Kenya in depth

The remote, underdeveloped Western Province of Kenya is a world apart from the country’s better known beaches and safari parks. Poverty and hunger are rife. Yet groups funded by Send a Cow are now setting up small businesses, sending their children to school or even university, and telling us that their home lives are happier.

Our approach here is one of real partnership: we work through the non-governmental organisation Heifer Kenya, and we often organise visits for farmers to learn from more established groups across the border working with Send a Cow Uganda.

Strengthening people

Making a living in the Western Province is tough for many. People often lack education, soils are poor, and communities are isolated. One district where we work, Busia, is the poorest in the whole country.

Nonetheless, the groups we work with here – largely women – are discovering that they can overcome these challenges, and build thriving rural communities.

Traditionally, many men work away from home, either as fishermen, or trading with nearby Uganda. That has harmed community cohesion, and also increased the HIV/Aids rate. So many of those we work with are widows, or women who have taken in orphaned children.

Often, group members will contribute surplus milk, vegetables and even money to those families who care for orphans – a real tribute to their community spirit. Some groups are also forming dairy cooperatives to boost their ability to market their produce and earn a sustainable living. Read more about how our work goes beyond food security.

 Farming and Animals

You’re likely to find Kenyan vegetables, sugar and other foodstuffs in your local UK supermarket. However, smallholder farming in Kenya is very far removed from the agricultural export trade. Most farming families only have tiny plots of fragile land, and they simply cannot afford commercial fertilisers. But by adopting a natural farming approach based around the use of composted manure, farmers are boosting their yields, often with dramatic results.

Dairy farming is hugely important to the Kenyan economy – but again, smallholder farmers struggle to compete. If they own any livestock it is likely to be a low-yielding, local breed, and they lack the know-how to manage it productively.

To help, Send a Cow provides good quality dairy and crossbreed cows, capable of giving up to 20 litres of milk per day. Breeding bulls are also supplied, which can improve the genetic stock of cattle for a wide area – not just those owned by the farmers we work with directly.

We’re also providing lots of dairy goats in Kenya, particularly for the many people we work with who are HIV+. Goats are easier to manage than cows, and their milk provides the nourishment needed by people taking antiretroviral medication. Find out how livestock can transform family life in Africa.

 Caring for the Environment

Although it’s one of Kenya’s smallest provinces, the Western Province is hugely varied in terrain. It ranges from Lake Victoria in the south, to the rainforest of Kakamega in the east, and to the rocky, arid Teso district in the west.

Because floods and droughts have hit Kenya in recent years and rainfall has become more erratic, there is an urgent need for farmers to protect their land.

Send a Cow trains farmers in environmental protection methods to suit all terrains. These include: fuel-saving stoves, which spare the forests; agro-forestry methods, where trees and crops are integrated to mutual benefit; and water conservation techniques.

Most  importantly, though, our natural farming methods are kind to the environment. By using manure-based compost, farmers strengthen their soil, which then becomes better able both to retain water during drought, and to soak up heavy rains. So farmers can make a healthy living from their existing land, and have less need to encroach on the valuable forests.