Islamic Relief KenyaIslamic Relief Kenya Irrigation Projects in Mandera

Lessons learned

Presented by: Yesuf Abdella Mohammed IRK, Head of Mission

Friday, October 31, 2008 y, ,Nairobi, Kenya

Content 1. Overview of IR operation area2. IR’s Programmes in Mandera 3. Irrigation in Mandera- Baseline Info3. Irrigation in Mandera Baseline Info 4. Overall objective of irrigation projects & their location

Current staffing & office structure5. The Process5. The Process 6. Detailed information, progress/achievement per

project7. Simple cost benefit analysis (CBA)7. Simple cost benefit analysis (CBA)8. Challenges encountered & corrective measures 9. Lessons learned, recommendation & future direction10 Key messages10. Key messages

1. Overview of IR Operational M d

• Pop= 311,777; • Drought recurrence

area ManderaDrought recurrence followed by flood become very frequent

• 70 % pop. relief dependent

• 4 clans (3main)IR O t i 7 t• IR Operates in 7 out of 18 Divisions (106,000 benef.)

• Other INGOs; AAH• Other INGOs; AAH, SC/UK, VSF

• Pastoralism & the mainstay y

IRK operation area Mandera district

M d T i lMandera Triangle

Mandera-Kenya

Characterized by Recurrence ofCharacterized by Recurrence of drought & floods

2. IR’s Programmes in Mandera

1. Nutrition2 WATSAN2. WATSAN3. Livelihood

I i t d A i lta. Irrigated Agricultureb. Micro-Credit

4. Orphans 5. Education

3 IRRIGATION IN MANDERA3. IRRIGATION IN MANDERA Baseline info of irrigation

• Daua River bounds Kenya & Eth along Mandera district for 150Km • Flows 9 months/yr in normal years• Annual rainfall 250mm distributed into 2 rainy seasons (Long: April-y ( g p

June and Short: October- November) • 3 cropping seasons possible per year by irrigation due to short growing

period (Temperature Avg. 32 but can go a high as 39; hence high h t th i d h ET)photosynthesis and hence ET)

• Land owned by county council but by town council in central division • Soils: Reddish varying texture; fine sandy loamy or clay & v. calcareous

(salinity along Daua R)(salinity along Daua R) • Flat topography and subject for flooding in low lying areas • Intl river posing problem of not putting permanent diversion dam• Traditional irrigation practice using low head pumps• Traditional irrigation practice using low head pumps • Potentially irrigable area 10,500ha (Irrigation Dept)

Daua R. flows 9 months/yr

Transportation on Daua R. when full

4 Overall objective of irrigation4. Overall objective of irrigation projects & their location

Improve food security of vulnerable agro-pastoral dropouts throughagro pastoral dropouts through enhanced livelihood activities to enable them lead a self reliant lifeenable them lead a self reliant life while contributing to sustained

f th t t l ti deconomy of the target locations and the broader Mandera District

Project sites/locations

Q Ch i

ECHO funded ongoing

Qatar Charity funded -ongoing

1 t il1st pilot IR funded

completed

5 Th5. The process

1 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION TARGETTING1. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION, TARGETTING, PLANNING & MEETING

The process cont…• MOU signed with the MoWI, PS• Community, local admin and MoA together with IR staffs identified

agreed upon project area/site & 60 beneficiaries• Beneficiaries organized in 6 Irr groups ea 10 membersBeneficiaries organized in 6 Irr. groups ea 10 members • Beneficiaries selected 20 early adopters/group leaders for exchange

visit to similar areas with success story • Exchange visit organized by the MoWI funding and facilitation• Participants of exchange visit shared lessons to all other members• Participants of exchange visit shared lessons to all other members• Beneficiaries discussed on the planned actives and clear roles and

responsibilities crafted- direct support of IR’s inputs (apart from technical) ending after one cropping season

• MOU signed between irr groups and IR• MOU signed between irr groups and IR• Survey and design of canal, pump site etc concluded by IR/community • Beneficiaries mobilized for action

