The document discusses changing crop practices among rural farmers in Nyando, Kenya to address climate risks. Researchers established "climate-smart villages" to test interventions like new crop varieties, integrated soil fertility management, and microfinancing. Over 2011-2014, farmers increasingly adopted improved practices like more diverse crops, manure use, and loans for agriculture. While adoption of climate-smart agriculture increased food security, challenges remain in scaling interventions and managing new pests. The researchers aim to strengthen partnerships to expand proven climate-smart packages and link farmers to markets.

1. Changing crop practices to address climate related risks among rural farmers in Nyando, Kenya
John Recha, James Kinyangi, Maren Radeny
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P. O .Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction
Rural households in East Africa depend on rain fed agriculture as the primary source of food and income. In
Nyando, Variation in seasonal rainfall coupled by late onset and early cessation events contributes to water
stress and reduces length of crop growing period. Drought and flooding events are worsening land
degradation. With these risks, nearly 15 percent of households in Nyando are unable to meet their food
needs for 3-4 months in a year, and malnutrition in children under five years is estimated to be 40 percent.
Nyando climate -smart villages
Climate-smart villages (CSVs) are sites where researchers and development partners are working with
smallholder farmers to test climate-smart agricultural interventions. Climate-smart agriculture aims to
sustainably increase productivity and income, build resilience to climate change, reduce green house gas
emissions where possible and enhance achievement of national food security and development goals. CSVs
are learning grounds for researchers, policy makers, development practitioners and farmers.
Historical climatic trends in Nyando
• Long rains start early in March till end June; maize does well only in this season , sorghum is planted in
February using pre-season rains. Short rains start early October till mid-December; there is a weak
intermediate season in August and September and farmers respond to this by planting short season,
drought tolerant crops in early August.
Where are we testing this approach?
• CCAFS East Africa’s CSVs represent areas with diverse agro ecologies that are becoming either drier or
wetter, and are focal locations that will generate results that can be applied and adapted to other regions.
Through participatory action research, CCAFS is initially building a climate-smart village in Nyando, Kenya.
New crop varieties
• In 2011, 31% of households were growing at least 3 new crop varieties. In 2014, there is a higher level of
diversification whereby 89% of households are now adopting more than 3 crop innovations, greatly
expanding on-farm choices for resilient varieties
Integrated soil fertility management (ISFM)
• Proportion of farmers using ISFM practises ( intercropping, manure and terraces) increased significantly
over the 4-year period. (e.g. from 1.5% in 2011 to 45.4% in 2014 for manure)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2011 2012 2013 2014
%Households
Adoption of new crop varieties
No new variety 1 or 2 crops 3 or more crops
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2011 2012 2013 2014
%Households
Use of improved seeds
Results
• We observe that farmers have been making changes to their cropping practices including increased use of
improved inputs and soil fertility management practises.
Improved seeds
• In the year 2011, 32% of farmers were using improved seeds with 8% using fertilizers for their most
important crops (sorghum, beans and maize). This proportion increased to 85% and 92% in the year
2014.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2011 2012 2013 2014
%Households
Soil fertility management
Intercropping Use of Manure Use of terraces
Challenges
• Scaling out of the interventions and active participation of group members still needs to be strengthened
• New pests and diseased affecting crops
Way forward
• Use of institutions, innovations and business models to scale up climate smart agriculture (CSA). This
involves partners designing appropriate crop interventions with farmers, and testing business models from
proven CSA packages and interventions, that link farmers to the market.
Micro financing for innovations
• The proportion of households accessing loans for agricultural practices increased from 2% In 2011 to 95%
in 2014, a factor attributed to the establishment of community saving and credit scheme also referred to
as innovation fund where farmers access loans through the CBOs for scaling up the innovations. The main
uses of the innovation fund is purchase of food (82%), agricultural activities (62%) and non – agricultural
purposes (54%).
References
• Macoloo C, Recha J, Radeny M, Kinyangi J. 2013. Empowering a local community to address climate risks
and food insecurity in Lower Nyando, Kenya. Case Study prepared for Hunger • Nutrition • Climate Justice
• 2013 | A New Dialogue: Putting People at the Heart of Global Development. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Aid.
Available online at: www.ccafs.cgiar.org
• Mango J, Mideva A, Osanya W, Odhiambo A. 2011. Summary of Baseline Household Survey Results:
Lower Nyando, Kenya. CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
(CCAFS). Copenhagen, Denmark. Available online at: www.ccafs.cgiar.org
• World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). 2008. Baseline Report, Nyando River Basin. Western Kenya Integrated
Ecosystem Management Project.
To learn more
CCAFS website: http://ccafs.cgiar.org/
Poster design by: T.muchaba(CCAFS) Contacts :. J.kinyangi@cgiar.org; M.radeny@cgiar.org ;j.recha@cgiar.org
Planting
Planting
long rains short rainsdry
SCF