As 2021 comes to a close, we are pausing to reflect on a year that has enriched our understanding of how we can support the communities we serve to be more resilient and thrive – even under difficult circumstances.  

This year began with an ongoing pandemic, requiring us to rethink our approach to our investments in Africa’s food systems. Amidst border closures and limitation of movement directives, we had to think deeply about the impact of our work on farmers, the private sector, agricultural systems, country-led development, gender inclusivity and strategic partnerships.

Our emerging results report, which covered progress in our current strategy, provided insight for our next steps by emphasizing the need to increase investment in systemic change as well as sustainability. Taking into account this information alongside the ongoing climate emergency and the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted our approach to sustain our support to smallholder farmers across our areas of operation:  in systems development, state capability and partnerships.

In the section below, you will see examples of the results of our work throughout 2021. These all contribute to our objectives of participating in the global goals of ending poverty and hunger, improving nutrition, and supporting climate adaptation and resilience.

Systems development – AGRA continues to build, with its partners, the systems that farmers need to prosper.   Improved varieties of seed are key to Africa’s food system transformation. This area has been an area of focus for AGRA’s current strategy. During our early years and in our current strategy, we have invested in training the scientists needed to transform Africa’s seed production industry. Having provided support for over 800 African scientists to obtain post-graduate degrees in the last decade, building hundreds of indigenous seed companies, in 2021 we went a step further to launch the first Center of Excellence for Seed Systems in Africa (CESSA) to champion the development of quality seed of improved varieties on the continent. CESSA will convene seed actors to help fill gaps and build the capacities of scientists, developing varieties that respond to the needs of farmers in Sub Saharan Africa. The Center will begin operations in 2022, supporting governments, the private sector and development partners to deliver modern, effective and resilient seed systems that serve African farmers better.

• Women and youth– Recognizing the important role that women and youth play in Africa’s food systems, in 2021 we created more opportunities to support women and youth smallholder farmers and agripreneurs.
  • Our continental initiative aimed at strengthening women’s agribusiness enterprises, VALUE4HER grew nearly 100%. At year end, over 2,000 women-owned agribusinesses from 39 African countries have registered on the platform. These businesses have annual turnover of between US$20,000 and US$100,000. Engagement on the platform grew by nearly 400% in 2021. This growth in engagement is crucial, as VALUE4HER is a platform not only where women benefit from training to hone their business skills, but   the platform connects women agripreneurs to leverage their success and learn from each other.
  • At AGRA we celebrate innovation! AGRA’s youth-focused partnership Generation Africa continued its engagements through the GoGettazz Agripreneur prize and Pitch Agrihack, which saw 12 youth-led agripreneurs win US165,000 to advance their businesses.  In 2021, winning businesses included a community-focused, socially conscious avocado processing and manufacturing company, and a business that uses solar powered cold rooms to  reduce post-slaughter loss throughout East Africa’s livestock value chain.
• Leadership training for agriculture ministries – We launched the Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA), which is supporting countries and agriculture sector leaders to deliver on national priorities in African agriculture and nutrition security. CALA is targeting training 160 officials in African agriculture ministries over the next three years.
• Access to finance –The AGRF Agribusiness Dealroom, an investment mobilization and match-making platform, continued its role of bridging the US$23 billion financing gap in Africa’s agricultural sector, by linking 4,000 government officials, investors and entrepreneurs from 89 countries to an investment pipeline worth USD 5.1b.  Outside the Dealroom, the AGRF Summit, which was attended by 8,300 participants, reported over US$12.5 billion in planned funding within the next nine years to support programs that will transform value chains in dairy and rice as well as new initiatives to support entrepreneurship, renewable energy, and innovation.
• Building resilient food systems – With climate change and other shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic posing great risks to Africa’s food security, we engaged extensively with leaders and partners at the global level, at the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) and COP26, seeking solutions that will make Africa’s food systems resilient.
  • Notably, we actively participated in the preparation of the Africa Common Position, which outlined the continent’s priorities at the UNFSS in New York. Africa’s position on climate change requires, among other things, the mobilization of additional financial resources to Africa for climate friendly technologies to address both the urgent adaptation and mitigation needs of the continent.
  • And in November, we contributed greatly to discussions at and around COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, where we shared Africa’s concerns and priorities in the quest for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Looking ahead

We have come to the end of our five-year strategy and what a journey it has been! Next year, 2022, will be a transition period during which we will review and showcase the outcomes of our investments since 2017, as we prepare for another five-year strategy period of driving inclusive agricultural transformation plans. AGRA will target more tightly its work for impact, and build stronger partnerships and alliances to drive the development of agriculture  and food systems across the continent.