Mobilization & capacity building at SalaMobilization & capacity building at Sala

Bush clearing by community

Bush clearing by communityBush clearing by community cont…

Land Preparation cont…p

Tractor Ploughing land for irrigationTractor Ploughing land for irrigation

Handover of inputs

IRK staff interprets the pump characteristics to farmers nd Rh m d ing h nding

Girrisa central farmers posing for a photo after e ei ing eed f om IRKand Rhamu during handing

overreceiving seeds from IRK

O&M Training at Rhamu

Testing of pump after training

Communities constructingCommunities constructing canal

Preparation of basins & furrows

Unprecedented communityUnprecedented community participation/contribution

C l t tiCanals at operation

Irrigation system functioning

Irrigation system functioningIrrigation system functioning Cont…

IRK staff inspecting maize at Stilling basin at RhamuIRK staff inspecting maize at Yabicho

Stilling basin at Rhamu

C d h tCrop under harvest

C d h tCrop under harvest

Farmer picking tomatoes & cattleFarmer picking tomatoes & cattle feeding from crop aftermath

2007 World Food Day Celebrated2007 World Food Day Celebrated at IR funded Irrigation Project

6. Detailed information progress/achievement per projectp p j

( IR funded 1st pilot project-i l i 2007)impl. in 2007)

Project Total C

Area in Benefic. Status Location Cost

Euros Acre HH

Hareri 44,000 60 60 (6 Irr. Group & 6 pump)

Become operational & run by

b fi i i6 pump) beneficiaries

Total 44,000 60

( Qatar Charity funded- 2008 )( Qatar Charity funded 2008 )

Project cost location Ben. HHs Status

Girrisa 45 1st harvest

115,000Rhamu 45 1st harvest

Sh t l 45 1st h tShantole 45 1st harvest

Yabicho 45 1st harvest

Total 180 (18 Irr Group &Cost 115,000 Group & pumps

Activities/achievements of QatarActivities/achievements of Qatar Charity Project

Mobilized, selected , registered & formed 18 Small Irrigation groups of 10 farmers eachSmall Irrigation groups of 10 farmers each Assorted farm tools and equipment distributed to 180 farmersSupported 180 farmers to reclaim over 180 acres of land thro’ hiring a tractor for land preparationpreparationCanal construction and land preparation by farmers

Activities/achievements of QatarActivities/achievements of Qatar Charity Project Cont …

18 pump set ea 8 HP capacity & 17lt/sec capacity distributed T i d 72 t thTrained over 72 pump operators across the 18 farmers groups on Pump operation and maintenancemaintenanceConstructed over 15 Pump seats and stilling basinsProcured and distributed over 1.5 tons of assorted seeds

Activities/achievements of QatarActivities/achievements of Qatar Charity Project Cont …

IR has so far distributed 40L of Diesel per farmer to 180 farmers (7200 lt) Changed the notion of farmers from being recipients of hand to mouth relief food to self sufficiencyImproved in nutritional status & incomeBenefited the general public through supply of food/fodder-market exchange

ECHO Funded- 2008/9Project location No. of Status(IFSDAA) Ben./ Acre

Sala 150/150 Canal con. on going pump

Irrigation

going, pump mobilized, land prepared, crops planted using RF

Cost: 276,000 Euros (out of

p g

Qumbiso 120/120 ,, ,, ,,Euros (out of 700,000 Euros ECHO funded project)

Hareri 130/130 ,, ,, ,,

Total; 400/400

Indicators of result ECHO funded project:

• 400 vulnerable farmers supported to engage in irrigated farming to become food secure within one farming season (2 Irr seasons).

