Masaai Traditional Bio-cultural & Ecological Knowledge - Project 2020-2021
Sustainable use of resources in small-scale agriculture in Kenya
The Enduring Voices Foundation is working with Indigenous farmers and their families along the Mara River, to improve living conditions whilst maintaining their traditional culture and the natural environment. In particular, the project is focusing on Traditional Ecological Farming and the preservation and propagation of indigenous crops. The traditional varieties of millet, beans, sweet potatoes and maize are often better suited to local conditions than modern high-yielding hybrid varieties. They are also better at withstanding the effects of climate change..
Indigenous farmers learn how to minimise storage losses and how to propagate and plant seeds and seedlings, making them more self-reliant. In addition, demand for traditional varieties at local markets is increasing and this provides smallholders with an opportunity to earn a useful income.
By providing Capacity Building and training in topics such as soil improvement, afforestation, erosion control and the use of water resources in agriculture, the farms participating in the project are better able to withstand the negative impacts of climate change..
The purpose of the ‘Traditional Ecological Knowledge' Project
The local weather is unpredictable and marked by periods of drought followed by floods. This, combined with the ongoing rise in the population, is making farming and general living conditions along the Mara River more difficult. The semi-arid climate and frequent droughts result in crop failures and some 75% of the Indigenous population live below the poverty line.
At the same time, there is growing pressure on natural resources from soil erosion and deforestation. In particular, the overuse of local forests has brought about significant changes in the ecosystem. The absence of forests means that the trees are not there to store water or protect against erosion.
Project Beneficiaries
The project will directly benefit 3,000 Indigenous people; this consists of 1,800 small-scale farmers, including young Masaai Morans, Indigenous people with a disability, 1,200 school children and students. Of this total, 61% of the project beneficiaries are women,
In addition, a further 4,000 people will benefit indirectly from the informal dissemination of knowledge and the adoption of the practical solutions advocated and promoted by this project. The restoration of the ecosystem is benefiting all those living alongside the rivers as well as those living further downstream.
Objectives of Current Project Phase
Project Outcomes
At the start of the project in 2018, a collaborative eco-mapping process was conducted with 8 communities in Narok and Kajiado Counties. Knowledge was gathered from older members of the Indigenous communities and this was then used to produce a historical map of the Mara River. The map provided a visualization of existing local knowledge of cultural assets and the traditional practices for managing resources. The map demonstrated the environmental changes over the years from logging and the conversion of forests to farmland and it was then possible to set priorities. As a result, local Indigenous people have already planted more than 36,000 indigenous trees along the banks of the Mara River.
The project also carried out Capacity Buildings and conducted Workshops on “Indigenous Seeds” at which traditional knowledge on local plant species was exchanged. Seeds from old varieties were collected and the participants were trained in how to cultivate, distribute and market them. This involved some 600 farmers who were taught both traditional and modern methods of sustainable farming, which allowed them to adopt a mixed-cropping system. The Indigenous farmers also attended courses on composting, soil improvement, prevention of erosion and the sustainable use of water for agriculture. A total of 700 farmers now practice agro-forestry, i.e. the mixed use of land to produce fruit, cereals and animal feed.
Project Sustainability
Those who participated in earlier phases of the project in Kajiado and Samburu Counties will be self-supporting by the end of 2019. It will take a good three years before the new participants in the project from the four Counties (of Narok, Kajiado, Samburu and Turkana) are self-supporting.
The Enduring Voices Foundation is working with Indigenous farmers and their families along the Mara River, to improve living conditions whilst maintaining their traditional culture and the natural environment. In particular, the project is focusing on Traditional Ecological Farming and the preservation and propagation of indigenous crops. The traditional varieties of millet, beans, sweet potatoes and maize are often better suited to local conditions than modern high-yielding hybrid varieties. They are also better at withstanding the effects of climate change..
Indigenous farmers learn how to minimise storage losses and how to propagate and plant seeds and seedlings, making them more self-reliant. In addition, demand for traditional varieties at local markets is increasing and this provides smallholders with an opportunity to earn a useful income.
By providing Capacity Building and training in topics such as soil improvement, afforestation, erosion control and the use of water resources in agriculture, the farms participating in the project are better able to withstand the negative impacts of climate change..
The purpose of the ‘Traditional Ecological Knowledge' Project
The local weather is unpredictable and marked by periods of drought followed by floods. This, combined with the ongoing rise in the population, is making farming and general living conditions along the Mara River more difficult. The semi-arid climate and frequent droughts result in crop failures and some 75% of the Indigenous population live below the poverty line.
At the same time, there is growing pressure on natural resources from soil erosion and deforestation. In particular, the overuse of local forests has brought about significant changes in the ecosystem. The absence of forests means that the trees are not there to store water or protect against erosion.
Project Beneficiaries
The project will directly benefit 3,000 Indigenous people; this consists of 1,800 small-scale farmers, including young Masaai Morans, Indigenous people with a disability, 1,200 school children and students. Of this total, 61% of the project beneficiaries are women,
In addition, a further 4,000 people will benefit indirectly from the informal dissemination of knowledge and the adoption of the practical solutions advocated and promoted by this project. The restoration of the ecosystem is benefiting all those living alongside the rivers as well as those living further downstream.
Objectives of Current Project Phase
- Train participants in sustainable methods of agriculture that increase the tolerance of Indigenous people and communities to droughts, e.g. composting and soil improvements using techniques such as mulching and catch-crop cultivation. Other measures include the planting of grass strips to prevent erosion and the efficient use of water.
- Generate additional sources of income from fruit and vegetable growing, animal husbandry and dairy farming.
- Restore two areas of the river bank (5,000 hectares) by maintaining and protecting the riverscape and reforestation.
- Produce 60,000 local tree seedlings to plant along the river banks
- Improve access to local markets and provide training in the marketing of local products.
- 500 energy-efficient “jikos” (stoves) to replace the traditional hearths; the new stoves use 80% less wood and so reduce the burden on ecosystems.
Project Outcomes
At the start of the project in 2018, a collaborative eco-mapping process was conducted with 8 communities in Narok and Kajiado Counties. Knowledge was gathered from older members of the Indigenous communities and this was then used to produce a historical map of the Mara River. The map provided a visualization of existing local knowledge of cultural assets and the traditional practices for managing resources. The map demonstrated the environmental changes over the years from logging and the conversion of forests to farmland and it was then possible to set priorities. As a result, local Indigenous people have already planted more than 36,000 indigenous trees along the banks of the Mara River.
The project also carried out Capacity Buildings and conducted Workshops on “Indigenous Seeds” at which traditional knowledge on local plant species was exchanged. Seeds from old varieties were collected and the participants were trained in how to cultivate, distribute and market them. This involved some 600 farmers who were taught both traditional and modern methods of sustainable farming, which allowed them to adopt a mixed-cropping system. The Indigenous farmers also attended courses on composting, soil improvement, prevention of erosion and the sustainable use of water for agriculture. A total of 700 farmers now practice agro-forestry, i.e. the mixed use of land to produce fruit, cereals and animal feed.
Project Sustainability
Those who participated in earlier phases of the project in Kajiado and Samburu Counties will be self-supporting by the end of 2019. It will take a good three years before the new participants in the project from the four Counties (of Narok, Kajiado, Samburu and Turkana) are self-supporting.