During this period, we will also strengthen our institutional and technical capacities to strengthen AGRA’s position as the go-to institution supporting the development and scaling of Inclusive Agricultural Transformation (IAT) tools, technologies and models. We are anchoring our ambition on accelerating momentum towards the achievement of the Malabo targets by leveraging the partnerships that magnify our impact.

Food systems is an opportunity for transformation in food and agriculture!   We will build off our collaboration in 2021 to secure new commitments to the CAADP processes, targeting hunger and poverty, boosting intra-African trade, enhancing resilience to climate variability, securing investments in agriculture and promoting mutual accountability to actions and results within our various partnerships.  

Happy Holidays!

During this challenging year, I have reflected often on an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. It is in this spirit of transforming agriculture and ending hunger – together! – that I wish to thank all of you for your active engagement in the journey towards our IAT goals amidst the complexities of 2021. We could not have done it without you!

On this note, we at AGRA wish you a very joyful holiday season, and as we move into 2022, our hope is that we continue to come together and continue to support each other to end hunger on the continent  – for people,  for planet for prosperity!

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Agnes Kalibata

What started as a merry go round, with each of the 15 members of Cheptarit Star Women group in Mosoriot, Mosop Division contributing Sh2000 monthly for one of them to invest in smallholder production of beans in Nandi County has transformed into a real enterprise with an operating capital of Sh40 million.

Today, the group has grown from just pulling resources together for cultivation of beans as alternative source of revenue to the regional market, where they now buy tons of maize and beans from cooperatives in Kenya and Uganda to feed thousands of school going children in Kenya.

“Our journey started in 2009, through which one member of our group would get a total of Sh30,000 for investment in any small business,” said Josephine Bungei, the group secretary. “By the year 2014, we had covered all the 15 households and the entire team has decided to invest in bean farming, apart from three members who dropped off along the way,” she said.

It was at this point that they decided to register the group as a self help women group under the ministry of culture and social services. Through advice from the East Africa Grain Council, they started aggregating their produce every season for collective marketing.

This was the game changer for the team, because by the year 2016, they met Mary’s Meals Kenya (MMK), a charity organisation that operates a primary school feeding and early childhood development programme in Kenya.

“We signed a contract with MMK, to supply two schools with maize and beans every month for a start,” said Bungei. “Each school would receive 20 (50Kg) bags of beans and 40 bags of maize,” she said.

The first batch was easy because at their aggregation centre in Mosoriot, they had sufficient stock. But after payment, they would go to the market especially in Trans Nzoia and Mt Elgon regions to buy beans, and maize from local farmers every month.

After a few months of steady supply, MMK added them six more schools, and by the end of 2016, they had a total of 10 schools in Uasain Gishu with a capital base of Sh600,000. Through the year 2017, they had increased their supply to 22 schools, and in 2018, they were added three more schools in Nyamira and Kisii Counties.

There was more growth to their enterprise in 2019, when MMK gave them another contract to supply maize and beans to 392 schools in Turkana County. “This was almost like a toll order. But since we had links with another organisation known as Kilimo Trust, they linked us to cooperatives in parts of the country, and in Uganda from where we were able to source sufficient quantities,” said the Secretary.

The organisation (Kilimo Trust) has been implementing a project known as Regional East African Community Trade in Staples Phase (REACTS), which supports smallholder farming households and value chain actors in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya to take advantage of structured national, regional and opportunistic international markets for agricultural produce. The initiative is supported by AGRA..

“Through these linkages, we have been able to import so much tons of beans particularly from Uganda to meet our demand, which today stands at 415 schools,” said Bungei.

However, the expanded market presented a new challenge – finance. “It is unfortunate that no commercial bank is willing to give us a loan because we are not a limited company, and maybe we are all women,” said the secretary.

“We have had to rely on shylocks for financing, with some of them asking as much as 30 percent interest per month, to be able to raise enough money,” she said.