• 400 acres of land put under food crops and fodder• 400 acres of land put under food crops and fodder cultivation

• 324 MT of foods and 400 MT of fodder harvested per irr. season

Activities related to the result• Community mobilisation and beneficiary selection• Survey, design & construction of canals & pump seats

Land preparation• Land preparation• Installation of irrigation pump sets• Supply of fuel and engine oil for pump sets• Training of farmers in extension & pump set operationTraining of farmers in extension & pump set operation• Supply of certified seeds & limited pesticides

ECHO project progress to date

• 40 irrigation groups formed• 400 Acre reclaimed through bush clearing • 160 Acres planted using the recent rains, • Hand tools distributed to all 400

P t d l d i• Pumps seat and canal design on progress • Procurement of 30 pump sets at its final stage &

installation to start this week• 4000 lt of fuel distributed• 40 Farmers Field School (FFS) formed

7. CBA in Euros for HH at 2MT/Acre/season

(2-3 production seasons/yr possible)( p y p )

Productio Cost/yr Gross GM/Acre n in Mt income•Maize 184 192 2882MT/Acre/season

+280

•Fodder/ cropaftermath

472

V t blVegetables 333 900 567

8 Challenges encountered &8. Challenges encountered & corrective measures undertaken

Soil Salinity- Irr Water Mgt, select non saline affected area Floods- select areas less prone to flooding for p girrigation and locate pumps in safe/protected siteInsect and pest- IPM Loose of water through seepage- canal lining & waterLoose of water through seepage canal lining & water mgt training Low level of education, hence poor adoption rates to modern technology.gyCulture/land tenure; practice unfavorable to women beneficiaries- sensitization and awareness raising Poor market infrastructuresPoor market infrastructures Conflict and insecurity in Mandera and Somalia

Major farm level challenges S li it– Salinity

– Insect & Pest – Loose of water

through seepageseepage

8. Lessons learned, recommendation & future

directiondirection• Animal traction through (DAT) to

complement land preparation by tractorcomplement land preparation by tractor• Diversification of crops through mixed or

intercropping to increase output per unit pp g p parea.

• Growing high value crops such as Oil fl tt i i f it &crops sunflower, cotton, simsim, fruit &

vegetable

Lessons learned, recommendation & future

direction cont…direction cont…• Promote production of fodder, encourage

seed bulking and fodder banking • Addition of value to crops through

processing incases of oil or fruit crops.Utili ti f b d t f dd• Utilization of crop by-products as fodder (cotton, simsim & sunflower cake and maize stalks)maize stalks)

• Use of farmyard manure to enrich soil fertility hence promoting sustainablefertility hence promoting sustainable organic farming

Recommendations P li i h l & illi b i d• Permanent lining on the canals & stilling basins to reduce water loss through surface seepage & erosion control

• DAT (Draught Animal Technology) be re-introduced in theDAT (Draught Animal Technology) be re-introduced in the region

• Promote seed bulking and fodder banking for both exotic and i di (S d P l ill t G l findigenous crops (Sudan grass, Pearl millet, Green leaf desmodium, Green gram ,pigeon peas, cow peas)

• More funds be geared towards improvement in marketMore funds be geared towards improvement in market information, links and opportunities for the farm produce.

• Soil fertility, salinity and water management strategies be t th dstrengthened.

Future Directions• Training farmers on Good Agronomic practices• Formation of farmers co-operatives for

ff i / ffi i i keffective/efficient input output market • Setting up more Farmers Field Schools or Common

interest groups that will act as centers of extension education/dissemination of modern farming techniques

• Training of trainees and community Ag. extension g y gworkers to improve farmers production skill and knowledge

• Close monitoring of early warning info for g y gcontingency plan incase of failure rains in Ethiopian highlands

• Replication of same efforts in collaboration with pALRMP & COCOOP making use of EMOP FFW

9. Key messages • Good intentions of saving lives through food aid (but if

improperly managed/targeted) can kill livelihood; hence dependency syndromes W h ld h f h l t i t ti t t• We should push for such long term interventions to cut the adverse impacts of recurrent droughts from happening as vulnerables who already run out of asset can easily fallback

• In doing so we can also ensure channeling aid with all the dignity and self-reliance

• Given the current hicks of food price and its punavailability in the market good to think of producing crops within 3 months

• Irrigation is only one of the number of alt livelihood options for ASAL areas hence not a panacea Need tooptions for ASAL areas- hence not a panacea. Need to explore other options while tapping irrigation opportunity.

THANK YOUTHANK YOUASANTE SANA