛ acre of beans and sweet potatoes.
Anna was hesitant to plant millet, because the maximum harvest she ever achieved was 20 KG’s, or 10 gorros. Due to the improved training that she received in the program, she was able to harvest 1 ½ bags, or 135 kilograms, from the ¼ acre of millet she planted. From the ⅛ acre of land where she planted maize, she was able to harvest 1 ½ bags, or 135 kilograms. On the remaining ⅛ acre where she planted beans and orange fleshed sweet potatoes, to date she has harvested 30kgs of beans and she has been harvesting her sweet potatoes since November.
Anna, just like the other farmers in the program, attributes the increase in her millet and maize yields to access to high quality inputs and improved farming practices that she learned through the program. In particular, Anna cites failure to properly apply fertilizer and apply too many seeds as the reasons why she achieved poor maize and millet harvests in the past. She, however, learned from the program how to properly apply the correct quantity of fertilizer and seed, and that planting in rows helps to improve her harvest significantly.
Due to the increased harvest of both maize and millet and her participation in the program, Anna’s family no longer experiences a hunger season. “The year I joined the program I did not buy any food from the market for the first time. Previously my harvest would sustain me for only two months before I was back again to buying food from the market,” Anna says.
This past season, due to her strong millet harvest, Anna was able to sell 30 gorros of millet, about 60 kilograms, for 150 KSH each. With her profits, she was about to buy two goats at 1,500 KSH each and three chickens at 300 KSH each. She decided to buy the goats and chickens because they mature quickly and she would start to enjoy their benefits after a short period of time. Anna plans to rear the goats until she has enough to sell some of them to buy a cow or two. This will enable her to access milk from the cows, which she can use for her family and sell the excess in the market. She plans to rear the chickens for their eggs, which she can feed to her family and sell the excess for income. Using the improved storage practices that she learned from program’s training, she stored the rest of her millet, maize, beans, and sweet potatoes, and intends to use them for food for her family. Anna is like the other farmers within the program; as they increase their yields, they are able to add additional assets, such as livestock, that help them to break the hunger season cycle and provide them with supplemental means of income.
“The program does not sell us inputs, they sell us their brains at a very cheap price. This is because apart from delivering us with inputs, they teach us modern methods of planting, weeding and harvesting absolutely free,” Anna says. “They even teach us how to spend wisely so as to improve our living standards.”
Anna has re-enrolled with the program for the 2014 season to receive inputs for ½ acre of maize and ¼ acre of millet.
“I hope to have a successful season this year. With all the farming knowledge I’ve learnt over time, I’m confident I can double the yields I achieved last year to make this the best year ever.”
Q2 2014 – Diversifying Income through Solar
Sorting through an assortment of items in a drawer, Agatha’s fingers create a rustling sound similar to the scratching of a hen. She is searching for something but struggles to find it at first. Finally, she lifts a Nokia 6210 charging cord from the drawer and attaches it to a phone she holds. This phone charger means a lot to her; it will provide her with income today.
A few feet away, a customer stands patiently, waiting to hear the magical word “sawa,” which means “okay” in Swahili and will indicate the customer’s phone is now charging. Although Agatha doesn’t know it, her exact actions are being repeated in a different home, by another woman, 100 kilometers away.
Agatha and another woman, Rebecca, are from the Kakamega and Teso districts in Kenya. How these two farmers manage to charge phones in houses that do not have electricity seems a mystery—but their secret is not as complicated as many would think.
Like many participants of the Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers program, Agatha and Rebecca purchased Sun King Pro solar lamps on credit this year—however, Agatha and Rebecca found an additional use for their lamps. They not only use their lamps to light their houses at night, but they also use their lamps to earn money through charging neighbors’ cell phones.
The Sun King Pro has a built-in plug that allows owners to also charge phones with the power the light generates and stores from the sun.
Using the lamps to earn money was not an idea either of these women had when they first received the lights. Instead, the idea occurred to each of them later, in unexpected circumstances.
