Climate Smart Sustainable Farming

Farmers across the globe especially in arid and semi arid regions have over the years been faced with various tough challenges such as sporadic rainfall patterns, limited space, malnourished soil texture, low yields, pests and diseases and recently negative effects of climate change. We are proposing the adoption of climate smart modern method of farming that enables crop and livestock fodder production in  any type of climate including deserts. The solution will increase food production, enhance nutrition levels, create sustainable livelihoods, create employment opportunities  along the value chain, increase independency and resilience among vulnerable communities, save on water and protect the environment.

We are solving the problem of food insecurity especially in arid and semi arid regions.

257Million people are facing challenges of food insecurity in Africa 237 Million in sub-Sahara Africa and 132.2 Million in East Africa  which is mostly arid and semi arid regions. Food insecurity has been aggravated by negative effects of climate change and increased desertification.

With the population of sub-Saharan Africa expected to increase at an average annual rate of 2.6 percent from 949 million in 2015 to reach 1.2 billion by 2025, food production systems will be placed under growing pressure in an already difficult setting of rising urbanization and environmental
degradation. The demand for food will triple.

Our hydroponic systems is providing a solution to these challenges by increasing food production. This is due to the several system features such as; able to realize six times more crop production in 1m2 of land, growing of crops vertically as opposed to horizontally, 30% faster growth, able to grow in balconies, roof tops, walls etc with or without soil. Systems not affected by climatic conditions hence can produce in arid and semi arid regions including deserts.

Our systems will indeed feed the growing population

Climate Smart sustainable farming solution is a modern method of farming.It is a system that enables both crop  and livestock fodder production. The system is powered by both hydroponic and intelligent responsive drip technologies. The systems are designed and installed based on the type of crop or livestock fodder to be grown, the size of land or space,climatic condition, reason for production either  commercial or subsistence  . For example for production of tomatoes the system to be used would be simplified hydroponic greenhouse which does not use soil in production but rather an inert media that would hold the seedlings, hydroponic nutrients for feeding the crop and responsive drip for irrigation. For large scale production with unlimited land size the climate smart technology to be used would be purely intelligent drip system which will be buried six inches and crops will be planted three inches away from the drip line.  In arid and semi arid regions the recommended type of system will be purely responsive drip system which uses 90% less water without the use of any source of energy.

The system is ideal to a large segment of the population.

1. Refugees and people living in Informal settlements.

They face a huge challenge of space and water. We have smaller systems that fit in this category and enables this people to produce their food in very limited space. Such systems are like the circular gardens, ready to harvest and portable hydrocrates etc.

2. Communities in arid and semi arid regions.

With the capacity of the climate smart technology able to produce any type of crop in harsh climatic conditions our products enables these communties faced with challenges such as less than 800mm of annual rainfall, malnourished and sandy soil texture, low buying power etc able to food secure, feed their livestock, create sustainable livelihoods and empower the very disadvanatged who are women and youth.

We did quite a number of feasibility studies with development partners and community leaders in these communities. We were able to understand their needs and therefore used these information to design climate smart systems that meet their needs.

We have succefully implementd various projects that have attested to the fact that our system meets the needs of the intended community

Our target group of people living in arid and semi arid regions face various challenges such as scarce water, harsh climatic conditions, crop failure, loss of livestock, low livelihoods etc.

Our solution addresses this by;

1. Enabling them to grow crops with very minimum amount of water 10-20%

2. Able to grow any type of crop

3. Able to grow livestock boma grass and hydroponic fodder

4. Able to grow crops and fodder consistently through out the year without failure due to use of responsive drip technology.

5. High and nutritious yield due to use of hydroponic nutrients

Our solution is called "Hydro Stream". It is a superior product because it has the following features;

1. Integrates both hydroponic and intelligent responsive drip technologies

2. The product enables growing of any type of crop ranging from vegetables, fruits, starchy food and  livestock fodder

3. The product is not affected by any climatic condition or soil texture. Its the only product that enables growing of crop even in desert and sandy soils.

4. It is a subsurface drip which reduces the rate of evaporation to 90%. This is as opposed to normal drips that are laid above the ground and does not save a lot of water during irrigation.

