RAPPORTEUR:

Abdi Zeila

Head of Programs, CSDI

Deliberations of the Garissa Prosopis Stakeholders Consultative Forum

Held on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at the Nomad Palace Hotel, Garissa

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Executive Summary

The Drought Management Initiative (DMI) and the Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP) in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Development Initiatives (CSDI) convened a two-day consultative forum for stakeholders interested in prosopis management and control in Garissa district. The forum was conceptualized to bring together various organizations and actors who are working in or are interested in prosopis management issues. The institutions and actors who participated in this forum were those working in various aspects of dryland development (livestock interventions, livelihoods support, such as CSDI, DMI, ALRMP II, Kenya Drylands Livestock Development Project), prosopis products producers and end users (farmer association and prosopis charcoal interest group), government regulatory (Kenya Forestry Service) and extension authorities (ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development) as well as potential donors (CARE, KDLDP).

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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Introduction

The meeting had the following primary objectives: Provide a venue for cross-sharing of experiences and lessons learnt during the one-year DMI/ALRMP/CSDI collaborative trials on prosopis management and control Review and critique contemporary prosopis management methodologies and approaches used in the one-year trials, with an eye on prospects for employing best-bet practices and leveraging synergies and partnerships, and Draw up a collaborative framework for future prosopis management initiatives in Garissa with a view of scaling out impacts and outcomes

Expected outcomes of the meeting

By the end of the meeting, the expectations of the workshop conveners as well as that of the participating institutions were that: There would be objective and helpful critique of current prosopis management interventions as conceptualized and implemented by the three initial organizations collaborating (DMI, ALRMP and CSDI) There would be opportunities for synergies and complementarities between the three initial organisations work and the newly participating institutions and actors There would be a diverse array of ideas, thoughts and suggestions on how to best structure future prosopis interventions for optimal impact

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DDaayy OOnnee

Summary of the deliberations

Opening statements: The meeting was opened with a word of prayer by Mr Mohamud Ali Bilal, vice-chairman of the Wadhajir farmers association and one of the pioneering members of the charcoal production interest group (CPIG). This was followed by a round of introductions of representatives of the various organisations present in the meeting.

Introduction and background check by CSDI: The CSDI Head of Programs Abdi Zeila, who also doubled up as the forums rapporteur, welcomed the participants to the forum and emphasised the need for their robust participation in this meeting. He took the participants through the history of the 3 year old collaboration between CSDI, DMI and

Photo: Mr Oyugi,

representing the Kenya Forestry

Service (KFS) making a

pitch on the floor of the

forum

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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ALRMP, and took time to explain the history of the introduction of the species in Garissa district. He also explained the rationale behind the current program being sponsored by DMI and ALRMP: that it is piloting the adoption of alternative beneficial uses of prosopis by community segments most affected by its presence on farmlands and pasturelands. Abdi explained that the current CSDI/DMI/ALRMP collaboration, which covers three distinct but thematically related interventions, namely: Promotion of sustainable charcoal production from prosopis wood: this is done through enabling members of the prosopis charcoal interest group (CPIG) to enhance their efficiency in their production systems as well as support in marketing of their products Support to production of animal feed from prosopis pods: this is done with support from the Ministry of Livestock Production (ALLPRO) and entails production of compacted fodder blocks from prosopis pods and the training of community in the use, operation and maintenance of hammer mill machine Rangeland rehabilitation and reforestation: this is done through the use of water retention Groasis boxes, that have been imported from The Netherlands, and involves researcher-managed trials in two areas, one in Garissa municipality and the other site in Shanta-Abaq (160kms from Garissa)

All of the interventions are hosted in the 5-acre demonstration farm loaned to the three partners by members of the association of Wadhajir Farmers. The Centre for Sustainable Development Initiatives (CSDI, www.csdikenya.org) is a Kenyan-registered NGO operating and working in Kenyas drylands. CSDI is committed to playing its role in working with the rural poor in Africa in improving lives and livelihoods through appropriate program targeting and efficiency in service delivery. CSDIs thematic areas of work are enhancing food security, sustainable environmental management and policy research and advocacy. CSDI has competencies in food security and livelihoods assessments, institutional strengthening and capacity building, climate change adaptations, helping communities access markets and reduce transaction costs through benefiting from economies of scale, building capacity across value chain, soil fertility, enhancing farmers access to seeds, enabling farmer to farmer extension, agroforestry, managing invasive species, water resource management as well as influencing policy makers through policy analysis, research and dissemination.

