Project Year: 2023 (12 months)
Donor: Ecology Action (www.growbiointensive.org)

Bold Impact Africa is set to empower women and youth in marginalized rural and arid areas of Kenya through the “Impacting Grow Biointensive and Soil Growing Skills” project. This initiative will be implemented in Murang’a, Kiambu, Machakos, and Samburu counties over a 12-month period from January to December 2023. The project aimed at addressing key challenges such as declining soil fertility, food insecurity, and economic vulnerability by training participants in sustainable agricultural practices that enhance soil health and increase crop yields. By focusing on these communities, Bold Impact Africa sough to improve household nutrition and incomes, ultimately reducing the vulnerabilities faced by women and youth.
This project trained 100 chief farmers, who serves as trainers of trainers (ToTs), in the principles of Grow Biointensive sustainable mini-farming methods. These ToTs were equipped with skills to establish their own soil testing stations and conduct intensive training workshops for other farmers in their communities. Additionally, 40 children from a public primary school and an orphanage in Kiambu County were trained, fostering early adoption of sustainable farming practices. The training covered compost building, soil testing, and nutrient management, ensuring participants can grow nutritionally complete diets and maintain soil fertility sustainably.
The project also emphasized the formation of Grow Biointensive farmer groups and market linkages to enhance collective bargaining power and access to information and resources. Bold Impact Africa collaborated with county departments of trade and agriculture to facilitate networking, market access, and continuous support for trained farmers. By organizing indigenous seed forums and engaging children in sustainable farming, the project created a robust ecosystem of informed and empowered farmers.