So far, it is only their banking partner that has extended to them an overdraft facility, which enables them collect an extra Sh4 million. “We believe that one day we will get rid of the shylocks and become fully independent,” said Bungei.

“The biggest problem has always been the border barriers, which sometimes delays clearance of our cereals,” said Irene Samoei, the group’s chairlady.

To cut down on operational costs, the group has embraced on-line business where they place orders in such operatives like in Uganda and the commodity is delivered without necessarily being present at the site.

“Last month alone, we imported 300 tonnes of beans from Uganda worth Sh2.1 million and paid Sh1.2 million for hired trucks to transport the commodity to schools in Turkana,” said Ms Bungei.

According to Kilimo Trust Country team leader Antony Mugambi, partnership with the women group has empowered them expanded their investment in terms of quality and quantity.

“We have negotiated businesses links with 30 cooperatives in Uganda to enable the group attain steady supply of beans,” said Mr Mugambi adding that doing business online has helped the group to expand their market scope.

A group that started with six employees in 2016 when they started supplying to schools has now advanced to 43 employees, 22 men and 21 women.

According to East Africa Cross border trade bulletin, 59,000 metric tonnes were traded in the second quarter of 2021.

Kenya is usually a structural deficit to dry bean with Uganda and Tanzania accounting for 82 and 14 percent of the exports respectively.

Reports by Eastern Africa Grains Markets and Trade-Ratin, dry beans prices are expected to trend seasonally but will remain above 5 year averages due to increased domestic and regional demand coupled with reduced production due to heavy rainfalls last year that reduced carryover stocks.

Komboka rice to put in check cheap imports that thrive on the name of pishori variety Kenya imports hundreds of thousands tons of cheap rice particularly from Asian countries, and according to rice business experts, most of it find its way to cereal shops where it is sold at premium prices in the name of ‘Pure’ Mwea Pishori. “Many people buy rice from different stores, and some of them get it from Mwea, thinking that they are buying pure Mwea Pishori,” said Antony Waweru, the CEO, Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society, which brings together over 700 rice farmers in the area. “The truth is that a very small population consumes pure pishori, while most of Kenyans are fed on cheaply imported rice, but blended with small portions of Mwea pishori just to give it the desired aroma,” he said. Pishori is a rice variety officially known as basmati, and whose origin is pakistan. In Kenya, it grows well in Mwea, Kirinyaga County.

Rice lovers say that Mwea pishori rice is the best quality ever in the country based on its natural sweet taste and the unique delicate aroma. It’s long grains and a fact that the grains do not stick together after cooking makes it a recipe for the royals, many times served on the high table while the lower cadres are fed on other varieties. “It is the most sought after rice variety, making it more expensive than other varieties,” said Waweru. “It is due to the high prices that unscrupulous traders blend it with cheaper imports so as to introduce the aroma, thereby deceiving unsuspecting customers,” he told the Seeds of Gold. However, despite the high demand, pishori is a late maturing rice variety and yields far less than other varieties, hence increasing the gap for the demand.

To fill this gap, the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), the County Government of Kirinyaga, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and Kilimo Trust have joined hands to introduce a new variety known as komboka, which has most of the characteristics of pishori, but mature 15 days earlier than pishori, and with higher yields.

The organisations came together deliberately through a project known as Competitive African Rice Initiative in East Africa (CARI-EA) with financial support from AGRA, whose aim is to enable locally produced rice in East Africa to competitively substitute the current over Sh30 billion worth of rice imports to the East Africa Common Market. “Komboka is the game changer,” said Gabriel Ochieng from Kilimo Trust. “The variety which was locally developed by KALRO plant breeders has higher number of tillers, uniform crop stand, even in maturity, aromatic almost like pishori, higher yields, easy to thresh, longer panicles, less affected by diseases such as Blast, appealing grain type, early-maturing, good plant height and no lodged hills.

According to James Waweru Ngure, a smallholder farmer from Wamumu section in Mwea Scheme, the variety yields twice as much as pishori. “Komboka matures with the pinnacles facing down, thus protecting itself from attack by pests like quelea-quelea birds, which are a big problem in this area,” said the farmer. With its long grains, Ngure says that it competes effectively with imported rice. “It comes with its original aroma, and therefore you do not need to mix it with pishori,” said the farmer. According to Waweru, komboka yields four to five tons per acre, which is far higher than pishori, which yields between two and 2.5 tons with good agronomic practices.