5. The system offers  precision farming solution that ensures that water is directly delivered to the plant root system only when the plant needs water. This is contrary to the normal drips that passes water continuously leading to wastage of water.

6. The drip ensure nutrients and water are used to its entirety.

7. It use zero energy. The responsive drip technology works under very low pressure of below 2.5PSI and water flows by gravity without use of any source of energy.

8. Almost zero labour in irrigation. Water flows by gravity eliminating manual labour

9. The drip has a life span of 12 years inside the soil. As opposed to normal drips with a life span of 1 year our Hydro stream product has a life span 12 times more years.

10. Not affected by saline or brackish water.

The solution is powered by Intelligent Responsive drip technology.

This is a disruptive irrigation technology, based on organic chemistry providing the best solution to irrigation farming. Our intelligence drip systems is a “smart and
precise” irrigation tubing that communicates directly with plants to regulate irrigation delivery.
ii. Using the basis of plant physiology and organic chemistry, the intelligent drip systems “smart and precise” subsurface irrigation tube interacts and responds to chemical signals released by plants’ roots. This chemically-infused micro porous tubing will hold water and nutrients until root exudes are emitted that trigger the release of water to the plant roots. This plant-intelligent drip system provides a slow-release delivery of
water that matches the roots’ absorption capacity.

The technology enables farmers to enjoy the following advantages.

1. Uses 80% less water.

2. No clogging. Incase of any residue in the drip you just open the end cups and flush  out the residue

3. Not affected by saline or brackish water. Infact it expedites curing of the drip to less than 12 days and turning to responsive mode.

4. Not affected by harsh climatic conditions therefore can be used to grow any crop even in deserts

5. Uses zero energy

The technology is not powered by electricity or solar energy therefore reduces cost of operation , non emission of co2 and can be installed in rural areas

6. Uses zero labour. Almost zero manual labour

7. Grow all types of crops

8. Has 12 years life span

The technology is used in East Africa, especially in Northern Kenya, in Nairobi informal settlements, in Rwanda and in Darfur Sudan and we are just about to flag off a hydroponic project in Tardjourah, in  Djibouti. We have implemented various projects with UN World Food Programme and I choose Life in Northern Kenya and with Aqua For All and Dubai Expo 2020 in informal settlements in Nairobi as well as with  Welthilfe Hunger in Darfur, Sudan among the refugees. The technology has been used to grow a wide variety of crops such as vegetables, fruits, livestock fodder and  boma rhodes both in greenhouses and open field. We have so far installed more than 6,000 hydroponic systems across the region. The technology has transformed the lives of especially refugees, vulnerable women and youths and small holder farmers across the region

Below are our projects links:

• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/A8i52xzQU7Li9WW18
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/NRtG5eMLdBP9hYam9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/f2U7QwtgGarVxF1a6
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/nVTZTMSdCmHC53PB7
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/7LkG8KVq3fqanAEp6
  
• https://drive.google.com/open?id=17QMTqIB6lddznR315jro9DeslsQa880q
• https://drive.google.c/open?id=1wyLSDb9QOh0Tm2Oc2VU87u3n4nME2vvc
  
• https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hh1odntey-oic0u35hmGMRtK19jv06LK
  
• https://securingwaterforfood.org/innovator-news/hydroponics-africa-feeding-the-malnourished-in-the-refugee-camps-of-northern-kenya
  
• https://securingwaterforfood.org/innovator-news/peter-chege-hydroponics-africa-expanding
•  https://securingwaterforfood.org/innovator-news/impossible-takes-longer-hydropon
• https://vimeo.com/265711769 
• https://youtu.be/urpqJWBorok
  
•   https://youtu.be/iweCTFa69JE

Publications

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wyLSDb9QOh0Tm2Oc2VU87u3n4nME2vvc?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15JmFAyb6kh9V68GRSMbnehNwjTDwTt2/view

Farmers and especially in arid and semi arid regions for them to realize economic value and impact from agricultural activities they must change from conventional to climate smart modern method of farming. This is because the climate smart method of farming has reported various results such as high yield as opposed to low or loss of crop, crop production even in desert soils, production in the midst of very minimal water, production of a whole range of crops including  livestock fodder which has been a source of community conflict. The technology has also proven that land space is not a limitation and refugees who have small portions of land can grow crops vertically and attain optimum production. UN World Food Program has proven the above outputs in their report under H2o to grow project in Northen Kenya. Welthilfe hunger has also affirmed such outcomes in their hydroponic project in Northern Darfur, Sudan. Climate Circle has also proven this in their social impact report.

