Project profile — Scale-up of Conservation Agriculture in East Africa

• Kenya (33.43%)
• Tanzania (26.31%)
• Ethiopia (40.26%)

• Agricultural policy and administrative management:
Agricultural policy and administrative management (31110) (6.30%)
Agricultural land resources (31130) (27.00%)
Agricultural extension (31166) (38.00%)
Agricultural education/training (31181) (28.70%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (principal objective)
• Biodiversity (significant objective)
• Climate change mitigation (significant objective)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• Nutrition (significant objective)

This project aims to scale up the results and innovations developed by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) in conservation agriculture among the poorest farmers (men and women) in East Africa. CFGB has previously demonstrated that conservation agriculture can result in improved food security and improved livelihoods for East African smallholder farmers. Traditional practices of subsistence agriculture are characterized by a low use of inputs and high vulnerability to soil deterioration and increasingly variable climactic conditions. Conservation agriculture focuses on enhancing soil fertility, improved moisture retention and reduced soil erosion and tillage through environmentally responsible agricultural practices. In so doing, it is an effective way to improve the food security and livelihoods of the poorest farmers in East Africa. The project targets the families of 18,000 farmers (of which 40% are women-headed households) for a total of 90,000 beneficiaries in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The project is based on three core activities: 1) support to productivity through technical support services (e.g. minimum tillage, soil protection with crop residue, synergy between farming and agriculture, etc.), the establishment of groups savings and the development of links between the public and private sectors to increase capital production of farmers; 2) networking between individuals and organizations to provide information and technical assistance; and 3) political influence and awareness to incorporate conservation agriculture in broader national policy in the target countries to benefit the greatest number. The project is implemented in collaboration with the following local partners: In Ethiopia: FH Ethiopia (formerly Food for the Hungry Ethiopia), Migbare Senay Children and Family Support Organization, Terepeza Development Association; In Kenya: Anglican Development Services in Mount Kenya, Central Rift and Western District, SASOL Foundation, and the Utooni Development Organizations; and in Tanzania: African Inland Church of Tanzania Diocese of Geita and Mara/Ukerewe, and the Diocese of Central Tanganyika Development Services Company.

This project’s expected results include: (1) conservation agriculture systems for smallholder farmers successfully scaled-up in focus areas; (2) civil society, government and the private sector champion and promote conservation agriculture systems for smallholder farmers; and (3) improved quality and implementation of national and regional agricultural policies and programs supporting conservation agriculture.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (September 2020) include: (1) 51,080 smallholder farming households, including 8,086 women-headed households, have an acceptable Food Consumption Score; (2) 44,184 smallholder farming households, including 7,063 women-headed households, did not use any Food Consumption Coping strategies to meet their household food needs; (3) 44,728 smallholder farming households, including 7,126 women-headed households, did not employ any Livelihood Coping Strategies to access food; (4) 37,338 smallholder farming households, including 5,377 women-headed households, have food during 12 months of the year; (5) 36,253 women in smallholder farming households, including 4,895 women-headed households, achieved a minimum dietary diversity score of at least five, and are more likely to have access to adequate micronutrient diet; (6) 54,376 smallholder farmers (of which 27,127 women) practiced in conservative agriculture (CA); (7) 61,669 farmers (of which 31,042 women) received gender-sensitive extension services and training; (8) 16,299 hectares are now under CA, with an average of 0.3 hectares per farmer; (9) 81% of farmers said they required less time for land preparation; (10) 91% of farmers said they required less time for weeding; (11) there has been a 30% improvement in soil health indicators when comparing CA plots with conventional plots; (12) 24,901 farmers (of which 19,461 women) participated in 1,056 savings groups and saved almost CAD$900,000; (13) 17,337 farmers (of which 9,851 women) participated in 545 aggregation groups and sold 7,269 MT of CA. Aggregated crops sold for 40% more than crops at the farm gate; (14) farmers reported an average net profit of CAD$7,375 from CA yields. 84% of farmers perceived they can now pay for household needs due to income from CA; (15) among the 1,512,682 farmers who listened to participatory radio campaigns on CA in Ethiopia and Tanzania, 1,212,332 experimented with CA; (16) the Tanzanian parliament has included CA in the national agricultural policy; and (17) the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture has incorporated CA in the national agriculture curriculum and its active promotion across the country.

• Proactive disclosure