**3.5 Non-government entities**

A number of regional NGOS and CBOs are active in the project area and concentrate on a variety of interests. Based on their technical capabilities and shown success in community mobilization, training, and advocacy, the active local NGOs and CBOs working in the area were chosen and included in project execution.

*Protection and Rehabilitation of Degraded Soils in Western Kenya: Experiences from Two… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113977*

#### **3.6 Commercial sector**

The project supported Public Private Partnership (PPP) activities to aid small producer groups in accessing inputs, processing their products, and marketing. As a result, local artisans who fabricate conservation Agriculture (CA) tools and equipment through Agriculture Technology Development Centers (ATDCs) were able to develop their entrepreneurial abilities, which will help to increase the sustainability of the project activities. Through the PPPs, the business sector was also given the option to provide input into the process as necessary and to take part in supporting the project operations (**Table 1**).

## **4. Intervention strategy as a paradigm shift (alternative)**

The alternate strategies used by GIZ ProSoil to solve the problems posed by soil degradation and rehabilitation in Western Kenya are described in this section. The ideas are by no means novel, but they were creatively used to approach related issues in a fresh way.

#### **4.1 An integrated approach to multi-stakeholder participation**

The GIZ ProSoil used an integrated multi-stakeholder participation approach in conjunction with appropriate rehabilitation techniques to address the severe soil deterioration in Western Kenya. This strategy is increasingly being recognized as a key framework for solving intricate and connected agricultural and environmental problems. It brings together various stakeholders who often have competing interests but share a same landscape and offers creative ways to advance agriculture, enhance rural livelihoods, and coordinate across sectors.

How to move from successful but often fragmented and localized soil rehabilitation initiatives to entire landscapes that are fully integrated into sector and county development plans and budgets for sustainability was key challenge that GIZ ProSoil is tried to address. The goal of the intervention is to transfer knowledge gained from pilot sites of discrete programs to larger production areas and to improve coordination, bringing soil rehabilitation towards a more productive approach. The overall intervention strategy is anchored on four pillars: (1) Capacity building of stakeholders to embrace and adopt landscape targeted soil rehabilitation strategies, (2) Strengthening farmer links to structured agricultural input and output markets; (3) Supporting enabling policy environment stakeholders and institutional involvement and (4) Support to Knowledge Communication Practices.

#### **4.2 Capacity building of farmer groups in soil rehabilitation practices**

An initial capacity needs assessment (CAN) for a cross section of stakeholders including farmer groups, extension service providers, and input providers was conducted to identify vital capacity gaps that needed to be filled to support the project's successful implementation. In order to reach more farmers in a wider context, the initiative employed tried-and-true methods of agricultural extension and training, such as demonstrations, field days, agricultural fairs, and farmer-to-farmer extension. The project, in particular, engaged in trainer training i.e. community resources persons (CRPs), frontline agricultural extension officers and lead farmers.

#### **Figure 1.** *Mucuna cover crop (velvet bean). Source: Daniel GIZ ProSoil.*

Common soil rehabilitation measures focused on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) among others; maize-bean intercropping, push-pull technology, agroforestry, conservation agriculture (**Figure 1**), soil and water conservation measures, good agronomic practices and crop-animal combinations with positive results. ISFM is a comprehensive approach to the study of soil fertility that includes the full range of determinants and consequences; biological, physical, chemical, social, economic and political, land degradation. The strategic use of fertilizers as well as organic sources of nutrients to ensure efficient fertilizer use and crop productivity at the farm level are the fundamental principles of ISFM [43].

The project adopted participatory learning methods which incorporate experiential learning to help farmers learn about current issues in an informal setting within their own environment. Learning focused on organized groups of farmers and supported by trained lead farmers and frontline extension workers.

The project also supported research and extension service providers to build capacity to better serve farmers. In particular, the project trained frontline agricultural extension officers, including lead farmers, and equipped them with training manuals on soil improvement practices and other related training materials.

