The proposed project seeks to improve agricultural production and market systems for smallholder farmers in Laikipia county for the purpose of increasing farm resilience to climate change, increasing household income, attaining food security, and maintenance of natural capital for improved livelihoods of rural communities. This proposal responds to the call for component 2 (maintenance and improvement of flow of forest and agro system services to sustain livelihoods of local communities) under the Sustainable land management in Laikipia county. The project will integrate income generation and self-employment on farms through introduction of new cash generating tea tree, (a more climate resilient oil-based tree) and adoption of organic agricultural technologies. The project will proactively work with farmers to improve their production systems and link them to markets. Deliberate efforts will be made to ensure participation of women and youth. This intervention will enhance household incomes, employment creation, food security and contribute to climate change mitigation.
The project will focus on expanding tea tree oil value chain that KOAN has been facilitating in Laikipia county. Specifically it targets Ndurukuma, Thome, Kihato, Ngare Nyiro areas where it seeks to mobilize communities (mainly youth and women), to adopt planting of tea tree for oil extraction, train them on its management and link them to Earth Oil Co Ltd. The project targets 5,000 households comprising 30,000 direct beneficiaries. It is expected to run for a period of two years at an approximate cost of 45,000 USD for the period.