successful agricultural economic initiatives of the rural youth: lessons learned from carym kenya

16/06/2010Anthony Kipkoech Saina

SUCCESSFUL AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC INITIATIVES OF THE

RURAL YOUTH: LESSONS LEARNEDFROM CARYM KENYA

BRUSSELS DEVELOPMENT BRIEFINGS BRIEFING SESSION N°19

Youth and Rural Development in ACP countries

CONTENT

I. INTRODUCTION

II. CAPACITY BUILDING

III. DAIRY FARM PROJECT

INTRODUCTION - CARYM KENYA CARYM The Catholic Agricultural Rural Youth Movement(CARYM), Kenya is an

affiliate member of MIJARC

MAIN OBJECTIVE

To transform spiritually and socio-economically, in the spiritof Christ and of the church, the Agricultural and RuralYouth of Kenya.

VISION

To promote health formation and self-reliance of theYouth challenging and enabling them by the gospel ofChrist and the social teachings of the church to live a morespiritual life and be economically self-reliant, workingtogether and participating in the construction of a just ruralworld and becoming responsible Christian citizens.

INTRODUCTION CARYM KENYA

MISSION

CARYM / MIJARC is an actor in rural areas that helps

young people to get organized and to become critical

actors that transform their village, region and country. By

means of “training through action” and the methodology “to

See-Judge-Act”, young people are able to improve their

living conditions and to generate incomes. Therefore, they

see how rural areas can become attractive and viable for

young people.

Capacity building

Skill training seminars:• such as in sustainable agriculture, • project management

International campaigns of MIJARC • access to water (2006)• access to land (2007) • Access to seeds (2008)• Agrofuels and climate change (2009)• Landgrabbing (2010)

DAIRY FARM PROJECTIncome generating projects within CARYM

• Dairy farming• Beekeeping• Goat rearing• Poultry keeping• Horticulture

DAIRY FARM PROJECT

DAIRY FARM PROJECT

• seminar was organized on the way forward of the project,

• 50 members from all the parishes participated.

• analyzing several other projects suggested by the participants, it was agreed that a dairy project was to be started

DAIRY FARM PROJECT

DAIRY FARM PROJECT

Objectives • Learn sustainable agricultural techniques• To start a demonstration farm for CARYM members• Earn income from dairy products

Beneficiaries

• This is a project by and for the rural youth of Eldoret Diocese. They are the direct beneficiaries

• The community around also benefits from the project. They buy dairy products, and they also visit the farm to learn.

DAIRY FARM PROJECT

DAIRY FARM PROJECTProject Implementation

• Bishop donated 1 acre piece of land for the implementation of the project.

• BSI Austria responded positively • Purchase of 3 dairy cows• Capacity building/training workshops for members • Most of the work from the initial stages of implementation

was done by the members of the movement:– Fencing around the farm– Tilling of the land and planting of Napier grass– Construction of a cow shed– Purchase and transportation of cows to the farm– Construction of a caretakers house– Construction of Toilets– Digging of a bore-hole

DAIRY FARM PROJECTAchievements

• Project was successful • Income was generated from the sale of milk• Demonstration farm for CARYM members• meeting point for the work camp between MIJARC

partners; CARYM and KLJB (Germany). • Calves from the cows were donated to some parish

groups as a way of empowering them at grassroots• The local community also visit the farm to learn more

about the dairy farming

DAIRY FARM PROJECTChallenges

• Diseases; some cows died due to diseases• Scarcity of water in the farm• There is no electricity in the farm• Poor prices of the farm produce • Insufficient animal feeds (Napier grass) due to

long dry seasons.

Financers of the project

• Local Contributions from the members • Funds from the Austrian donor (BSI)• The Bishop donated land for the project