According to a report by AfricaRice, rice has now become the fastest growing food staple across the continent. “Since the early 1970s rice is the number one source of calories intake in many parts of Africa and comes third after maize and cassava on the continent,” reads part of the report. However, most countries in the Sub Saharan Africa region still import rice from Thailand, India, and Pakistan among other Asian countries. “It is unacceptable that 80 percent of Kenya’s rice is imported, when we have all the potential to produce it here,” said Dr Florence Wambugu, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Harvest during a past event in Nairobi. The Komboka variety has already been introduced in other schemes within Nyanza region and Bunyala in Weastern Kenya. “Since it is high yielding and fast maturing, its price is far lesser than Pishori, which makes it an effective competitor with cheap imports,” said Ochieng’ of Kilimo Trust.

On the slopes of Mukuuri hilly terrain in Embu County, opposite the ancient Kirimiri forest, Doris Mwende Mugendi reaches out for her mobile phone to find out when it is likely going to rain specifically in this village, what kind of seeds and farm inputs are recommended for this short rainy season, and also to know if there are any predicted pests and crop diseases that are likely going to strike any time soon.

“This village based agricultural information is now available on our mobile phones free of charge,” said the 28 year old farmer who grows different types of crops on a one acre piece of land.

The platform known as AgriBot is a digital agricultural extension service developed by Microsoft and rolled out by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) through collaboration with county governments of Kiambu and Embu.

“When this technology was developed and introduced for the first time in Kiambu County, the main aim was to enable smallholder farmers who use feature phones also known as kabambe access the important information in a language they understand,” said Angela Njoki, a Content Developer working for Microsoft.

“However, with time, the AgriBot has been improved so that farmers with smart phones can access it through whatsapp and telegram, where they can watch and download videos that demonstrate good agronomic practices in a local language,” she said.

At the point of registration, the farmer dials a common code ‘40139’ on feature phone, and if they have a smart phone, then they can save the number ‘0758 318 589’. The farmer then sends the word ‘MENU’ to the code in case of the feature phones, or the same to the whatsapp number.

“These services come without any cost particularly for feature phone users. But for smart phones, the farmer may incur the cost of normal bundles used to access whatsapp in case they are not in a WiFi hotspot,” said Njoki.

The farmer is then prompted with a message to select the suitable language, followed by another message asking for personal information such the name, the age and gender. This is followed by further prompts seeking for the location from the county level to the village of interest to the farmer.

According to Njoki, Microsoft has already collaborated with AGRA, county governments and other implementing partners to collect basic information specific to different villages across the two counties.

Messages related to something like weather forecast are updated every day, while others such as particular seed varieties to be planted in those villages or the recommended farm inputs are updated every season.

In Mukuuri Village for example, the bot has specific crop information about maize, climbing beans, pigeon peas, bush beans, and soybeans because these are the most thriving crops in this village, which is different from other neigbouring villages.

Beyond the identified crops, the bot provides information on how to make and use manure and other good agronomic practices, about fall army worms, weather forecast, locust reporting, contacts to nearest certified agrodealers in the area, and also about crop insurance.

On this day for example, Mugendi in Mukuuri village was interested in climbing beans. After a few steps, she prompted the bot about land preparation and spacing. “Prepare rows at a spacing of 60 cm and dig planting holes within the rows at a spacing of 10 cm,” read the message that appeared after the prompt.

She further went on to find the best recommended varieties and the respond was “Here is a list of certified climbing bean seed varieties suitable for your area; MAC 64-Mavuno, MAC 34-Tamu, MAC 13-Safi.”

She went on to find about the weather and she was asked by the bot to pick the timeline, being today, tomorrow, next three days and next five days.

After choosing the fourth option of five days, she learned that there were only going to be light rains, not suitable for planting.

The bot has an option for a farmer to send feedback to the management team.

Through the AgriBot, Village Based Advisors (VBAs) are now using it to send important messages to hundreds of farmers just by a click of a button at no cost.  

The VBAs is a concept developed by AGRA, and it has been implemented in many counties across the country. Typically, a VBA is an elite smallholder farmer in a particular village who has been trained to train villagers on good agronomic practices, identification of the right farm inputs and seeds, and they are lead sellers of the certified seeds and farm inputs to village farmers where they earn a commission.

