The Kenya Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Programme (KASAL)

The Kenya Arid and Semi-Arid Research programme (KASAL) will be implemented by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) over the next five years (2006-2010) that was launched on 18th September 2006. KASAL is financed jointly by the Government of Kenya and the European Union.

The programme will focus on developing site specific agricultural technologies for farmers and livestock keepers in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. The ASALs cover 80 per cent of the country and support 30 per cent of the population. These areas support 60 per cent of the livestock and 65 per cent of the wildlife. Despite the huge potential the people living in the Arid and Semi-arid areas have remained outside the mainstream economy of the country. These areas are characterized by high poverty rates. Subsistence is the way of life for most of these farmers who are agro-pastoralists and pastoralists. Poverty rates are between 60 and 80 per cent, and are highest amongst female-headed households, and thousands are dependent on famine relief.

Programme objectives

KASAL aims to contribute to poverty alleviation in the ASALs through increased agricultural productivity and production and thus to provide these subsistence farmers with a surplus for sale and thereby a pathway out of poverty in line with the Strategy for Revitalization of Agriculture (SRA).

KASAL Components

The following are the four KASAL Components:

I. Institutional development including human and physical resource development

a. It includes support to KARI human resource development and training, support to interactions between beneficiaries and all stakeholders, the development of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system suitable for ASALs, upgrading of facilities, empowerment of farmers/pastoralists groups, NGOs and CBOs etc

b. Development of KARI Marsabit Research Centre into a national and regional hub for arid lands research.

II. Semi-Arid lands.

The activities in the semi-arid areas will include the development, validation and promotion of:

a. Strategies for increased farm productivity in mixed dry land farming areas through improved integrated crop-livestock farming systems, soil and water management regimes and conservation practices for natural resources and biodiversity.

b. Strategies for improved range and livestock production in semi-arid rangelands.

c. Alternative crop, animal and natural resources based products and new market.

d. The population in the ASAL areas depends heavily on livestock for their livelihoods. The programme aims at reducing this dependence through the diversification into new crops, livestock and natural resource based products.

III Arid lands

The activities will include;

a. Understanding the socio-economic dynamics of pastoralism in the arid lowlands with the aim of developing appropriate interventions for the production system. Based on the information generated a “Pastoralist Policy” concept paper will be developed.

b. Develop strategies for improved integrated management practices and post-harvesting options for mountain and oasis agriculture. The programme will identify and test appropriate crops and management practices to enhance the utilization of water in oases and mountain areas.

c. Identify options for new products and assess marketing potentials for the same. Technologies and strategies for post harvest management practices, processing, quality control and marketing for existing and new products will be developed.

IV Development of strategies for scaling-up and dissemination of research results and technologies.

This will include the development of an inventory of existing technologies and dissemination strategies suitable for use in the ASALs.