#### **4.3 Strengthening linkages of farmers with agricultural input and output markets**

Smaller production groups' better access to input and output markets will depend on how well organized and informed they are about the dynamics of the value chain. To this end, ProSoil has strengthened production groups through continuous capacity building in group dynamics, governance, and organizational/leadership skills. The project also created strong links and partnerships with buyers and streamlines consolidation at collection centers with groups. In addition, a stakeholder forum including buyers, farmers, agricultural agents, local entrepreneurs and other actors in the value chain was established to facilitate sharing of market information and integrated production and marketing. For the input market, the project connected groups of trained farmers with agricultural agents working in western Kenya.

*Protection and Rehabilitation of Degraded Soils in Western Kenya: Experiences from Two… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113977*

### **4.4 Supporting policy development and institutional frameworks at the local level**

Barrier analysis by ProSoil identified a number of policy and institutional barriers that hinder the scaling up of soil rehabilitation activities. These policy barriers include fragmented and overlapping institutional mandates as well as limited incentives for smallholder farmers to invest in soil rehabilitation activities.

To overcome these obstacles, the project considered a number of related policies and how the county governments could create a harmonized framework. The findings and recommendations of the policy review were used to develop national agricultural land management policy in collaboration with national governments. County governments, both executive and legislative, have been sensitized to domesticate national policies at county-level as framework for carrying out soil rehabilitation activities. To date, the counties that have domesticated the national agriculture soil management policy are now at different levels of implementation.

#### **4.5 Knowledge management and communication**

Despite a fairly complete knowledge and technology base on soil rehabilitation activities, the information is scattered across different institutions and in different formats so it is not easily accessible. The varying successes of soil rehabilitation measures tested at different demonstration sites by different parties, even within the same area, have not been fully documented or shared. The base scenario would see a continuation of this approach with less synergies and additions and thus result in duplicate efforts.

Knowledge management is a process that involves more than just the creation and exchange of data or information; it also calls for mechanisms that foster change in the perceptions of the individuals involved and the co-creation of new knowledge with the involvement of numerous people and organizations. Maintaining a "repository" of both technical and local knowledge is part of knowledge management. It calls for efficient and sustainable methods of gaining knowledge [44].

The project supported knowledge management for soil rehabilitation through a number of strategies. Firstly, the project documented past and ongoing best practices in soil rehabilitation and related research conducted in the area with the aim of harnessing knowledge in a 'reservoir. Information is stored both manually and electronically in formats that are easy to retrieve and share. Additionally, the project developed awareness materials, including posters, brochures, and conference materials. ProSoil has built stakeholder and knowledge management capacity and helped county government's sensitive to the need to develop a central repository for all land conservation and restoration stakeholders.

In addition, the project developed a transition strategy to ensure that project information and progress reports are disseminated to key stakeholders. The project works with a wide range of stakeholders at the county, national and global levels. Therefore, a good communication strategy is needed to ensure that all stakeholders are informed about the progress of the project in real time [45]. Communication strategy is a two-way channel for announcements and feedback from stakeholders. It also involves the use of multimedia, including local radio stations and audio-visual documentaries. Information has been disseminated locally, nationally and internationally through various channels including peer reviewed scientific journal papers, conferences and seminars' literature.

#### **4.6 E-extension**

Due to weak extension services delivery by government as a result of constrained human and financial resources the project adopted alternative extension service delivery approaches.

## *4.6.1 Integrated electronic extension method*

The project has promoted and supported the use of relevant ICT tools like mobile phones, which are suitable for farmers and traders to have real-time access to information and markets for their produce. The promoted tools include; the KALRO GAPs APP, which provides real time good agronomic practices for common agricultural value chains, Plant Clinics developed in collaboration with CABI and KALRO to provide *insitu* recommendations on pest and disease management for various crops value chains. Additionally, the project promoted SMS and USSD and mobile services for disseminating agricultural information including weather to rural farmers. This promotion was done in partnership with mobile phone service providers such as SAFARICOM and Airtel.