To bring about change in high costs of fertilizer and pesticides  to farmers we have manufactures our own hydroponic nutrients and organic bio-pesticed that are three times cheaper,highly effective human and environmentally friendly.

We also provide market linkages of fresh farm produce as well as offer technology transfer through intensive training especially to women and youth and transform lives

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15JmFAyb6kh9V68GRSMbnehNwjTDwTt2/view

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wyLSDb9QOh0Tm2Oc2VU87u3n4nME2vvc?usp=sharing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7sE1Y15QFE&t=52s  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIBFi7D6qqg  

1. Current number of people serving:    40,000

2. Number of people to serve in one year : 17,500

3. Number serving in 5 years:    87,500

Notes

Each system directly serves 5 people. 5 being the average family size in every household. So far we have installed 8,000 units inn three years X 5 people=40,000

Our one year projection is  we will  install an average of 3,500 units per year (30% increase per year). This will directly serve 3,500X5=17,500 people

In five years it will be 3,500 units X5 people X 5 years=87,500

1.Train 5,000 youths and women per year and 25,000 in five years.

We target to train women and youths from vulnerable communities especially in arid and semi arid regions. We will train on agribusiness powered by both hydroponic and intelligent drip technologies with an objectives to realize food security, create sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment.

2. Establish 500 youths and women group per year.

Organized groups are easy to manage as well as link to like minded financial and development partners.

3. Establish a revolving fund and establish a microfinance in 5 years.

To enhance their financial capacity, we will inculcate the culture of  savings and lending  with a view to establish a revolving fund that will eventually grow into a microfinance.

4. Produce 2 Million tons of fresh farm produce in a year and 10 Million tons in 5 years.

These will contribute feeding the ever growing population

5. Put 500,000 acres into hydroponics farming especially in arid and semi arid region.

These will increase food production as well as reverse the negative effects of climate change and desertification.

Barriers.

Financial.

1. Not able to raise a minimum of $600,000 to finance our strategic plan

2. Not able to raise $300,000 to extend credit facilities to potential women and youth who want to do agribusiness

3. Not able to raise $200,000 to finance our expansion plan to arid and semi arid regions

Technical

1. Not able to find all the raw materials locally therefore have to import.

2. Not able to provide effective technical and agronomic support to all our ever increasing clients

Legal

1. Having challenges in opening branches in some countries in the region

2. Lack of legal frameworks in some countries that support climate smart technologies

3. Lack of tax exemptions legal laws in some countries when we are exporting some of our products

Cultural.

1. Some farmers especially in arid and semi arid regions who are grossly affected by food security and harsh climatic conditions are nomads and livestock keepers it has been quite challenging to convince them to change to crop production

2. African households are patriarchal and most women and youths lack access to land to farm.

3. In arid and semi arid regions the land is communal land and its use must be approved by community leaders slowing down project implementations

Market barriers

1. Some countries have closed markets and not open to technologies from other countries thereby reducing the adoption rate of this technology

Financial

1. Partnership. We will continue to pursue partnerships with development partners in the social impact investment space to assist vulnerable individuals and communities acquire this technology.

2. Research: We will continue to do more research on how to reduce our cost of production and make the product much more affordable

3. Financing institutions: We are in negotiation with financing institutions such as banks to be able to extend credit facilities to our potential farmers.

4. Establish microfinance. To increase our financial capacity we have a vision of forming a microfinance that will offer financial solutions

Legal.

Through our partners such as the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre we are pushing for strong legal frameworks that will ease our operational challenges in the region.

Cultural.

We have always kept engaging community gate keepers especially in arid and semi arid areas through community awareness and sensitization meetings so that they can internalize the benefits of climate smart crop production technology

Market.

We have used our partners to push for market friendly policies in the region as well as establish partnership with local entrepreneurs in those closed markets

Hydroponics Africa Limited is the larger organization which is a registered profit limited company. On the other hand we have a non profit organization registered as a Foundation called International Institute of Simplified Hydroponics. The foundation does a lot in the social impact investment to vulnerable people as well as providing training to youths and women

Hydroponics Africa Limited has 36 full time employees.

