In Kenya, ever more native traditional varieties are disappearing. Due to monoculture farming , agricultural land is also becoming less resilient to climate change. In addition, farming families are vulnerable to price fluctuations and unforeseen market developments.
In this project, we want to help create more diversified food and production systems. The cultivation of different native and traditional varieties should not only strengthen the resilience of production systems and ensure greater biodiversity, but also lead to a healthier and more balanced diet for people living in the region. Specifically, Biovision and its partner organizations are focusing on the cultivation and marketing of heirloom vegetable varieties in rural communities. Farmers are also setting up local seed banks and agricultural exchange centres.
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This project is supported by SDC
Farmers have established local seed banks and are maintaining them successfully. As a result, they have also become seed producers who both grow more vegetable and fruit varieties and earn additional income by marketing the seeds. The farmers are therefore less dependent on market dynamics , such as price fluctuations at the market. In addition, cultivated areas are significantly more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Now it’s time to win over even more farmers with heirloom varieties and convince them to design more diversified cultivation systems. At the same time, Biovision and its partner, Bioversity, want to help co-create local legislation to create better policy frameworks for the project and thus for the farmers involved.