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DMIs mandate and interest: Mr Ahmed H Ali of DMI was given a slot in the forums proceedings to inform the participants of his organisations engagement in rangeland management issues, with specific reference to the case of prosopis control and management. Mr Ali informed the forum of DMIs mandate for the creation of the National Drought Contingency Fund and the National Drought Management Authority. Over the years since its establishment, DMI has extended much support to the Arid Lands Resource Management Project (in whose offices the DMI is hosted), primarily through capacity building of 28 district project steering groups (DSGs). DMI is also heavily involved in lobbying and advocacy among policy makers and legislators with respect to the establishment of the aforementioned Fund as well as the formulation and adoption of enabling ASAL-related policies. In some arid districts, DMI is supporting moves by government agencies and NGOs in linking relief and rehabilitation initiatives to longer-term development. In the midst of all this, DMI was approached by CSDI and ALRMP II to consider supporting nascent initiatives on reducing the impact of the alien invasive species Prosopis juliflora on the lives and livelihoods of most affected communities in Garissa. This initiative bore fruit when DMI decided to collaborate with the other two organisations in a pilot program aimed at promoting alternative beneficial uses of the species. ALRMPs pitch: Mr Ahmed M Farah, the Drought Management Officer for Garissa, also addressed the gathering and took the participants through a timeline of the collaboration between his organisation and CSDI. He made reference to a learning trip made in May 2005 to the drylands of India, when professionals working in eastern African drylands were hosted by the Central Arid Zone Research Institute of India. India has pioneered in the development and evolution of practices, policies, techniques and technologies of ameliorating the impact of prosopis colonisation of arid lands through wide-scale adoption of alternative beneficial uses of an otherwise invasive species.

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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Beneficiary testimonials: The gathering also heard from two projects partners, both of whom have been closely working in the prosopis initiatives. Mr Mohamud Ali Bilal, the chairman of the association of Wadhajir farmers, gave a detailed timeline of the history of the farm, the milestones achieved so far since his group started collaborating with DMI/ALRMP/CSDI, and the challenges facing the farm. Wadhajir Farm was started about three decades ago by resource-poor men and women who had fallen out of pastoralism as a direct result of changing climate and fortunes. These first-generation farmers tried to eke a living with no extension support until a mission from the Canadian Baptist association came along and offered support in building irrigation infrastructure in 1987. In 2004, the ALRMP Garissa office started engaging with the association and subsequently assisted them with agronomic trainings and supply of germplasm. At present, the 74-member farm is beset by a number of problems, including ageing and extremely inefficient irrigation canal system. This has prevented them from utilising the full potential of the farm: they are now only farming about 150 acres (about 20% of the arable land). Mr Hassan Ahmed is a member of the Garissa prosopis charcoal interest group. He too addressed the gathering, focusing on his income from producing charcoal. He primarily works in the confines of Wadhajir Farm, and he was initially content with producing only 15 bags from his typical traditional earth kiln, which takes 15 days to produce (Note: the TEKs have efficiency or recovery rates of no more than 10%). This was until CSDI, supported by ALRMP and DMI, offered him and his group of 25 other members, training in efficient charcoal production kilns, which involves changes in the way the members stacked their kilns. CSDI supplied them with the more efficient Casamance kilns, which have rates of about 36%. Now, after the trainings, the kilns and a learning trip to Baringo where Hassan and his group met with their counterparts in that region, they are realising 45 bags from the same kilns, only now stacked better and with aeration allowances.

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Hassan also made references to the highly efficient Half-Orange kilns that they saw while on the Baringo learning trip. These kilns have the capacity to produce up to 80 bags (of the 90kg-variety). Their main needs now are more current trainings, more Casamance kilns and power saws to simplify the process of cutting down prosopis logs. He also identified their biggest problem or threat as the harassment and rent-seeking from agents of forest authorities, and appealed for help in addressing this challenge. Presentations by organisations on prosopis-related work

CARE: This organisation is currently running an adaptation learning program focusing on climate change mitigation through community-based adaptation of processes. The program involves the drawing up of participatory community action plans (CAPs): some of the proposed interventions in the CAPs are supported by CARE while others are shared with other stakeholders. CARE is of the view that prosopis-related work as enumerated by the preceding contributions by DMI, ALRMP and CSDI can be integrated as a framework for climate change adaptation: this is seen as an opportunity for joint collaborative initiatives. Particularly of interest is the program on fodder production from prosopis pods and marketing, and CARE will consider future joint initiatives on this front. KLMC: The Kenya Livestock Marketing Council was also represented at the gathering and is currently working on a major livestock support programs for the drylands of Kenya. KLMC noted its interest in producer of fodder blocks from prosopis pods as an avenue of supplemental feeding. KDLDP: The Kenya Drylands Livestock Development Project is a relatively new program, less than a year old, which operates in most parts of northern Kenya. The project focuses on livestock production and ways of enhancing this as a sustainable livelihood for the region.