VBAs are also linked to county government agricultural officers so that they can report any new paste of disease in their respective villages, and also report back to the villagers any new development in the agricultural sector.

“Before we got this tool, it was difficult to reach out to several farmers because it could mean that I buy airtime, and start calling or sending messages to each one of them,” said Elizabeth Ng’endo, a VBA who mans a number of villages in Gatundu North. “Thanks to the AgriBot, I can even advertise other products I need to sell, or do the same for any farmer with just a click of a button,” said the farmer who is also practicing poultry keeping and dairy farming.

According to Nixon Mageka Gecheo, AGRA’s ICT expert, the tool has come to fill the gap of the ratio of extension officers, which stands at one officer to 5000 farmers, which has been far higher than the recommended ratio of one officer serving 400 farmers.

“With the bot in place, farmers have been able to make critical decisions on what seed variety to plant and how to do it in a good agronomic way. This has seen yields improve in the trial phase,” said Gecheo.

According to Patric Njeru, the Head of Crop Development in Embu County, the impact is so huge because it is now easy to reach out to thousands of farmers in the shortest time possible.

“We hope to keep improving it so that it has market information and if possible, VBAs are asking if we can make it possible to communicate with a target group so that the same message is not sent to everyone, including those who do not need it,” said Njoki. 

So far, over 50,000 farmers from Kiambu and Embu Counties are already accessing the services on daily basis, according to the Microsoft database.

President Samia Suluhu’s reaffirmation at COP26 that Tanzania is fully committed to mitigating the effects of adverse climate change across all key sectors (including agriculture) is very commendable. President Samia addressed the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), at  Glasgow, Scotland, in the UK. 

It is great news for over 22,407,487 smallholder crop growers, over  4.5 million pastoralists households, and thousands of fisherfolks and foresters in Tanzania. 

She called for global powers, who have the largest culpability in climate change, to do their part in climate change financing for low-income nations, including Tanzania, to meet mitigation goals across all key sectors. 

At Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Tanzania, we greatly appreciate the President’s commitment. Implementing global, regional, and national climate change mitigation goals is vital for driving sustainable food systems critical for our nation’s well-being in terms of food security and agriculture exports.

Tanzania’s people are its greatest asset, followed by its natural resources, which need conservation and protection from climate change hazards. We have the agriculture and water sectors at the centre stage, vital for most of the populace’s food security and income generations.  

Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries make up about  30% of gross domestic product.  Unfortunately, according to President Samia, unless global and local climate change mitigations are implemented, the 30% contribution to GDP may not be sustainable. Yet our dear motherland has dedicated over 48 million hectares to forest conservation, and at times we still experience unpredictable floods and droughts. 

At AGRA, we know that a drop in rainfall leads to drought; it does not take long to tip millions into poverty who depend on rain-fed agriculture. We are aware of the growing population that puts pressure on the available natural resources. 

The effects include climate change.  Since 2006 when AGRA started supporting agriculture development activities in Tanzania, it has always been our priority to ensure climate change mitigation for the benefit of smallholder farmers.

One of the approaches we have used has been promoting appropriate agriculture technologies for increased crop productivity for smallholder farmers as a mitigating  measure against climate change 

Low productivity often means farmers need vast pieces of land to make ends meet, often extending cultivation to fragile ecosystems, which increases risks of climate change.  At AGRA, we have worked with the government, private sector, and development partners to promote appropriate agriculture practices that increase crop yield.  

Between 2017 and 2020, collaborative investments by AGRA and its implementing partners in select Regions of Western Tanzania have seen increased productivity in maize (230%), beans (100%), and rice (67%), all-important staple crops in Tanzania. Thanks to improved seeds, fertilizers, and general education on best farming practices, including climate mitigation, it has been possible.

Another approach we have been using is advocating and promoting availability of technology for smallholder farmers to adopt best agriculture practices. 

AGRA has supported the development and commercialization of improved seed varieties, some of the drought-tolerant, in collaboration with public and private organisations.  Working with business services providers, AGRA has provided training to smallholder farmers on soil health, planting, use of fertilizers, and post-harvest management of crops. We introduced novel postharvest storage technology, which has been adopted by over a million farmers in Tanzania and directly helps to mitigate climate change.   

