Project Launch: Vertical Bag Kitchen Gardening in Makuyu, Kenya

The Giving Exchange has just launched a Vertical Bag Kitchen Gardening Project in partnership with the Makuyu Women’s Self Help Group for men and women of Ciumbu Center in Makuyu, Kenya.

The Partner

The Makuyu Women’s Self Help Group was founded with the aim of fostering social security by implementing income-generating projects to alleviate poverty among its members. This project ensures nutritional safety for members through sustainable vegetable farming in limited spaces and promotes food security by enabling members and their families to consume home-grown produce.

Direct Beneficiaries

The Makuyu Women's Group, consisting of 23 men and women, will directly benefit from this project. All participants have existing farming knowledge; the main goal is to harmonize vegetable growing skills using modern methods that are more productive and profitable, enjoying economies of scale since all farmers will receive seeds simultaneously.

This initiative is designed to address their specific challenges, including limited land holdings and restricted access to essential resources such as irrigation water and certified seeds/seedlings. The primary goal is to empower these farmers by providing them with the training and resources necessary to overcome these obstacles. This will be the first income-generating project for these small-scale farmers, but not TGE’s first project with self-help groups. Our experience with self-help groups is that their shared purpose drives long-term success.

The Project

The vertical bags for vegetable growing project aims to maximize available spaces and production while cutting production costs since less water and fewer farm implements will be needed to grow a whole crop season. The group also hopes to foster social cohesion through this project as members will monitor each other and collectively source markets for their surplus vegetables.

Beyond family nutrition, the main goal, as with every TGE project, is to generate sustainable income.

Project Action Plan

The main objective of this project is to promote sustainable and convenient kitchen vegetable gardening, specifically through the innovative use of vertical bags. Utilizing these bags, individuals can grow fresh produce in their own homes, even in limited spaces. The project will equip members with valuable skills through training programs focused on sustainable farming practices tailored to address the challenges posed by climate change.

·       Farmers will attend a two-day on-farm training at the Chairman’s farm.

·       The trainer, a retired agricultural extension officer residing in the area and a group member, will conduct the training. Each member will personally contribute to the cost of the training.

·       Training and resources sharing will be conducted at the Chairman's farm, which will also serve as the collection center for vegetables heading to the main Marikiti market in Nairobi.

Key Project Areas

The project is designed to address several critical areas:

  1. Mitigating Food Insecurity: By promoting sustainable kitchen vegetable gardening in the Ciumbu/Makuyu area using vertical bags, the project enables individuals with limited space to cultivate fresh and organic vegetables at home, sufficient for household use and sale.

  2. Enhancing Nutritional Intake: The project emphasizes good farming practices to ensure the production of nutrient-rich and safe vegetables for consumption.

  3. Family Income Generation: Facilitating the cultivation and sale of vegetables contributes to the economic well-being of the members through sustainable agricultural practices.

Strengthening Social Safeguards: Active engagement in bag gardening and sales generation activities fosters a sense of community and collaboration among members, providing both economic and social benefits.

Measurements/Metrics

  • Quantity and Variety of Harvested Vegetables: Amount and variety of vegetables harvested throughout the year, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh produce despite seasonal changes.

  • Total Revenue from Vegetable Sales: Monthly and annual sales data to assess the economic impact on participants.

  • Number of Part/Full-Time Employment Opportunities: The number of members engaged in vertical bag gardening activities, prioritizing it over other casual labor activities.

  • Community Engagement: Attendance at training sessions, participation in gardening activities, and overall community involvement, including the interest of non-group members.

Projected division of product comprises:

  • 10% of produce consumed at the household level.

  • 85% sold to the common market through the collection center.

  • 5% sold to neighbors for a fairer price, providing fresh vegetables as an alternative to the local market.

By fostering sustainable farming practices and community collaboration, The Vertical Bag Kitchen Gardening Project aims to create lasting economic and nutritional benefits for all involved. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting journey toward a brighter, more sustainable future!

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Project Launch: (3) Family Farms Using BSFL for Animal Feed Production