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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KDLDP is interested in supporting scaling out prosopis fodder, more so since vast swathes of land that were formerly pasturelands and farmlands have been put out of action by the presence of dense prosopis stands on these lands. Ipso facto, KDLDP will thus support any initiative that seeks to reclaim land from prosopis annexation. In addition to opening up land for reclamation, this initiative also promises to employ large numbers of previous employed or under-employed youth: this dovetails with KDLDPs youth employability program in which the project seeks to get 300 youths employed in gainful work in the next 3 years. KDLDP has potential for partnership on account of its grant-making component: the project will be making grants to NGOs and CBOs (totalling to about $800,000) and will be making 30 grants of about $5,000 each per district. CSDI promised to liaise more with KDLDP to explore more avenues for resource mobilisation for the prosopis management initiatives. KFS: The Kenya Forestry Service, formerly the Forest Department, is now a revamped institution that seeks more inclusion of communities and forest products stakeholders in running of forests. The working structure has also been changed to reflect more decision-making prospects at the grassroots levels. Prosopis management at the local level is allowed, only in consultation with the zonal conservancy manager (the former title was the district forests officer). The KFS has put in place forest charcoal regulations that would regulate trade in charcoal. In Garissa, there is in place the forest conservation committee which has leeway to allow trade in prosopis charcoal. The KFS insists on prospective charcoal traders to be grouped in associations for ease of negotiation and self-regulation: they will then identify their area of operation, and based on discussions they will be issued with movement permits.

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Emerging issues for discussion

The forum provided an opportunity where most stakeholders in prosopis management in Garissa were able to ventilate on issues of importance to them. Some of the issues that were raised at the meeting included: Issues on regulations: This was made clear by the KFS representative Mr Oyugi, who

referred to the substantive regulations on charcoal production in the light of the new

Forestry Act Access of services from KFS: how easy is it to acquire a certificate or origin for prosopis charcoal, what are the procedures and how can they be simplified bearing in mind the economic strengths of prosopis charcoal producers: This was addressed

by Mr Oyugi, however it was felt that there was a need for another forum that will

focus on how to make these processes easier

Promoting other beneficial uses of prosopis: Mr Oyugi referred to the current use of prosopis timber in Garissa and fingered this as one way of reducing prosopis

prevalence How to prevent charcoal harvesters from targeting other trees other than prosopis:

Mr Oyugi from KFS reiterated the need for more public education so that there is an

intrinsic understanding of the value of these trees, while Wadhajir representatives said

on their part that they will not allow destructive harvesting of other species on their

land How KFS is incorporating the communities in sustainable forestry management:

This was clarified by Mr Oyugi, who took the participants through the new Forest Act,

with its emphasis on community participation in forestry management through

representation in, for instance, the forest conservation committees How to position prosopis wood as the species of choice in the refugee camps complex in Dadaab: The forum addressed this exhaustively and resolved that there is

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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need for policy advocacy and reforms to make this as an attractive solution for GTZ

and UNHCR

DDaayy 22 The participating institutions made a visit on the second day of the forum to the Wadhajir Farm, where they were treated to a display of the work done so far by ALRMP, DMI and CSDI. The participants were conducted on the tour by members of the Wadhajir Farm: the tour started with a visit to the farmhouse that houses the hammer mill machine for production of compacted fodder blocks. Later, the team visited the 5-acre demo farm and charcoal production sites.

Photo: Members of the Garissa prosopis consultative forum listen keenly as Hassan Issa, vice-chairman of Wadhajir Farm, make a

point on animal feed from prosopis

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The Way Forward

The forum made the following suggestions as the way forward: The immediate formation of a stakeholder committee to coordinate initiatives on prosopis management in Garissa district that will also serve as a cauldron to promote synergies and cross-pollination of ideas and initiatives The convening of another consultative forum that will focus on studying the newly inaugurated dryland forestry management regulations and their impact on prosopis management A current review of prosopis management initiatives in Kenya with a view of identifying best-bet practices, what has worked, what has not, and how this can be used as experiential learning for future initiatives Dedication of more resources into enhanced public communication and awareness activities and campaigns (including field days) to enhance the profile of prosopis products More emphasis on the role of prosopis products in meeting national food security and fodder production gaps A further one-day consultative forum to plan for a more substantive project proposal to be submitted to DMI and other donors: this project is expected to build on the successes registered so far and enhance income possibilities for most affected community groups.

Contact person: Abdi Zeila (azeila@csdikenya.org)

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List of participants at the Forum

Name Department Aden Haji Yusuf KDLDP Ahmed M Farah ALRMP Osman Ibrahim CSDI Philip Sigei Farmers Training Centre, Garissa Ahmed H Ali DMI Abass S Mohamed KLMC David Cheruiyot Min of Livestock Development Abdi Muhumed Charcoal burner Hassan Mahat Charcoal burner Mohamud Ali Farmer Hassan Issa Farmer Habon Baadhi Farmer Peter Oyugi Kenya Forestry Service Ismail Abdi Abdille CNFA-KDLDP Joseph Machaka CARE Saafo Roba CNFA-KDLDP Shukri Sirat ALRMP Abdi Zeila CSDI Mohamed Ali Sheikh PACT-Kenya Bashir A Muhumed Min of Agriculture Patrick Karani Min of Agriculture Benson Kabotia KDLDP Hassan Gedi ALRMP