The storage technology is designed to store produce for a long time and dramatically reduces post-harvest losses, naturally, without using chemicals.

At AGRA, we see agricultural development as the most critical driver for poverty reduction in Africa. There is evidence that GDP growth originating in agriculture often is between 2 to 4 times more effective in raising incomes of the poor than GDP growth created outside the sector.  As we continue supporting the industry, climate change will continue to be a priority area.

The author is Vianey Rweyendela, the Tanzania Country Manager, AGRA – Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa

The 2021 Climate Convention in Glasgow came at a critical time, with the world recovering from the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic — and a threatening rise in global warming.

As the summit started at the end of October, global temperatures were already ranging between 1.1 and 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This means we’re dangerously close to the 2-degree Celsius threshold identified by scientists and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In such a scenario, heat extremes will reach critical tolerance thresholds for both agriculture and health.

For example, longer dry spells mean reduced agriculture yields and increased incidents of pests and diseases that not only harm plants, but humans as well. Other consequences include more prevalent droughts and floods, as well as increased sea level rises and cyclones, as recently seen in Mozambique.

COP 26 presented a crucial opportunity for world leaders to make the urgent resolutions needed to contain global warming temperatures under the 1.5 degrees C established by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

As the summit came to a close, many of us in low- and middle-income countries have been digging through the Glasgow Climate Pact to understand what the commitments made actually mean for us — individually and as a collective.

In addition to the pact, the climate summit included critical pledges and promises around halting deforestation and increasing financial flows to help us, as a collective, get going on our adaptation agendas.

This year, unlike previously, agriculture and food systems were discussed in the negotiations. Even though these issues did not make it into the final, agreed text, it’s an important step in future negotiations and actions for a just transition of our food systems.

Increasing financing for adaptation

Adaptation and resilience remain high on the list of priorities for Africa’s climate and development agenda. As in previous COPs, finance for adaptation continued to be a key discussion point for African countries.

At the 2009 COP in Copenhagen, high-income countries promised to channel $100 billion a year to less wealthy nations by 2020 to help them adapt to climate change. Yet, these pledges have yet to be met — reaching only $80 billion in 2019.

In this regard, the Glasgow Pact made significant inroads in resolving this shortfall with an unprecedented target to double the funding to be provided to LMICs for adaptation by 2025. Even though this represents a huge boost for adaptation, it still falls short of the $100 billion target.

For Africa, this means we need to continue to mobilize financing from domestic resources and create innovative financing vehicles that will attract private money for adaptation. One example is the issuance of green bonds that can help mobilize funding for adaptation and resilience.

The continent has the human and natural resources needed to slow-down and reverse climate warming. All it takes now is for the continent’s leaders to seize the moment and lead the way.

We have seen that such innovative financing mechanisms can work if we de-risk our financial and economic systems to attract private investments. Other financing possibilities lie in innovations such as carbon trading taxes and the creation of a “loss and damage” fund for high-income countries to “compensate” less wealthy countries for being the main historical drivers of climate change.

Africa, and other LMICs, need to keep these discussions alive to ensure a better deal in future negotiations. This means keeping this agenda alive in individual countries, and at regional and continental levels.

Restoration key for meeting climate goals

Even though COP 26 did not lead to a global goal on adaptation, some progress was made with the launch of the two-year Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheik work programme on adaptation. Delegates also recognized the critical role that the restoration of nature plays in the adaptation agenda.

For Africa, agricultural activities take center stage in operationalizing key agreements in the pact. A deliberate focus on nature stewardship and restoration is crucial for meeting the continent’s development aspirations, and its ability to cope with and survive the climate crisis.

Through these renewed and increased commitments to adaptation, there is a great opportunity for sustained recovery and growth through nature, and particularly for soil, restoration, and conservation.

Africa recognizes that the transformation to sustainable and regenerative agriculture requires integrated and cross-sectoral investments in agriculture and others such as public education, new technologies, and health. The Glasgow Pact and other commitments are an indication of a positive trend that we need to capitalize on to maintain the momentum we have created.

Africa leading the way

To us, the cost of inaction has far reaching and unforgiving consequences. We need to seize this moment in history, and use the increased commitments to adaptation to drive and attract further investments for building a resilient and people-centered food system that will drive development across the continent. We need bold leadership that demands inclusiveness, the effective implementation of policies and programs, as well as transparency and accountability.

