Transforming the Kenyan Dairy Feeds System to Improve Farmer Productivity and Livelihoods

This Agricultural Partnerships for Productivity and Prosperity Project (AP3) was a demonstration of the application of SCALE (System-wide Collaborative Action for Livelihoods and the Environment) to “Enriched-feeds for Improving the Productivity and Incomes of Small-holder Dairy Farmers.” It was conducted in the central highlands of Kenya from February 2006 – March 2007 in order to spread researched feed practices already used by 48,000 farmers to the 600,000 farmers raising dairy cattle. The project strengthened the dairy enriched-feeds programme through: increasing social capital, networks, and communication; tripling the number of farmers reached; creation of the first Kenyan national fodder shrub seed dealer association; and involving the media as partners, resulting in extensive unpaid media coverage on radio, television, and newspapers.


SCALE staff selected an advisory committee from 6 stakeholder sectors to work on mapping the context and planning for the Whole-System-in-the-Room (WSR) Workshop focused on linking all stakeholders to mutual goals and commitments. The committee first decided on the breadth of the project; identified the range of stakeholders connected to this task by analysing the dairy value chain; and invited them to the workshop. Participants in the workshop created a visual timeline of their common past, the personal, national, and global events that had shaped the current dairy sector, and then self-managed a series of exercises to collectively analyse the present, including global trends, develop ideal future scenarios, and identify seven “common-ground” goals. Groups developed three-month short-term goals and three-year medium-term action plans. Participants then committed to personal and organisational actions. For example, the media committed to increasing its number of stories on dairy enriched feeds. As part of the process, participants also developed a list of “Not Agreed On” topics, such as “regulation of commercial feed” and “proper and better services from the government” - topics that would not be resolved in this forum.


The SCALE team collected stakeholder information using a Social Network Analysis Collaboration Rating Form prior to the workshop and distributed socio grams (illustrated social networks) to participants after they had developed their common-ground goals and before they formed action plans. The participants used the socio grams to identify what linkages they needed to strengthen in their networks. For example, dairy processors were too far from farmers in their network relationships.


While stakeholders followed through with their action plans, SCALE focused on improving communication; strengthening stakeholder linkages and collaboration; and scaling up increased adoption of fodder shrubs and other enriched feeds. The team used the following tools and channels:

• Simple, low-cost print materials providing basic information;
• Monthly newsletters;
• Web presence, including five articles on “Transformations,” and a weekly newsletter;
• Regular phone calls with all stakeholders (for both contact and needs assessment purposes); and
• An event log to track stakeholders’ collaborative actions.

As stated here, "the team began to strengthen horizontal communication (communication among the stakeholders, rather than vertically from the project to the stakeholders), collaboration, and networking among the WSR participants and new actors as they became involved. To initiate this process, the team sponsored a series of outreach and networking meetings to increase the involvement of other stakeholders and finalise and implement stakeholder group action plans."


To increase media activity and education, field trips for media representatives were organised to give them first-hand experience. The team established an awards programme, offering prizes for the best coverage in print, radio, and television, and later held a gala dinner of recognition. Enriched-feed specialists were invited to be part of national and local language radio programmes, which included listener call-in. Finally, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and citizen TV stations developed documentaries, which were also made into DVDs and VHS and used in workshops, presentations, and other meetings to increase awareness about fodder shrubs.


As stated here: "The team strengthened capacity of a number of organizations and individuals through training and guided practice. Workshop topics included fodder shrub production, management, utilization, marketing, and access to micro-credit.... During the first workshop, participants decided to form a seed dealers association - KATRESNO - that would increase promotion, distribution, and marketing of fodder shrub seeds and seedlings and improve members’ incomes. Within six months, there were more than 55 members in the association."


The project results include: involving the media as partners; positive results of testing the Social Network Analysis tool; institutionalisation of the SCALE process through regional workshops for people based in Kenya, East Africa, and Sudan, and fifty-three Tanzanian participants; stronger research institutions; formation of the Seed Dealers Association; and reaching triple the number of farmers.


The SCALE team used social network analysis called "(SNA)2" to map and measure the relationships among the stakeholder organisations.


SCALE evaluation tools include:

• Social Network Collaboration Form - to collect information by stakeholder group, both prior and post project information, including relationships with other stakeholder groups.
• Collaborative Action Log - used to capture new collaborations as they developed, record brief descriptions of each new collaborative action, and document which organisations were involved.
• Media Log - monitored media interaction and reporting in the project.
• Semi-structured interviews with opinion leaders - conducted at the beginning, mid-year, and one-year point of the project.

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