By Mangoa Mosota
A Swedish organisation has formed consortia with farmers’ organisations in the East African region for sustainable management of resources.
The five-year agroforestry programme will offer technical support to rural-based organisations in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda and is aimed at empowerment of small-scale farmers.
SCC-Vi Agroforestry will implement the programme with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperative Agency to the tune of Sh630 million.
"There will be support to the different organisations for to up Sh126 million per year in the four countries. We anticipate that other donors will support the initiative with time," said Bo Lager, SCC-Vi Agroforestry Regional Director for Eastern Africa.
Mr Lager said they are yet to ascertain the number of likely beneficiaries, but in Kenya the organisation will work with five bodies, namely; Dairy Goats Association of Kenya, Kenya Rural Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies Union Ltd, Kimaeti Community-based Organisation, Kenya Tree Planters Association and Miriu Integrated CBO.
He said there would be mapping and screening of member-based organisations for selection to the different consortia for the four countries.
SCC Vi-Agroforestry Programme Director, Henrik Brundin, said the essence of the initiative was to upscale best practices in sustainable management of natural resources.
"It is clear that uniting skills in different areas is better than at individual level. There is a need for synergistic relations," said Mr Brundin, at the agreement signing ceremony at a Kisumu hotel on Friday afternoon.
SCC Vi-Agroforestry has been operating in Eastern Africa for the last 25 years, and has been involved in development of capacity of small-scale farmers within the Lake Victoria Basin. It targets to reach more than 150,000 households in agroforestry and sustainable management of natural resources.
