Kenya Maize Development Program II (KMDP II)

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What is Kenya Maize Development Program II (KMDP II)?                             

The USAID/Kenya Maize Development Program invested $11.2 million in improving maize production in Kenya from 2002 – 2010. The investment helped Kenya’s smallholder maize farmers triple maize yields from a baseline of 720 kilograms per hectare to an average yield of 2,300 kilograms per hectare, and raised gross earnings per house­hold by Ksh 51,000 (US $637) from 2004 to 2009. USAID’s successful maize program is currently extended through September 2012 in order to support 20,000 additional Kenyan smallholder farmers in the high-rainfall areas of Western Kenya and the semi-arid areas of Eastern Kenya that have been targeted under the U.S. Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative known as Feed the Future. Women and youth are also important targets of program activities that work to improve nutrition and sustainability.

Project Duration and Budget

December 2010 – September 2012

$3 million

Who implements Kenya Maize Development II?

ACDI/VOCA
www.acdivoca.org

Kenya Cereal Growers Association (CGA)
www.cga.co.ke

Farm Inputs Promotions Africa (FIPS-A)
www.fipsafrica.org

Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE)
www.kacekenya.co.ke

Where does Kenya Maize Development II work?

KMDP’s geographic focus is Kenya’s  Rift Valley (Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nakuru Counties), parts of Western (Bungoma, Bomet, Kakamega-Lugari Counties), selcted areas of Eastern Kenya  (Makueni, Kitui, and Machakos County) and Nyanza Province (Siaya and parts of Kisii).  All are focus areas of USAID/Kenya Feed the Future strategy.

What does Kenya Maize Development II do?

KMDP II boosts rural household incomes by raising agricultural productivity, improving the effectiveness of smallholder organizations and increasing their access to agricultural markets and business support services. The program is also facilitating the development of alternative staple value chains, including legumes, beans, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes and sorghum which will improve farmers income potential and nutrition while decreasing the risks from drought.

Training activities are conducted to mainstream youth “agripreneurs” as well as women. Training focuses on “Farming as a Family Business”, entrepreneurship, improving post-harvest handling and storage and financial records management for producer organizations.

How is Kenya Maize Development II making a difference?

  • Despite increases in fertilizer and fuel prices since 2011, participating farmers produced 7% higher yields than in 2010. This is due to improved production practices and a better understanding of market behavior.
  • Between January and March 2012, producers in Western Kenya consolidated 995 metric tons (about 2,200,000 pounds) of assorted grains through village bulking centers and sold 336 metric tons (740,000 pounds) through traders and to the World Food Program. Field data indicates that thanks to improved storage facilities, producer groups are holding 570 metric tons in anticipation of higher market prices later this year.
  • To promote household nutritional diversity and enhance income generating activities for women, USAID- supported entrepreneurs vaccinated 30,000 chicken owned by 3,400 women in Eastern Kenya.

What key challenges does the Kenya Maize Development II project face?

Producers in Eastern Kenya’s semi-arid lands face recurrent Aflatoxin poisoning problems. Farmers require regular training on post-harvest handling, grain conditioning and storage so as to avoid this menace. In view of this a several groups in the region were trained on grain care and grain conditioning from harvesting through storage.

Kenya Maize Development II in action

Dr. Wilson Songa, Agricultural Secretary at the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture attended one of the 29 field days held in Eastern Kenya, and organized by the Kenya Maize Development program. The Ministry has adopted the ACDI/VOCA “Farming as a Family Business” training curriculum as its flagship training module, noting that with improved use of appropriate agronomic and farm management practices, selected regions could produce higher yields of maize as witnessed by KMDP II farmer operated demonstration farms indicate. Partnership with public and private sector play a key role in KMDP’s sustainability strategy.

For more information:

http://www.acdivoca.org/site/ID/kenya-maize-development-program-follow-on/

Steve Collins, Chief of Party
ACDI/VOCA
Tel: +254 20 444 3254
Email: scollins@acdivoca.org

Julius Kilungo, AOR
USAID/Kenya
Agriculture, Business and Environment Office
Tel: +254 208 622 215
Email: jkilungo@usaid.gov