Africa can no longer remain a bystander in the fight against climate change. The continent must lead in developing its own capacities to cope with climate change, and invest in its ecological assets by utilizing the scientific knowledge that is now available.

As the common saying goes, “never let a good crisis go to waste” — and this is indeed the perfect time for Africa to show leadership. The continent has the human and natural resources needed to slow-down and reverse climate warming. All it takes now is for the continent’s leaders to seize the moment and lead the way.

About the author

Assan Ng’ombe is a resilience officer at AGRA – Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, serving as the technical lead on integrating resilience into agriculture development and a resident expert on environmental and social risk management. He also specializes in climate change, poverty reduction, rural livelihood development and protection, and environmental management.

Originally published on Devex.com

What started as a merry-go-round to tackle socio-economic challenges among a group of women in Nandi has turned into a giant enterprise which has transformed livelihoods.

When members of the Cheptarit Star Women group in Mosoriot pulled resources together, contributing Sh2,000 monthly to invest in the cultivation of beans and trade in the produce as an alternative source of income to maize, little did they know that their determination would see them conquer the regional market.

Five years down the line, the investment is proving a life-changer to the 15 members of the group after they tapped emerging business opportunities to expand to the East Africa Community (EAC) markets.

“Land and other properties like livestock are owned by men as the heads of the house, limiting women on how to succeed as entrepreneurs. Under such circumstances, we had to plot how to eliminate restrictions on women’s participation to start their own enterprises to attain economic growth,” said Irene Samoei, the group leader.

Initially, the women contributed Sh2,000 each totaling Sh30,000 which they used as start-up capital to cultivate beans alongside other food crops for subsistence and commercial purposes.

“The idea was to create a platform to mobilise women and provide opportunities to start their own businesses and access the market at competitive rates,” explained Ms Samoei adding that after two harvest seasons they had enough maize and beans stocks to seek tender to supply the produce to learning institutions.

“We won our first tender to supply grains to two schools in Nandi which comprised 40 bags of maize and 20 bags of beans,” disclosed Ms Samoei.

The deal boosted their working capital to Sh600,000, more than enough to enable them to secure another tender to supply the cereals to 10 schools in Uasin Gishu in 2016 under a school feeding programme. They later expanded their supplies to Kisii and Nyamira counties in 2018 under a similar scheme.

The group’s major turning point was when the East Africa Grains Council offered to train members on market information and the value of operating as a company under one shop.

“We had to hire experts who guided us on how to register as a company to facilitate the expansion of our market share but finances to meet increased orders from our clients remained the main challenge,” disclosed Ms Josephine Bungei, the group secretary.

They turned to shylocks who offered them a ‘soft’ loan at 30 percent interest.

“Apart from supplying schools that we had won tenders, we continued trading in cereals at the local markets after securing rental stores at the strategic Mosoriot market along Kapsabet-Eldoret highway,” explained Ms Bungei.

The group made a breakthrough in 2020 when they won a two-year renewable tender with Mary’s Meals, a charity that sets up school feeding programmes in poor communities, to supply beans and maize to 392 schools in Turkana.

“The tender came with its challenges in terms of financial capacity and marshalling sufficient quantity of beans and maize to supply a total of 415 schools. But operating as a company enabled us to access an overdraft of up to Sh4 million with the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB),” explained Ms Bungei.

The group has gained recognition among humanitarian agencies and businesses in the region for its role in promoting cross-border business opportunities access to women entrepreneurs.

Major boost

The group recently received a major boost after Kilimo Trust offered to create market linkages with 30 cooperatives in Uganda.

“We have established business networks with cooperatives in Uganda and Tanzania. This enables us to access market information and expand our business ties,” disclosed Ms Bungei.

To cut down on operational costs, the group has embraced e-commerce.

“Last month alone, we imported 300 tonnes of beans from Uganda worth Sh2.1 million and paid Sh1.2 million for hired trucks to transport the commodity to schools in Turkana,” said Ms Bungei.

On a monthly basis, 10 trucks loaded with beans valued at Sh20 million, orders placed by the group cross over to the country from Uganda while others full of maize cross from Tanzania, promoting cross border trade.

