tobacco to-bamboo research project in south nyanza in kenya experiences and challenges

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Tobacco-to-Bamboo Research Project in South Nyanza in Kenya: Experiences and Challenges

Study Framework WHO Framework Convention

on Tobacco Control (FCTC) articles 17-18

Kenya is a party to WHO-FCTC

Article 17: Provision of support for economically viable alternative activities

Article 18: Protection of the environment and the health of persons 2

The Kenya Government Tobacco Control Act, 2007

• Part III 13. (1) The Minister for Agriculture should put in place policies to promote, as appropriate, economically viable and sustainable alternatives for tobacco growers, workers, distributors, retailers and individual sellers

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Main Objective of the Research Project (2006-2012/14- 8years)

To experiment on the potential of bamboo as an alternative crop and livelihood diversification strategy to tobacco smallholder farmers

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Research Methods/ Approach

• Household Surveys

• Farm trials of bamboo seedlings- 4,000

• Capacity building/ trainings/ field visits/ demonstrations/ extension services

• Provision of inputs and information / on bamboo production and marketing

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South Nyanza

Western

Eastern

Tobacco Farming Zones in Kenya

6 Counties are key tobacco producers (Migori, Homabay, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Bungoma, Busia)

Number of tobacco farmers in Kenya

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REGION NO. OF CONTRACTED

FARMERS

NO. OF INDEPENDENT

FARMERS

TOTAL

NYANZA 10,203 7,131 17,334 (31.4%)

WESTERN 13,405 10,629 24,034 (43.6%)

EASTERN 4,188 9,576 13,764(25.0%)

TOTAL 27,796 (50.4%) 27,336 (49.6%) 55,132

• About 300,000 people directly depend on tobacco farming

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Tobacco farming status in KenyaNumber of tobacco farmers has increased from 1,500 in 1971 to 35,000 in 1990s and 55,000 in 2014!.

The number of Tobacco companies that operate in the country has increased from one to three (BAT, Mastermind Tobacco and Tobacco Alliance One

Major threat:-

Expansion from medium to high potential agricultural areas due to the collapse of cotton, sisal, pyrethrum and coffee farming sectors

Environmental, Health and Social Impacts of Tobacco

Farming in Kenya

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The land under tobacco has continued to grow rapidly at the expense of traditional food crops- Increased from 1,500 acres in 1971 to over 55,000 acres by 2014.

Livestock activities are reducing due to limited land for gracing

Fertile land allocation preferences are always given to tobacco farming and not the other crops

Tobacco & Demand on Land Resources

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• Tobacco Farming is a Major Contributor to soil erosion-due to deforestation, shifting cultivation, cultivation of marginal lands, etc

• Soil degradation due to heavy application of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers/ soil pollution from the pesticides

• Nutrient extraction-Tobacco depletes soil nutrients at a much fast rate than most crops

• No mulching is allowed in tobacco farms

• Decrease in production of food crops (maize, beans, etc)

Tobacco and its Impact on Water Quality Tobacco seedlings demand water for

irrigation

Tobacco nurseries are established near water streams

Commercial tobacco growing involves the use of a range of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides to maximise crop production.

Chemicals used are washed into local streams-pollute the water used for domestic/ livestock activities

Tobacco Curing (drying of green leaf) Demands a Lot of Firewood

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Tobacco and Deforestation of Hilltops in Eastern, Meru

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The tobacco grown is mainly cured using wood fuel. Consequently, a lot of indigenous trees are felled for curing tobacco.

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• Materials for building tobacco barns• Nursery sheds places• Poles and sticks for the preparation

of tobacco prior to curing• Over 0.5 million trees cut every year

Destruction of Indigenous trees• To a large extent

indigenous trees have been replaced by exotics like eucalyptus, cypress, pine, etc

• Loss of bio-diversity-over 50 indigenous tree species have become extinct in the region

• Tobacco companies encourage the use of indigenous trees because it gives better quality/ aroma/ grade to tobacco cured leaf

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Tobacco, deforestation, water catchments,climate change

Impact of Tobacco on Water Resources (Quantity)• Over 85 of local natural

streams have changed from permanent to seasonal over a period of 1970-2015 (45 years)

• Increased distance for women to collect water

• Time spent by women and the girl child in collecting water for domestic use has increased over time 

Tobacco, Deforestation and Wildlife Conservation• Tobacco farmers in Migori and

Kuria have moved to Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve (70Km away) in search of Firewood

• Increased human-wildlife conflicts

• Major threat to the tourism sector, country’s national heritage

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Tobacco & Farmers’ Health• A tobacco

farmer spends more income (USD 35) per year on medical/ health care services than a non-tobacco farmer

• Most farmers store the “Golden Leaf” in their houses!!