“When the lamp was supplied to us, my youngest daughter was sick, and so to make her feel better, I told her that the lamp could be hers. My neighbor and I were in the habit of charging our phones on a daily basis, but then one day, my daughter stood firm and told us that to charge using ‘her lamp,’ we had to pay her money,” Agatha laughs. “Having to pay my daughter for the service did not bother me because, in the end, she would use the money to buy food for the family.”
Rebecca’s experience was slightly different. Rebecca used to only charge her and her husband’s phones with her Sun King Pro until her neighbors started requesting that she charge their phones as well.
Soon, Rebecca’s neighbors started competing against each other, seeing who could arrive at her house earliest to charge their phones. Some even started offering small amounts of money for her to prioritize their phones over others. Eventually, it occurred to Rebecca that charging a set fee on a first-come-first-serve basis was the only way to keep the phone charging fair.
While Agatha and her neighbor would pay 10 Ksh to her daughter to fully charge their phones, Rebecca set her rate at 15 Ksh for the service to her neighbors. Both women’s fees are less than what their local markets charge for such a service. With their newfound incomes, both women decided the best way they could use the money was to pay for their loans.
Agatha’s daughter was helping her mom save at least 20 Ksh everyday, so at the end of the week, Agatha had 140 Ksh to pay toward her loan. Rebecca, on the other hand, saved up to 210 Ksh in most weeks.“This year I was very happy because, for the first time ever, I was the first person in my group to clear my loan,” Rebecca says.
Constant power blackouts and loss of phone batteries in the two villages have allowed Agatha’s and Rebecca’s businesses to boom over time. Charging at local markets carries a risk of the phones being returned not fully charged, or worse, the batteries being stolen. Agatha and Rebecca therefore compete with the markets by offering reliability and security to their customers.
“It is custom for you to take your phone to the market to charge it but realize later that the battery was exchanged for another one that cannot last for a full day after charging. They do this to make you charge your phone every day, so the charging stations can continue making profits. People prefer my home because they can trust me with their phones,” Agatha says. Agatha’s words are echoed by Rebecca 100 kilometers away.
“My phone charging business thrives from the power blackouts in this area because my lamp doesn’t need electricity. I receive at least four phones for charging on days when there is no electricity. Some customers even go to the extent of paying me in advance as a way of ensuring I don’t refuse their phones,” Rebecca says.
The income from the solar lamps not only helped the two women pay off their loans but has also allowed each of them to improve their children’s lives.
Agatha will now be able to keep a promise she made to her eldest daughter who will be joining high school next year. Agatha promised that as long as she works hard in school this year, she can attend boarding school next year. Boarding school offers the chance of a better education but costs significantly more than a public high school.
“I have been saving money from my lamp that I will use to pay for her fees since I want to keep my promise if she achieves good grades,” Agatha says.
Similarly, Rebecca has dedicated some of her money to buying school supplies for her children.
“I’ve had a satisfying feeling as a mother this year when I look at my children dressed decently in proper school uniforms. I’m now able to afford buying new uniforms when the old ones get torn. I can also provide pens, books and other requirements with ease now because I have the money to do so,” Rebecca says.
Both farmers say they plan to increase the number of solar lamps they own in future so they can expand their businesses.
Q2 2014 - From Farmer to Field Officer in Busia, Kenya
Rose began as a farmer with USAID’s Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers (ABFSF) program in the Busia District of western Kenya in 2012. Together, she and her husband have five children.
Before participating in ABFSF, Rose harvested about three 90kg bags of maize from a half acre of land, finding it difficult to feed her family and earn additional income to help pay for her children’s education.
After Rose’s friend encouraged her to join the program, Rose enrolled a half acre of land to grow maize. She was immediately impressed by the quality of services she received from ABFSF. That year, Rose harvested 11 bags of maize from her half acre. “I was so happy! I learned that if I followed the [ABFSF] methodology I could feed my family and become 100% food secure,” she said.
Next, ABFSF taught Rose how to store her maize harvest for several months, allowing her to sell at a higher profit. She saved three bags: the first she sold to pay for her children’s school fees, and the remaining bags she sold to buy a dairy cow, which provides her family with milk and additional income through milk sales.
