1. Project description

Our project seeks to contribute towards mitigating the effects of global climate change including food insecurity and threat to socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. In the global south, including Kenya have low adaptive capacity and high vulnerability to climate change. Currently in Kenya due to effect of climate change, has led to worse drought in 40 years, 5 million out of approximately 50 million population are facing serious starvation, with stunting among under five children. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit Nairobi in March 2020, informal settlements were hard hit with job losses and food insecurity as residents spend 50-70 % of household incomes on food due to lock down measures. Nairobi, an estimated 2,400 tons of solid waste is generated every day, 20% of which is in plastic form. Poor waste management, coupled with rising urban pressure, have heightened the risks of environmental degradation in the city of 4.4 million people. Of the waste generated by the city, only 45% is recycled, reused or transformed into a form which can yield an economic or ecological benefit. Mathare Valley Slums in Nairobi, Kenya – a densely populated suburb, where residents are regularly exposed flooding, insecurity due to high crimes, illicit sex and unemployment among youth. The project is purposed to integrate smart agriculture and solid waste utilization and management in Nairobi urban informal settlement. The intervention plans to; train 30 women and youth group leaders on climate smart urban farming for three days; Hire a consultant to update Huruma Town Youth Group website; Establish and operate an environmental connectivity platform for online learning; Organize 3 grand clean-up/ community engagement on climate change mitigation and; Purchase 1000 assorted tree seedlings and distribute to 50 solid waste management groups for planting.

2. Project progress up to now

1.    On 27^th May 2023, Huruma Town Youth Group (HTYG) convened its 5 member management committee meeting at HTYG offices to plan for the roll-out of activities supported by Korea Safety Health and Environment Foundation (Korea SHE Foundation). The meeting resolved to identify participants from among women and youth groups involved in urban farming and solid waste management. Further, the meeting agreed to schedule the trainings from 1^st to 3^rd June, 2023. The group additionally allocated responsibility to the treasurer and secretary to find out the availability of a venue at Jowanga Holdings and to identify catering service provider and report back to the committee within a period of 2 days.

2.    In June 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd, 2023, HTYG trained 31 women and youth leaders (8 women and 23 men) on climate smart urban agriculture at Jowanga Holdings Hall.

3.    The HTYG Team Leader welcomed all participants and gave an overview of the group which is involved in urban farming on horticulture, dairy goat, pig raring, indigenous poultry, solid waste management, water vending, car and carpet cleaning including children and youth talent development through its soccer academy. He further, delved on HTYG partnerships for 3 years in empowering women and youth groups working in the urban farming and solid waste management ecosystems in Mathare, Nairobi County in Kenya.

4.    Among the participants expectations included how they can undertake climate smart urban farming; advocacy to mitigate climate change, learning modern ways of solid waste management, and use of waste to make cheap protein feeds for animals.

5.    On day one, our consultant who is the Agriculture Officer in Nairobi City County Government took participants through the causes of climate change. Among the highlights of the training included; Introduction of what greenhouse gases are (methane and carbon dioxide); sources of greenhouse gases which include industrial pollution, wastes from animals and chemicals used in farming.  Further, the participants were taken through the process of how the degraded bio-diversity can be restored through use of organic methods of farming, adoption of modern farming methods such as hydroponics, tree planting to prevent erosion.

6.    On day two, participants were taken through smart urban farming on green farming such as horticulture, poultry, dairy goat and pig farming. Among the highlights of day 2 was how these farming methods can be used to reduce greenhouse gases. The wastes from these animals can be compost to produce organic manure for horticulture production. The animals also do not use a lot of feeds and space compared to cows and other larger animals. The session also shared with participants’ modern cost effective methods in urban farming through use of technology to reduce wastes and maximize profits including value chains such as cheese, yoghurt, waste use to make animal protein feeds among others.

7.    Day three of the training mostly involved participants site visits which included; protein master which uses organic waste to produce protein supplement  worms for poultry and pig feeds, pig management farm, dairy goat farm, poultry farm and horticulture farm with hanging gardens, multi-storey garden among others for learning and adoption.

8.    Further, we hire a consultant to re-design and update Huruma Town Youth Group website. To date the website has been updated and running. See: www.hurumatownyouthgroup.org

9.    We have also established and operate an online environmental connectivity platform for learning and engagement on climate change mitigation: MATHARE URBAN FARMERS

10.  In recognition of the work that HTYG is undertaking in the community, together with over 50 women and youth groups in Mathare informal settlement, Oxfam in Kenya and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through the departments of Agriculture and Waste Management have approached the groups for discussions on the possibilities of partnership. Once concluded, the groups will be provided with a plastic grinding machine. This will contribute towards job creation form youth and improve solid waste management.

11.  Additionally, an organization called Hand in Hand is in advanced discussion with the groups and plans to conduct waste management to 4 groups with a total of membership of 81 members for a period of 9 months. The partnership will run for a period of 2 years (July 2023 –June 2025). This will enhance waste management within Mathare Sub-County in Nairobi County.

12.  To date, the following groups have initiated the following projects after the training;

·        The following groups have commenced indigenous poultry raring Kingston, One Stone, Kibichoi, H-TOWN Green Peace, Frontline Mind, Mashimoni, and Blessed Youths Group.

·        On Pig husbandry and management, the following groups have initiated pig farming Kingstone, H-town Green Peace.

3. Project plan forward

1)    In the intervening period, we will keep on engaging farmers in our online environmental connectivity platform.

2)    We will also continue to offer onsite extension services to new farmers groups that have established start-ups

3)    Planning for community clean ups and tree planting events

4)    Caution- Kenya is experiencing political instability and unrest due to escalating demonstrations in Nairobi and other parts of the country arising out of high cost of living, controversial finance bill 2023 which has proposed high tax measures and political contestations on the results of 2022 general election. We will mitigate this by planning the clean-ups over the weekends

4. Photos