The document discusses lessons learned from CA-SARD projects in Eastern Africa and ideas for expanding conservation agriculture practices going forward. It identifies challenges around equipment access, engaging the private sector in input supply, strengthening farmer field schools, addressing livestock issues, and mainstreaming CA approaches. The document proposes a second project phase with greater focus on strengthening the input supply chain, local equipment manufacturing, research partnerships, and private sector involvement to promote the wider adoption of profitable CA practices in the region.

1. beyond the current phase
‘CA for SARD’

2. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt...
 Equipment supply, manufacture, management,
local innovations
 FFS Methodology for CA
 Differences in two country programmes
 Regional differences
 CA Networking from micro to macro level
 Large scale vs. small scale farmers

3. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt...(best practices:
cover crop management)
 explore on non indigenous cover crops
 private plots with cc
 Apply best practices with cc
 participatory evaluation
 Marketing for cc for value chain
 field days, exchange visits, awareness
 CC that are not liked by livestock
 Management of residues for simplifying direct planting operations –
participatory engineering research
 Cc for obnoxious weeds like stringer, digitaria, cyperus, and oxalis
 Identify cc with multi purpose values, fodder food

4. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt...(equipment
management, enhancing access..)
 Understand custodian and use arrangement
 e.g. hirers and custodians are two different people
 Example Laikipia: custodian has assigned it to an operator
 Review existing knowledge by site
 If needed: conduct a survey on management structure
 FFS groups need to appoint a keeper
 Build in sustenance to the management of equipment
 To build private sector system, establish a realistic charging system, offer
technical training,
 Satisfy demand for equipment supply
 FFS networks for demand, training and motivating of local artisan equipment
 Create more demand for equipment
 Demonstrations, testimonials, promote contacts: manufacturers - farmers

5. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt: (input supply)
 First of all: drive and link up the private sector, e.g. farmers have to be empowered to
access this equipment; e.g.: Karatu – government promised
 CC: Encourage SARI/KARI to be involved in certification of seed cover crops
 CC: Encourage farmers to have bulking sites
 CC: utilise FFS structures for awareness
 Inputs: Encourage stockists to have affordable cover crops
 Eq: Aggressively market CA equipment
 E.G: Kick-start: to market jab planter like ‘money maker’
 FAO and SARD Initiative to facilitate global market screening
 Comments: marketing dynamics, communities buy and sell, how to chains operate, can
CA inputs be supplied in the same system, things that motivate this suppliers, limitations
of input supply system, how to pop up demand; MFI is not featuring well, underlining
trust of this group is private sector and civil society, what will motivate us/them to
get this seed, ripper standing in this village shop. Kenya: reservations about Kickstart:
cannot market itself without a successful donor; he has never managed to sell a single
unit on its own. Example: Nakuru has sold 200 jab planters. Culture of handouts (giving
equipment for free is from the past); how to engage the private sector to do this
business; Private sector are very rational people: ‘success stories are to be marketed’
(act 1.5.10) .

6. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt...(FFS/learning..)
Shortage of facilitators
 have a TOT for farmers and farmer facilitators (train gov too)
 Leadership training, refresher training on group running
 Shortage of cover crop seeds and equipment
 enhance local capacity ...
 Livestock conflicts
 Expand on scale of operation beyond plot
 Institutional weakness (FFS networks, exchange visits)
 Policy awareness (involve/share policy, awareness ws.)
 Support services in production chain weak (integrate value chain approaches, market – input ss)
 Low youth part (mobilize / sensitize, from start show case)
 Teaching in closed rooms (AESA and NGOs, awareness by politicians, TOT for NGO staff)
 Facilitation (lunch) allowance for farmer facilitators (women); initiate funding mechanisms, self
financing and others, gender training)
Comments: every meeting starts with hiv/aids awareness campaign, take the second point – CA and covering
plants; Kenya government: goes very cautiously about new technologies; they always have the
existing and that is being moved. Where is the government with CA? The MOA strategic plans are
available: (1) Enhance natural resource management and CA is part of this. At policy level it is
captured on (4); strategic document was done by outsiders. It is very focussed. How many of those
FFS exist today? Why are the previous groups not longer there? No hand outs – they are not
sustainable. Apina: AESA covers production only. We need to look beyond production – business
opportunities – value chain – commodities oriented. Facilitation: some facilitators are introduced to
FFS groups. Facilitators are not transferred before graduation.

7. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt.(vulnerable groups)
 Source/avail start-up capital
 Fundraising locally and externally (e.g. table banking). Establish a credit
facility
 Mobilize the social capital
 Tapping know-how and skills from the community for group use
 Identify and mobilise the vulnerable to form groups
 Call barazas and carry out PRA. Use the existing local institutions to locate
the vulnerable
 Mainstream the integrated approach to address the special needs of the
vulnerable
 Use the JFFS approach
 Scale up the successful areas so far
 Start the process elsewhere; hold field days and have exchange visits
 P M&E
 Follow-up to individuals success stories and make awareness material

8. beyond CA-SARD
Lessons learnt.(livestock issues)
 Most of the farmers adopting CA practice both crop and livestock production
 Need to sensitize non CA farmers on CA concepts and principles (awareness meetings,
field days exchange visits)
 Need to study the attitudes and practices of the non CA farmers and look on how to
impose change. (case studies, participatory studies to change attitudes and practices that
are against CA)
 Policy intervention on the land tenure system so as to have land allocation for crops as
well for livestock (enforce trespassing laws, involve policy makers)
 Introduce alternative feed resource for the livestock to reduce dependence on crop
residues during the dry season
 De-stock (through selling) livestock prior the onset of dry season so as to match feed
available with number of livestock.
 Participatory formulation of by-laws and put them in action
 Adopt contour bands planted with high quality fodder such as elephant grass that can be
conserved as silage
 Conserve excess grass as hay for dry season feeding
 Where possible advise farmers to practice zero grazing
 More integration of livestock component in FFS practicing CA
 Selection of suitable draught animals for traction

9. beyond CA-SARD
Challenges...(I)
 Link-up the different problem areas and
lessons learnt
 FFS groups in district team up with each
other and with other FFS and CBOs.
 FFS enable to have more (purchasing)
power

10. beyond CA-SARD
Challenges...(II)
 Policy level/national programmes
 More focus on policy level and
institutionalization of the CA uptake and
upscaling process
 Special activities

11. beyond CA-SARD
Ideas...(I)
 Project flow
 Tanzania specific issues and plann
 Kenya specific issues and national planning
 Regional management
 International partners (e.g. SARD Initiative)

12. beyond CA-SARD
Ideas...(II)
 Strengthen East Africa – Southern Brazil link
 knowledge and capacity building
 Learn from Brazil small CA implement
manufacturing sector
 Strengthen research links on CA/no-till experiences
as regarding cover crop management
 Support private sector driven joint ventures to
strengthen input and equipment supply in East
Africa

13. beyond CA-SARD
Draft: Development Objective
 Socio-economic growth, improved food
security and livelihoods in Eastern Africa
through CA based interventions.
Draft: Immediate Objectives
1. To expand the adoption of profitable CA practices
by small farmers in the participating countries
2. To improve the capacity among local
manufacturing and retail sector to supply
appropriate CA inputs, tools and equipment to
farmers and entrepreneurs
3. ?

14. beyond CA-SARD
The way forward – ..
 A second phase?
 More emphasis on the input supply chain and,
equipment/technology development support
 Continued support to the ACT as Africa wide
indigenous knowledge platform for CA and
SARD
 Support private sector initiatives and global
networking especially with Brazil
 Integrate CA-SARD project with the SARD
Initiative

15. beyond CA-SARD
thank you
CA for a better life!