Rose exemplified natural leadership skills in her first year, and she was encouraged by her local ABFSF Field Officer to become a volunteer group leader, making her responsible for mobilizing a new farmer group and collecting repayment from each member. She successfully recruited 20 new farmers, and her group was among the highest performing in the district – including the first to reach 100% loan repayment! Rose was then tasked with mentoring lower-performing group leaders and providing support to Field Officers from other districts.
As a result of her high performance, Rose was hired as a permanent Field Officer for the 2014 season to manage the successful completion of repayment and training compliance for 154 farmersin Busia. As a Field Officer, she is receiving intensive training and skill-building which will allow her to grow professionally and personally.
According to Rose, her favorite thing about being a leader with ABFSF is mentoring farmers to be as successful in farming as she is. “To teach a farmer how to go from harvesting two bags of maize to ten bags from their land, that is the best feeling.”
Rose’s eldest child recently completed secondary school and is planning to attend college, and her remaining four children are now attending school thanks to the earnings from her harvests. In the future, Rose hopes to purchase more land to grow even more food.
Rose is proud to be a Field Officer with ABFSF and looks forward to continuing her impact on farmers and work colleagues.
Q3 2014 – Planting Sorghum in Gongo, Kenya
In 2013, the planting season in Gongo, Kenya started with heavy rains. But just as quickly as the rains had arrived, they faded. Soon after, farmers in the area were facing severe drought.
Farmers in Gongo who had recently joined Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers project (ABFSF) were disappointed. They had seen how, in previous years, their neighbors’ harvests had increased after learning new planting methods. They had been anxiously awaiting the same transformation in their own fields. Janet (pictured at left), was one of these farmers.
“Last year was a hard season,” explains Janet, “The crops started well, but then there was too much sun and many of them just withered away.” Because of the drought, the maize yield during Janet’s first year working with ABFSF was actually lower than the year before. Despite that, she saw something else happening.
For the first time in years, Janet had planted sorghum – a type of grain provided by ABFSF – as well as the traditional maize. And, for the first time ever, her sorghum grew well. “Before, the sorghum would grow very tall but the harvest would still be very little. The most sorghum I had ever harvested on one acre was one bag. Last year, I harvested two bags on half an acre,” Janet explains happily.
She attributes the difference to planting methods she learned from ABFSF. “Before I used to just toss the seeds out on the land,” she explains, “I think I was using too much seed on a small portion of land. Now I have learned to make rows and to measure the fertilizer I apply.”
One of the reasons that ABFSF promotes sorghum is that it’s more resistant to drought. Compared with the more popular maize, sorghum requires around 1/3 less water and can survive longer when the rains are delayed. That means that planting sorghum alongside maize and other crops helps to mitigate risk and prepare farmers for just this sort of situation.
Without the sorghum crop, Janet and her four children would not have had enough food to feed themselves for the whole year. “By mixing the sorghum harvest into my maize,” says Janet, “I had enough food to feed my family.”
Because of Janet’s sorghum success in 2013, she chose to enroll with ABFSF again this year. This year, Gongo hasn’t experienced any unusual weather, and Janet feels confident about her crops. “I am happy,” she says with a calm smile and a nod, “my crops look strong, and my field is the first of all my neighbors to be ready to harvest. I will be the first person to have food in the area, and being first makes me feel special because others will notice!”
In the coming month, Janet expects to harvest more sorghum than she ever has in her lifetime. She estimates her half-acre of sorghum will produce close to 600 pounds of grain. “If I harvest well this season, I am confident I will have enough food.” she explains. “I’ll even have enough to sell some of my crops to pay my children’s school fees.”
With four children, Janet pays a total of 25,000 Kenyan Shillings per year in school fees. As the children get older, she expects the school fees to increase. “I hope my children will do well in school and pass their exams. I want them to have the chance to go to college, and I am up for the challenge of getting them there,” Janet says. “When I invest in my children and they succeed, then I’ll finally feel I am living the life I had dreamed of.”
Q4 2014 – Harvesting the Best Sukuma in Town
In 1826, French gastronomist, Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, wrote the famous line “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”Put simply, what we eat impacts how we live.