They also source beans locally, mainly from Bungoma, Elgeyo Marakwet and Mt Elgon, spending an average of Sh210,000 on the produce.

“Doing business online has enabled us to cut down on costs and concentrate on creating more market linkages and efficiency in serving our clients,” added Ms Bungei.

According to Kilimo Trust Country team leader Antony Mugambi, partnership with the women group has expanded their investment in terms of quality and quantity.

“We have negotiated businesses links with 30 co-operatives in Uganda to enable the group to attain a steady supply of beans,” said Mr Mugambi adding that doing business online has helped the group to expand its market scope.

“The group that started with six employees in 2016 has advanced over times and it now has 43 employees-22 men and 21 women while trading capacity has increased from 100 tonnes of beans to 300 tonnes while the quantity of maize has increased from 100 to 500 tonnes monthly,” disclosed Mr Cheboi.

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Armed with rainwater harvesting technologies, farmers in southeastern Kenya are bouncing back with fruit orchards after years of declining crop harvests due to erratic weather.

Working with development organizations such as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and World Agroforestry, farmers are tapping stormwater runoff from roads flanking their plots and then directing it into basins and ponds that they have created.

From these storage methods, they are able to have a year-round supply of water, even as climate change continues to trigger prolonged droughts in Kenya, according to George Mabuka, a program manager at a local social enterprise called the Cereal Growers Association.

“It is an innovation that is locally known as regenerative agriculture. Farmers can use this stored water to nurse their fruit orchards and even the food crops they have grown in between the trees,” Mabuka said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 40% of the world’s population is living in water-scarce regions. In Kenya — which has an annual supply of renewable freshwater below 1,000 cubic meters (35,000 cubic feet) per capita — many farmers live in arid or semiarid regions. Water-stressed farmers typically wait for a rainy season, with two cycles per year for growing food crops such as maize, beans, and sorghum, Mabuka said.

In recent years, Kenya has experienced a drought, leading to food insecurity domestically. But conditions are now improving for a growing number of farmers who have adopted water harvesting and storage technologies.

Justus Kimeu, a farmer in southeastern Kenya, said the innovations help store rainwater instead of allowing it to drain away into rivers that empty as far as the Indian Ocean.

“The rains here are very minimal and sometimes inadequate. But through water harvesting and storage, I am able to have a produce harvest, even if it is not the maximum I expected,” he said.

Kimeu grows citrus fruits alongside pulse crops and maize, among others. He has carved inlets to direct water runoff from the roadside into his garden.

The runoff is stored in basins that he has dug all over the garden. These are filled with mulch that absorbs and stores the water throughout the year. His citrus fruits continue to naturally draw water from these basins for months after the rainy season has passed.

Kimeu is among the thousands of farmers in southeastern Kenya included in a 15-month project funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.

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It has supported farmers to transition from staple crop farming to agribusiness, with mango and citrus farms fetching families as much as 100,000 Kenyan shillings ($900) per year — a previously unattainable figure.

Benedict Manyi, another farmer from the region, has a pond with harvested water to grow fast-maturing trees such as Melia volkensii. Between these, he grows a variety of pulses, pumpkin, and sorghum in what he calls his agroforestry project.

“I also serve the water to my thirsty livestock and use it to manage a section of the farm where I have a kitchen garden for my family,” he said.

Manyi, along with thousands of other farmers, is receiving support from World Agroforestry through the Drylands Development Programme, funded by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and World Vision Australia.

The effect that water harvesting is having on farmers battling the pressures of climate change has caught the interest of other farmers who are not taking part in such programs.

Bendetta Mumbua, a mango farmer from Makueni — one of the driest regions in southeastern Kenya — said she would also like to invest in water harvesting at her 8-acre farm but has been impeded by the cost. Setting up the required infrastructure costs around $2,500.

“I feel bad when there is a lot of water on the road when it rains only for it to wash away. Then we are left waiting for the next rainy season. I would really like to be supported to have my own water harvesting system,” Mumbua said.

She said she could use the water to increase yields with mango tree projects between seasons. Mumbua added that switching to year-round harvests would also help her battle an invasive fruit fly that has led to significant losses for farmers. The pest attacks during the peak season when mangoes are typically ripening, but off-season harvests could catch them off guard, she said.