CEO & Founder
 Dr.Peter Chege has 16 years of experience in agribusiness  7 in the field of simplified hydroponics and intelligent responsive technologies. He has Doctorate degree in Science from Commonwealth University UK, Masters Certificate in Business Leadership from London Graduate School UK and A Degree in Analytical Chemistry from University of Nairobi.

He  has received various accolades and recognition in the field of hydroponics and agribusiness such as; International award in Excellency and quality from Bid International Quality convention in Germany,2017;Panel discussion accolade  in Urban farming in  Brussels, Belgium; Accolade on Inspiring agriculture change from Sharefair on Rural Women  Technologies In Kenya, 2016; Grand challenge “Securing for food water” for World Health Organization, Johannesburg , South Africa, 2018 , recognition at the “Vetrical farming association”   conference in South Africa, recognition at World Water week conference in Stockholm, Sweden in august 2018,etc

He has steered the company from a start up in 2015 to mature company with various branches across the globe. He has overseen the execution of various projects in partnership with various multi-national development agencies such UNWFP, UNFAO, UNDP, USAID, Welthilfe Hunger etc

Mr.Paul G. Kamau.

He has 15 years of experience in management, finance,program management and business development. He has a masters degree in Strategic Management, a degree in Commerce and a Certified Public Accountant.

Mr.Ayub James

He has 5 years experience in agronomy and hold a degree in Horticulture.

Fredrick Ochieng

He has 3 years experience in agricultural engineering and  holds a degree in agricultural engineering.

Partnerships

1. Kenya Climate Innovation Centre

2. Kenya Climate Ventures

3. USAID-Secure Water For Food Programme

4. UN World Food Programme

5. Welthilfe Hunger

6. Aqua for All & Climate Circle

7. Dubai Expo 2020

Our business model is as follows;

1. Design, manufacture and installation of simplified hydroponic and intelligent responsive systems.

These are both vertical and horizontal hydroponic units . We have six different types of systems. These systems supports growing of any type of crops ranging from vegetables, fruits, starchy crops, livestock fodder and grass.

We have so far installed over 6,000 units with our market spanning across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania & Sudan.

All our clients make upfront payment

2. Distributorship of Intelligent Responsive Drip

Our company is the sole distributor of the intelligent responsive drip in the whole of Africa. This is one of its kind drip that is subsurface has billions of microscopic holes that releases water to the plant root only when the plant requires water. It works based on the principle of plant physiology and chemistry with zero energy and no sensors.

3. Manufacture and selling of hydroponic nutrients

Our nutrients are  unique such that they contain the whole spectrum of nutrients composition required by any type of crop at every stage of growth.

4. Pesticides manufacture and selling

Our pesticides are unique such that they are organic in nature and we sell directly to the farmers through our direct distribution channels hence fetching more profit margins

5. Training on simplified hydroponic and intelligent responsive crop production technologies. The trainees make upfront payments

6. Contract Farming Model. We produce specific type of crop, at specific quantities at a specific period for a specific off take buyer

Solve will help us to overcome the following barriers;

1. Reduce  production cost and increase affordability

The available funds will enable us enjoy the economies of scale by purchasing raw materials in bulk, manufacture our systems and nutrients in high batches. This will reduce our cost of production as well as make our products more affordable to farmers.

2. Increase our market penetration

The funds received will enable us increase our market campaign. This will make our product penetrate the current and create new blue ocean markets.

3. Increase product awareness and thus increase adoption of climate smart method of farming

4. Realize synergy in the supply chain

5. Enhance our distribution channels

6. Increase our access to training

We would like to partner with organization that will finance our production, and distribution of our products.

Companies that would help us in marketing our products both locally and intentionally would be highly welcomed.

We would like to partner with organizations that would enhance our financial capacity.

Companies that will increase our market niche both locally and internationally will be highly appreciated.

