Nairobi, 27th July 2024
Nairobi County Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subsector has finalized a 23 day mobilization and sensitization exercise that sought to inform the community members in the 20 selected wards practicing urban agriculture about the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP).
The goal of the NAVCDP is to increase market participation and value addition for targeted farmers in select value chains in the project areas.
The mobilization exercise was achieved through Participatory Integrated Community Development (PICD) process that aimed to invoke the community to participate in identifying the community issues/ challenges, developing plans and generating solutions in relations to agriculture.
“The exercise was conducted in 20 selected wards which practice urban agriculture and will culminate in the elections to identified community driven development committee members who will spearhead the project activities in the selected wards.” Explained Mr. Joseph Kinyanjui, the Nairobi County NAVCDP Coordinator.
The participatory process involved planning phase, awareness creation and situational analysis, data gathering and analysis, developing community development plan and micro catchment actions plans. The exercise concluded with endorsement Barazas validating Community Development plans, enlisting priority value chain and electing interim committee among other things.
Major problem identified during the Barazas included amongst others issues of farmer exploitation, inadequate capital, polluted water, inadequate farming space, insecurity, lack of market information and unpredictable weather.
Mr. Joseph Kinyanjui noted that the importance of the PICD process is that it involved the feelings of ownership, ensuring the credibility of the interventions and bringing a broader range of people to the planning process. “The process also involved the important player, which is the community from the onset, providing an opportunity for the community members to be heard, build trust as well as to be taught skills that will last far beyond the project.” He added.
The exercise comprised of members of the targeted community, relevant county technical departments (Agriculture and Trade), private sector and other change agents.
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