Kenya
Maize agroforestry, food,
horticultural, and livestock
production
| Main info | |
|---|---|
|
Name / Location |
Makueni / Makueni County, Southeastern Kenya |
|
Partner |
International Centre for Research in Agroforestry – ICRAF |
|
Agroecological Zone |
Semi-arid / subhumid |
|
Climate Classification |
Arid, steppe, hot |
|
Land Ownership |
Privately owned |
|
Total Area (ha) |
19.85 ha |
|
Area Under AF (ha) |
10.94 ha |
|
Non-AF Farmland (ha) |
8.91 ha |
|
Support Organization |
CIFOR-ICRAF, Makueni County Government |
Climate change, limited access to inputs, and financial barriers challenge smallholder agriculture
Located in Makueni County, Kenya’s Living Lab lies in a semi-arid landscape where climate change, limited access to inputs, and financial barriers challenge smallholder agriculture. Through community partnerships and support from local authorities and CIFOR-ICRAF, this lab explores maize-based agroforestry systems that integrate food crops, horticultural crops, and livestock. It serves as a demonstration space for inclusive, gender-responsive, and climate-resilient farming practices, supporting knowledge exchange between farmers, researchers, and AU–EU stakeholders.
Main Challenges
Kenya is experiencing multiple challenges, particularly in its semi-arid regions, where smallholder farmers face numerous obstacles to achieving sustainable agriculture. The key challenges include:
- Climate variability, with unpredictable rainfall and recurring droughts
- Limited access to agricultural inputs, such as quality seeds and fertilizers
- Credit and financial barriers, restricting farmers’ ability to invest in improvements
- Gender inequality, limiting opportunities and decision-making power for women in agriculture
These interconnected issues significantly affect productivity, resilience, and equity within rural farming communities.
Agroforestry response
In response, Kenya’s Living Lab is promoting maize-based agroforestry systems that integrate food crops, horticulture, and livestock. The lab serves as a platform for co-creating climate-resilient, gender-responsive, and inclusive farming practices.
The core cropping system centers on maize, complemented by vegetables, fruits, and beans, which together enhance dietary diversity and income stability. On the livestock side, the integration of goats, poultry, and cattle helps support soil fertility, nutrition, and household resilience.
This integrated system not only addresses key agricultural challenges but also showcases scalable, sustainable solutions tailored to the realities of dryland farming.
