Project Title:
**Improving Community Resilience and Food Systems through Sustainable Land and Water
Management in Marimanti, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya**
### Project Summary:
The project aims to enhance climate resilience and food security for approximately 300 vulnerable
community members in Marimanti. The region faces frequent droughts, unreliable rainfall, and declining
soil fertility, which poses significant challenges for smallholder farmers. With the collaboration of Village
Economic Empowerment (VEE) and five self-help groups—Seth, Visionaire, Canaan, Capernaum, and Mt.
Sinai—this initiative will strengthen community engagement and promote sustainable agricultural
practices. Key interventions include rehabilitating degraded farmland, installing solar-powered water
harvesting units, establishing cold storage facilities, promoting drought-tolerant crops, and training
community leaders.
### Project Objectives:
1. **Enhance Climate Resilience:** Strengthen the adaptive capacity of 300 community members
through sustainable agricultural practices and improved water management systems.
2. **Improve Water Access:** Ensure year-round water availability by developing community water
pans and solar-powered harvesting systems.
3. **Strengthen Food Security:** Enhance food security for 75 smallholder farmers by diversifying crops
and reducing post-harvest losses.
4. **Build Local Capacity:** Empower self-help group leaders through training in sustainable agriculture
and community mobilization.
5. **Foster Sustainable Livelihoods:** Improve agricultural productivity and water access, leading to
stable incomes and better food security.
### Relevance to 2025 Application Priorities:
This project aligns with the 2025 focus on climate adaptation and resilience, addressing sustainable
water management and food systems. It will:
- Strengthen water management through innovative infrastructure.
- Improve food systems via drought-tolerant crops and nutrition-focused initiatives.
- Promote climate resilience by rehabilitating farmland with climate-smart methods.
### Expected Outcomes:
1. **Increased Climate Resilience:** 300 community members enhanced in capacity to withstand
climate shocks, with a 75% adoption rate of climate-smart practices.
2. **Improved Water Access:** Establishing 3 community water pans and 5 solar-powered harvesting
systems, ensuring water availability for agriculture and domestic use.
3. **Enhanced Food Security:** A reduction in food insecurity for 75 farmers through crop
diversification and nutritional improvement, achieving a 50% decrease in post-harvest losses.
4. **Strengthened Local Capacity:** 5 group leaders trained to manage and sustain climate resilience
initiatives.
### Sustainability and Scaling:
- **Community Ownership:** Focus on local involvement through self-help groups to ensure ownership
and sustainability of activities.
- **Market Linkages:** Establish cooperative networks to enhance market access and economic viability
for farmers.
- **Scalability:** Document successes and share best practices with surrounding communities for
replication.
### Implementing Partners:
- **Village Economic Empowerment (VEE):** Responsible for overall coordination and community
mobilization.
- **Ministry of Agriculture, Tharaka Nithi County:** Provides technical support and ensures alignment
with government programs.
- **Self-Help Groups:** Facilitate grassroots implementation and community engagement.
- **Thrive for Good:** Contributes expertise in sustainable development, enhancing the project’s
overall capacity to drive impact.
### Budget Overview:
A detailed budget will be developed ensuring alignment with project activities, including:
- Rehabilitation of farmland: Costs associated with materials and labor.
- Water harvesting systems: Installation costs and purchasing of solar equipment.
- Cold storage units: Construction and operational costs.
- Training sessions: Facilitator fees and materials for capacity-building workshops.
### Monitoring and Evaluation:
To ensure effectiveness, a robust M&E framework will be developed to track progress against
objectives:
- Regular assessments to measure adoption rates of practices.
- Water availability and usage statistics.
- Surveys to gauge food security improvements and market access.
- Feedback loops from community members to address challenges and adapt strategies.
### Conclusion:
This project presents a comprehensive approach to enhancing climate resilience and food security in
Marimanti, capitalizing on community strengths and sustainable practices. By investing in local capacity,
water management, and agricultural innovation, it lays a foundation for long-term prosperity and
climate adaptation in one of Kenya’s most vulnerable regions.