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Tobacco & Farmers’ Health• Farmers operate

without personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Most common health problems:-

Green Tobacco Sickness

Chest complications

Skin and eye irritations

Miscarriages among pregnant women

Dizziness, etc

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Bamboo Experimental Sites- 400 farms

Trial Sites

South Nyanza

KuriaMigoriSubaHomabay

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Field demonstrations on bamboo Field demonstrations on bamboo plantingplanting

(G(Giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus), common bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), Bambusa tulda, Bambusa textillis and Oxytenanthera abyssinica

1st Tobacco & 1st bamboo farmer in South Nyanza (former MP for Kuria)

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Monitoring ParametersSurvival rate

Number of culms

Culm height

Culm diameter

Number of shoots

Clump diameter

Diseases/ pest attacks

Branch development

Canopy closure

Internode length

Number of nodes per culm

Human interference and attitude

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Regular scientific monitoring

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Trial Farm (Day 1)-Sept/ October 2006

Bamboo Grows fast!!!

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Bamboo Culms after 12 months

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Bamboo Culms after 24 months

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Bamboo after 36-48 months

Key findings from Bamboo Experiments

• Bamboo production incomes/ acre are 4 -10 times higher than tobacco farming depending on the production value chain

• Bamboo growth performance is good in tobacco farming zones

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Bamboo’s potential in rehabilitating degraded forests within 2-3 years

Kenya’ naked Hill Tops

China & Bamboo

Bamboo of 2 Migori County

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Bamboo has also been used for protection of Riverbanks and to clean water downstream already polluted by tobacco farming activities

Rural Community –based Small-Scale Bamboo Farmers Enterprises

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Over 42% of project tobacco farmers have already switched to bamboo farming

PROVIDED TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR SIMPLE BAMBOO PROCESSING

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Bamboo handcrafts made by former tobacco

farmers

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Bamboo Furniture made

by project farmers

Bamboo Furniture-For Leisure

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Bamboo Furniture......

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Bamboo Sofa Set from Bamboo Farmers Coop Societies

Bamboo Beds- Suba

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Bamboo Basketry Industry

Bamboo fiber for textiles, a big potential international market

Bamboo Fiber is good for the Textiles Industry

Bamboo bee hives

Family Nurseries now Provide Bamboo Seedlings for sale

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Private Bamboo Nurseries in Homa bay

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Residential and Farm Fencing by bamboo

Project Positive Impact on Local Livelihoods- From bamboo Cash

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Project Positive Impact on Local Livelihoods- How Bamboo Cash is Changing Rural Lives

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Motor Bikes Fish Ponds

Entertainment/ TV, Radio

Use of Bamboo in Local Housing Construction

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Bamboo Rural Bridges Construction

Research Outcomes/ Outputs• Formed 4 community-based bamboo

farmers coops:-

• Migori Bamboo Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd.

• Kuria Bamboo Cooperative Society Ltd.

• Homa Bay Bamboo Cooperative Society Ltd.

• Suba Bamboo Cooperative Society Ltd.

• Produce about 150,000 seedlings per year- 30 Millions Ksh (USD 335K)

• In the processing of establishing 20 more bamboo cooperatives in the next 5 years

• 50% of Counties in Kenya depending on these coops for supply of bamboo seedlings and poles

Nyamira County Bamboo Farmers- New Groups

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Bamboo is being adopted as the best alternative for eucalyptus in most Counties in Kenya

Scientific and Other Outputs

• 6 scientific papers

• 10 Technical Reports (www.tobaccotobamboo.org)

• Project Video

• Farmers Bamboo Products Catalogue and guiding prices

• Bamboo seedlings price guidelines

• 6 MSc students and 2 PhD Students52

KEY CHALLENGES• Lack of inputs/ quality

seedlings

• Financing/ start up capital

• Training/ Lack of knowledge on bamboo farming

• Limited farm and market education

• Limited links to the market53

• Lack of a National Bamboo Development programme/ policy/ Fund

• Farmers dynamics

• Poor bamboo value-chain development

Increased number of conmen/ ‘specialists’ and brokers –misleading sector investors

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

• Promote policy and regulations that control tobacco farming but support alternative crops like bamboo to protect the environment, farmer’s health and improve livelihoods (FCTC Articles 17 & 18

• Establishment of bamboo farmers-support mechanisms / programmes/ fund- the bamboo farming program must provide farmers with a complete service model of— inputs, financing, training, farm and market education, and value-chain development 54

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Thank You

www.tobaccotobamboo.org