Mission Office

Initial Homa Bay Partnership - Harvest for Hope
Grain Storage Project

In 1999, the partnership evolved through an initial grain storage project that addressed the following problems:

Grain losses and inadequate storage capacity caused by use of outmoded facilities are major problems confronting small farming families in the Diocese of Homa Bay, and throughout Kenya. USAID estimates that up to 30% of Kenya's annual grain production is lost through damage by pests and diseases. Moreover, the inability to store grain for more than four months after harvest is a particular problem for the typical Kenyan farm family, because they cannot take advantage of favorable market conditions during periods of high grain demand. During preliminary studies, communities identified improvement of grain storage a priority to enhance food security, and bolster family income.

The Diocese of Homa Bay

Located along the eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Kenya, the mainly Christian, multi-ethnic Diocese of Homa Bay covers an area of 5,714 square kilometers, with a population of about 2 million people (283,000 households). Common occupations include fishing, livestock keeping, and farming. An average annual income for a farm family in Homa Bay is US$150. There are 22 parishes in the Homa Bay Diocese, and more than 2,500 farmers. The Harvest for Hope Grain Storage Project will focus on the drier areas of Homa Bay, which has only one cropping season each year. The project will target farmers in four government administrative districts within the diocese.

Project Goal and Strategy

Bishop John F. Kinney learns how artisans in Homa Bay manufacture steel grain bins to store and preserve grain in the homes of area families.

The goal of the Harvest for Hope Grain Storage Project is to increase food availability through a 30% reduction in storage losses among 250 small-scale farm households (about 1,500 people, 60% of whom are women) in the Diocese of Homa Bay. The project is expected to be complete in November, 2001. To accomplish its goal, the project will train local artisans to manufacture and market metal silo grain storage facilities to small holder farming communities. The four silo models (which have been highly successful in Guatemala) hold between 110 and 3,000 pounds of grain, protecting it from rodents, insects and mold. These silos are expected to last 50 years, and will represent a vast improvement over traditional graneries in constant need of patching and repairs. This will help Homa Bay farmers reduce their post-harvest grain losses.

Project funds will be used to train 10 local artisans to build silos, and give them start-up grants to cover initial production and marketing costs (less than US$500). The artisans will sell at least the first 25 silos to members of their own farming groups (about 250 households each). After the first 25 silos are sold, the artisans will each have sufficient capital and experience to produce and sell the silos to farmers on the open market, reaching people beyond their immediate farming groups. The project not only helps the artisan and local farmers preserve their grain, it also gives them another source of income through the manufacture and sales of the silos.

The project emphasizes partnership with local communities and encourages their participation in the planning, implementation and monitoring of all activities. The involvement of the communities will ensure the successful adoption of this improved grain storage technology, leading to a reduction in grain losses for farm families in the Homa Bay Diocese, and thus enhancing their livelihood.

Performance indicators:

• 10 local artisans identified and selected for training in year 2000
• 10 local artisans effectively trained by end of year 2000
• 250 metal silos fabricated by end of year 2001
• 50 silos sold in year 1, and 200 silos sold in year 2
• 1 base-line survey on percentage of grain loss conducted in the project area in year 1
• 1 follow-up survey on consumer satisfaction with the metal silos
• 5 agriculture promoters trained in storage techniques
• 1 impact assessment survey conducted at the end of year 2

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