Nothing could be truer for East Africa’s smallholder farmers. With most days spent on their feet, working long hours of manual labor under a hot sun, getting enough food is only part of the equation. At the Asset Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers program (ABFSF), we understand that the type of food they’re eating is critical as well.
When it comes to healthy eating, farmers in Muyayi, Kenya, say they have a reason to smile. With the help of ABFSF, Jacob and his fellow farmers are feeding his village with one of the most nutritious vegetables out there: collard greens, known locally as sukuma wiki.
Every year, ABFSF offers sukuma wiki seeds to each of its farmer clients in Kenya. Since he joined ABFSF, Jacob says the seed he receives each season has helped him improve his diet and build a booming business in his village.
At the end of March, Jacob ensures a small portion of his farm is well prepared and ready for sukuma planting. Two weeks after planting in a seedbed, he transplants his seedlings to a larger plot. Only one month later, the sukuma is ready for harvesting.
Growing sukuma is ideal for Jacob’s situation. He owns a half-acre farm, and with the limited space he needs to save room for other crops. Sukuma works because it doesn’t require much space to grow.“I don’t need to own a large piece of land to plant sukuma. This is an advantage to me because I have a small farm where I plant other crops too,” Jacob says.
In the months that follow, Jacob harvests 55 pounds per week and makes the equivalent of $18 when he sells. He is able to harvest and sell from this same plot for four continuous months. After that, he starts the whole planting process over again with the remaining half of his seeds.
Jacob doesn’t only sell sukuma. He eats it too.Before he started farming it, he used to spend $0.69 every day on sukuma to feed his family—money that he now saves for other items.For the eight months each year when Jacob is harvesting sukuma, people flock to his home.
“People love my sukuma wiki because I don’t use any chemicals to boost its growth. It is all natural,” Jacob says.
Q4 2014 – How Crop Storage Changes Lives in Kenya
"Tatu hadi tatu has changed my life," Anna says.
In Kenya, the Asset Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers program’s (ABFSF) crop storage campaign is called "Tatu Hadi Tatu," meaning "three until three" in Kiswahili. This phrase is repeated to encourage farmers to save at least three sacks of grain from their August harvests until March, the third month of the following year. While much of our time is focused on training farmers on planting techniques to maximize crop productivity, it is equally important to educate them on storing and saving harvests.
In Kenya, the month of March marks the beginning of the hunger season, the time of year when farmers begin to run low on cereals saved from the previous year's harvest and a time when current crops have yet to mature. For many farmers, it’s the beginning of a long, six-month period of meal skipping and substitution.
Yet for those farmers who successfully stored and saved some of their harvests, March is also a time of opportunity: the price they can get for their maize is significantly higher. In Igemo, Kenya, the village where Anna and her six children live, selling one 199-pound sack of maize in August (when the market is flush with maize) would fetch her 1,760 Kenyan shillings ($20 USD). However, if Anne stores that sack of maize and waits until March to sell it, she'll be able get three times the amount of money for it.
This year, Anna was able to save some maize from her August harvest – keeping it safe from pests and thieves – and recently sold a sack of maize for 6,600 Ksh ($76 USD). She also kept a portion of her "tatu hadi tatu" maize to be able to feed her family until August, when her next crop of maize will be ready to harvest.
"I've crossed a bridge. I crossed from a difficult past, where my family used to sleep hungry, to a new beginning where I can feed my family the whole year," Anna says. "It feels really good."
Before Anna began participating in "tatu hadi tatu," she says her family only ate one meal a day at most during the hunger season. Now, with food in her home year-round, Anna says she's seen changes in her family."Hunger is in the past now. My children are healthier because I can cook them breakfast, lunch, and supper. All members of my family are now more playful, happier, and close together than before," Anna says.
The increased income Anna now makes when she sells her harvests has allowed her to invest in other moneymaking ventures and to pay for her children's education. Last month, Anna bought chickens and goats after selling some of her stored maize. She plans to breed and sell both as a source of additional income. "[ABFSF] reversed a trend in my life," Anna says. "Instead of selling property from my home to buy food, I now have the income to buy food and things for my home.”
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