Tailor-Made Training (TMT) on Climate-smart Agriculture for a Resilient Environment (CARE) in Kitui, Kenya

Overview
In Kenya, with a population of approximately 57 million, the situation is critical, with an estimated 10 million people at risk of starvation due to climate-related challenges. Mismanagement of water resources exacerbates Kenya's severe food insecurity problems, as seasonal rivers dry up due to poor irrigation practices. Prolonged droughts also result in the drying up of seasonal rivers, lakes, and boreholes, which in turn lead to persistent crop failures and animal deaths, leading to increased (environmental) migration from the semi-arid regions of Kenya.

One of the biggest threats to securing the food-water nexus in these arid and water-scarce regions is salinisation. In Kenya, an alarming scenario unfolds as up to 18 million hectares suffer from these salt-affected conditions, accounting for 40% of the arid and semi-arid soils in the country. Addressing the widespread issue of salt-affected land in Kenya is crucial for ensuring sustainable agricultural productivity and food security. Implementing strategic measures to mitigate salinity levels and restore soil health is vital for the long-term resilience and prosperity of the affected regions.

The nexus between food and nutrition security, water availability, and agricultural productivity is well established, making it imperative to implement innovative strategies to address the challenges of food and water security through climate change and salinisation. In response to these challenges, this training, consisting of 4 one-week modules, aimed at strengthening food, nutrition and water security in Kenya’s drought-prone areas. This was implemented through a collaborative approach that focuses on professional education and vocational training and teacher training across the nexus in multiple value chains, including saline agriculture. Climate- and water-smart agriculture and improved water governance were substantial pillars of these training.

The training initiative
The South East Kenyan University (SEKU) promotes climate-adaptive agriculture through research, training, outreach, partnerships, demonstration farms, and policy advocacy. SEKU seeks to enhance its expertise in implementing saline agriculture for climate- and water-smart practices in drought prone areas, thus tackling the food and nutrition security issue in the nexus with water for the Kenyan context.

The TMT programme was set up to support and improve the university's capabilities. By training the staff and upgrading facilities, this programme aimed to enhance the understanding and capabilities in implementing saline agriculture for climate- and water-smart practices. The TMT addressed the knowledge and skills challenges within SEKU by providing targeted training and equipping the organisation with the necessary expertise and resources.

The TMT focused on the following points:

• Saline agriculture: Training on the principles, techniques, and best practices of cultivating salt-affected crops and managing salinity issues in agriculture as a form of climate- and water-smart Farming. This includes soil, water and crop management in saline environments. Through this, SEKU can educate on climate-resilient agricultural practices, including water management, soil conservation, and adaptation strategies for changing climatic conditions.
• Sustainable partnerships and networks: Building skills in establishing and maintaining sustainable partnerships with farmers, research institutions, and experienced groups in salinity treatments to ensure long-term collaboration and knowledge sharing on for instance mapping techniques.
• Policy and Advocacy: Knowledge on advocating for policies that support climate adaptation and saline agriculture at local, regional, and national levels, and the ability to contribute to policy discussions effectively.

Useful material for participants to access the training materials please contact Kate Negacz or Janina Smaoui.

Events

Publications
Saline policy and partnerships day report

Additional resources and training materials
Knowledge portal: https://www.salineagrimap.com/knowledge-portal/

Project partners
Delphy, SEKU, The Salt Doctors and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam