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Project CaringJor tbe EarthInternationalKENYA

Heifer Project International

Kenya

MUNDIKA FARM PROGRESS REPORT AND PROPOSED SeALING UP PLAN

Prepared By

Heifer Project International Kenya

©June 2009

Nilama~ace, Ka~arnetRoa~P]' Box7G478· 00508 ~iro~i

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Table of content

1. Mundika Farm Development Project 3

(i) Background..................................................................................................... 3

(ii) Progress to May 2009................................................................................. 4

(iv) Challenges 6

(v) Plans for the next period 6

2. Scaling up: The next steps 7

(i) Background 7

(ii) Enhancing production 8

(iii) Value addition to farm products 8

3. Marketing 9

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BACKGROUND

Mundika farm is owned by the Convent of Catholic Church in Busia district of Kenya. The Convent is thecentre of spiritual growth and compassion. It was established in 1990 to help reduce suffering amongthe old destitute people by offering them with a home, food, dothing. medical support and spiritualcomfort. Following social problems, diseases, broken marriages and lack of support from relatives, anumber of the destitute people in the Mukinda Parish had risen greatly, which prompted the ParishPriest, Bishop and Sisters to establish the centre. The number of dependant old people in the centre hadrisen to 97 in 2006. The centre was sourcing for financial support from other people and organizationsto enable it take care of these old people. In addition to sourcing for financial support from outside, theconvent developed small businesses in the centre to raise money. Some of the businesses includedbakery, farming and operating a small guesthouse with paying guests.

In view ofthe rising numbers of destitute old people and lack of sufficient funds to meet the needs ofthese people, the Convent decided to commercialize agricultural production in their farm. The farmenterprises would raise food and income which could be used in feeding and meeting other needs of theold people in the centre. The Sisters running the Convent and the farm decided to start dairy, pig,poultry and horticulture farming on a commercial scale. They sought for funds to invest in theseenterprises and technical support to start up the enterprises.

The Sisters approached Van Stokhom of The Netherlands for financial support for these enterprises. VanStokhom suggested to the Sisters to request Heifer International to support them technically inestablishment of the farm enterprises.

Heifer International support was on farmplanning, training on general farmmanagement principles, animalhusbandry, organic agriculture and

marketing.

The Sisters nominated one of them totake two years training in farmmanagement at Baraka Farmers TrainingCollege, run by Catholic Church in Molo

district.

Heifer International supported the Sisters in establishment of fodder for dairy cattle, sheds for dairy,

pigs and poultry, paddocked the farm and introduced vegetables and fruits.

The farm received 5 dairy cows from Baraton University and 6 sows and 2 boars from Nairobi and

vegetable and fruit seeds and seedlings.

The farm has been operating since 2007 and below is the progress report.

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MUNDIKA FARM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - GRACE COMPASSION UPDATE JANUARY - MAY 2009

ENTERPRISE ACTIVITY PROGRESS COMMENTDairy No. of cows 5 AII the original cows were weil and healthy

No of heifers 3 • These are heifer offspring from theoriginal cows.

• They are almast ready for service toincrease the farms milking herd

No. of bull calves 1 • This one will be sold for breeding toneedy farmers.

Passing on the gift 5 heifers were • This was done on 29/5/09 at thepassed on to 5 Mundika farmmembers of the • It was presided over by the HPIKolping community country director and the ceremony

was attended bya over 189 peopleMilk production 3 cows were • Total milk production was 5222 litres

lactating throught • Sisters consumed 1590.5 litresthe periad. A fourth • Old people consumed 750 litresone dried in March • Calves consumed 546 litres2009 and is due to • Tata I milk sold = 2335.5 Litrescalve in July 2009. • Total revenue from sales = KSH.One was dry 209,074throught, currentlyit is undertreatment.

Piggery Total number of 54 at the end of may • AII the six furrowed during this periodpigs on the farm 2009. • Ofthese 17 are ready for sale to

Farmer's Choice. This are projected tobring in ksh. 180,000

• 30 are piglets

• 6 sows

• 1 baarSales of pigs Sold 33 pigs to • The Farmers Choice market was not

Farmer's Choice very reliable. Each pig was sold byearning Ksh. weight.253,000

Bananas Expansion of the 64 more banana • The trees are projected to produceplot stools were planted 400 suckers and 400 bunches for sale

bringing the total each quarternumber of stools to164. And over 364banana trees on thefarm

Sales from 30 bunches and 100 • The bunches brought in a revenue ofbananas suckers were sold ksh. 6,000 while the suckers were

during this period sold for ksh. 100,000 the income wasused to purchase 100 plastic chairs

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production and consumption ofrabbit meat.

Training Farmer exchange 14 people from the • This tour was a great exposurevisits centre and the PDG especially to the PDG families who

farmers visited Siaya are expected to take good care of theand Kisii heifers they were provided.

Groups touring • During the PDG ceremony on 29/5/09the Mundika farm the occasion was used to train other

farmers by touring the farm andexplaining what is done.

• Over 179 farmers attended the PDG

• The farm also hosted 12 groups offarmers from both HPI groups andother neighboring Districts forlearning purposes.

Challenges during the period Uanuary - May 2009)

1. There was a very long unanticipated dry spell between January and March - This reduced the

forage availability to the cows hence lower milk production.

2. The main pigs market, Farmers Choice were not reliable in collecting the pigs on time, th isresulted in more expenditure on pig feed. There are 17 more pigs to be collected during themonth of June. They should have been collected in May.

PLANS FOR THE NEXT PERIOD

1. Explore possibilities of setting up a pig butchery in Busia

2. Install a biogas plant from the proceeds ofthe pigs

3. Enhance on farm feed formulation for the cows and pigs

4. Harvest the maize and store

5. Enhance the organic farming farms by planting more vegetables, and crops organically

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MUNDIKA FARM DEVElOPMENT PROJECT - THE NEXT STEPS

Background

Heifer International started work with Grace Compassion centre Mundika in the year 2006. The centrehas 26 old people resident and an outreach of 140 others. Helpage Kenya, a charity assists the oldpeople by providing Ksh. 2000 per old person per three months. This money was inadequate and couldhardly last one month with the needs of the old people, the sisters and the centre in general.

When HPI partnered with the farm, 1 sister was trained in Baraka College for one year on farmmanagement. The farm workers and sisters received constant trainings from HPI staff and the farm wasplanned. It was facilitated to start organic farming, fruits production, proper dairy cattle farming and pig

production.

The centre received 5 high grade cows in May 2007 and the herd now is 9 pure grade animals worthover Ksh. 1,000,000. They also procured 6 gilts and two boars to stock the piggery in March 2008, todate they have sold pigs for over Ksh. 350,000 and the piggery is valued over Kshs.600,000 in animals

and assets.

Farm crops including maize, beans, bananas, passion fruits, water melons, pineapples, various types of

vegetables are thriving and bringing in revenue

The farm has been successful and is used for various activities apart from production. The centre is nowutilized to train farmers in dairy and organic farming through exchange visits. Groups of farmers visit thecentre and get knowledge from the sisters.

Ce/ebration during POG A member of Ka/ping receives a heifer fromsister

The activities on the centre need sealing up and expansion into marketing to ensure sustainability andincreased benefits.

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The next stage will include

1. Expanding production2. Developing value addition and Marketing structures.

1. Enhancing productioni) Expansion ofthe dairy enterprise

Put in place feeding strategy that will reduce reliance on napier grass and stress more on feedrationing and conservationMaize bran is easily accessible from Busia or cheaply across in Uganda.Centre to procure a hammer mill crushing crop residuesCrop residues especially maize Stover can be collected after harvest from the farm and fromneighbours, silage to be made from the Napier planted on the farmIncrease the herd from the current 5 to 10, this should guarantee an ave rage of 150 litres ofmilk from the farm daily

ii) Expansion of organic farming enterpriseEnhance production of all the crops on the farm to conform to organic practicesExpand the greenhouse and introduce more high value crops i.e. continue tomatoes productionand introduce cucumberIntroduce rare but high value crops ta rgeting the non- traditional markets especially KisumuIncrease the areas under local vegetables to serve the old people, the sisters on the centre andthe local community.

iii) Enhancing the local poultry productionPut up a bigger unit for local poultry to be able to produce at least 100 birds per monthHave a rearing unit that will enable birds to be reared in batches and ensure continuousproductionEnhance breeding, disease control and feeding regimes.Feeding and disease control to conform to organic practices.Hatching to initially be done using broody hens with carefully selected cocks. Latter the centreto procure an incubator for production of dav old chicks for the centre and for sale.

iv) PiggeryRation formulation and compounding on the farm rather than purchasing

2. Value addition to farm produetsTarget

• Milk - Yoghurt and mala(fermented)• Vegetables - Solar drying• Fruits - solar drying and juices

Packaging and branding using simple machines.

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3. Marketing

The Mundika farm is strategically situated 8 km from Busia town on Busia - Kisumu highway. Thecentre has a piece of land touching on the highway hence have an opportunity to set up a marketingstructure that will be visible to all road users and make advertising and marketing easy.

The farm being managed by the Church and sisters will build on the reputation of sisters to market

organic products

There are 8 farmer groups within a radius of 15 km that were earlier supported by Heifer with dairycows. These groups are performing weil in milk production and could benefit from a milk collectionand value addition venture with Mundika farm. There are also farmers within the Busia municipality

that can join in the venture to deliver milk and market together.

HPI is also in the process of supporting more families around the area - through the Send A Cowproject, with more livestock. This should increase the number of families producing milk and organic

products.

Marketing ideas and support

• HPI to support a simple but though studyjsurvey on the viability of the marketing venture atthe farm. The facts and figures currently available need to be authenticated through a studyand clear recommendations.

• The farm to set up a buildingjcentre on their plot next to the tarmac. The building will beused as an outlet for products from the farm and those soureed from neighbors.

• The centre to have multi-activities (resting area for people to take fresh milk and theirproducts or a restaurant, stalls/shelves for organic farm produce, an office etc.)

• Pigand pork marketing

The centre depends on the market from farmer'schoice; however they have been unreliable andhave caused the farm to incur a lot of expenses infeeding. To mitigate this challenge the marketingcentre should have butchery with another outletin Busia. The butchery should be able to disposeof one pig per dav or 30 pigs per month. The pork

Pigs on the farm can also be packaged and sold under the Mundika

brand name once the market is established.

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• Organic produets and fruits• The centre to apply to be certified as an organic producer• Organic produce to be sou reed from the farm and selected farmers who

comply with organic farming requirements• Produce to be parked in branded packages• Fruits (bananas and pineapples) to be solar died and packed with brand

name, others to make fresh juices and sold at the centre.• Surplus vegetables to be dried and packed• Banana marketing to be twofold• They be ripened using simple ripening chambers(easily fabricated) and sold

whole or as juice• Sucker to be sold to other farmers

Pineapple and simsim field

• Loeal poultrvLocal poultry is a delicacy in the region and has ready market. It is a simple enterprise toundertake but with high returns. They however need good care.

• Build unit to raise 1000 local poultry in batches• Get local orders and market as reliable source• Target to sell

• Day old chicks• Pullets and cockerels

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• Dressed chicken(Packaged as whole or parts)

• Milk• Milk collection from the Mundika farm and neighbouring community• On farm milk processing into yoghurt and Mala• Use of simple milk equipment for value addition and processing - batch

pasteurizer, cooler, sealing machines• Packaging and branding milk and milk products.

4. Training Centre• The farm should upscale the training activities. Currently they receive very

many groups of farmers on learning missions. This activity can bestructured. HPI would support in putting out a simple farmer trainingcurriculum covering 2 to 3 days with practicaion the farm demonstrations.Visiting farmers will pay for this training.

• This will be another souree of income to the centre. This should not call forrecruiting extra personnel since it is an on going practica I ideas exchange forfarmers.

• The farmers or groups of people who get training from the farm will pay forit and proceeds ploughed back.

• HPI and collaborators especially the Livestock department will also ensurethat the farm is testingjimplementing new ideas on improved crop andlivestock production by sourcing for information.

A/ex Kirui, HP/IK Country Program Directortours organic gardens

A/ex Kirui, HP/IK Country ProgramDirector p/ants a tree in the farmduring PDG ceremony

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