For the period 2018 to 2020 we have pioneered the implementation of agribusiness hydroponic project in both Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya and Zam zam refugee camp in Darfur, Sudan. The projects were funded by UNWorld Food Programme and Welhilfehunger Hilfe respectively. The project had three thematic areas; food security & nutrition, sustainable livelihood and resilience. We were able to install 850 hydroponic systems feeding over 5,000 refugees and 150 livestock. We enabled the refugees for the first time able to produce food for themselves and livestock fodder in the midst of very harsh climatic conditions such as high temperatures of over 40 degrees centigrade, less than 800mm annual rainfall, sandy and malnourished soil structure etc.

• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/A8i52xzQU7Li9WW18
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/NRtG5eMLdBP9hYam9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/f2U7QwtgGarVxF1a6
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/nVTZTMSdCmHC53PB7
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/7LkG8KVq3fqanAEp6
  

With such capacity, knowledge and experience we believe we qualify for the Adan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion

In our project that we undertook at Zam zam Darfur Sudan refugee camp almost all the beneficiaries were women. We were able to introduce the hydroponic and intelligent responsive drip crop production technologies. This transformed their lives by enabling them to be able to produce food for their households with zero energy and labour.

We have successfully executed projects targeting women, young mothers and girls in the slums in Nairobi city.  These projects had an objective of food security and nutrition especially to young mothers, create employment opportunists to women as well as train them on entrepreneurship driven by hydroponic technology.

We were able to install hydroponic systems at both household and common area. Women and young girls were trained, received hydroponic systems, we provided agronomy support, market linkages for their produce as well as financial linkages to both financial and development partners.

See project photo links below:

• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/A8i52xzQU7Li9WW18
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/t16RHiJKGY4cXKwK9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/NRtG5eMLdBP9hYam9
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/f2U7QwtgGarVxF1a6
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/nVTZTMSdCmHC53PB7
• https://photos.app.goo.gl/7LkG8KVq3fqanAEp6

We have integrated intelligent responsive technology in crop production. This technology has opened endless benefits such as;

1. Reduced use of water for irrigation by 90%. This is because it is a subsurface drip that reduces the rate of evapo-transpiration.

2. Farmers can plant any type of crop  including vegetables, fruits, starchy foods, livestock boma grass etc.

3. Its the only technology that is not affected by any climatic condition and crops can be grown in harsh climatic regions such as deserts

We would like to exploit the full potential of this technology to achieve;

1. Food security & Nutrition especially in arid and semi arid regions

2. Create sustainable livelihoods especially to poverty stricken and marginalized people and communities.

3. Protect the environment and solution to climate change through adoption of this climate smart method of farming

4. Save water as a limed resource

The technology has the following attributes

This is a disruptive irrigation technology, based on organic chemistry providing the
best solution to irrigation farming. Our intelligence drip systems is a “smart and
precise” irrigation tubing that communicates directly with plants to regulate irrigation
delivery. This plant-intelligent drip technology is the most innovative and superior
approach to drip irrigation as opposed to the conventional drip irrigation approach.
ii. Using the basis of plant physiology and organic chemistry, the intelligent drip
systems “smart and precise” subsurface irrigation tube interacts and responds to
chemical signals released by plants’ roots. This chemically-infused micro porous
tubing will hold water and nutrients until root exudes are emitted that trigger the
release of water. This plant-intelligent drip system provides a slow-release delivery of
water that matches the roots’ absorption capacity. Since the plant is self-regulating its
water delivery, there is less stress on the plant, resulting in higher yields in crops. This
plant-intelligent drip method of irrigation demonstrates superior efficiency over all
currently available subsurface drip systems, using 90% less water.
iii. The system release continually fluctuates, responding “real-time” to plants’ needs and
changing weather conditions. The chemical responders of this system’s tubing allow
each plant to pull the water that it needs, so the system can support varying plant types
on a single line. Along the same tube, different crops or plants with variable water
needs are able to receive irrigation at variable release rates to meet their demands.
iv. Our drip system tubes has millions of microscopic openings along its surface to
release water. The system has no emitters to clog or malfunction. The system does not
require filtration. The system is easy to install and maintain. The installation cost is
cost effective and less than the current sub-surface irrigation.
v. One of the best element of this technology is that the plant-intelligent drip technology
operates at extremely low pressure , so its ideal in arid and semi arid areas. With this
minimal operating pressure, the system can deliver water to plants in row lengths of
over 1200 feet. There will be no need for electricity because there is no need for
electronic components—just a water source. The system is simply a water pressure
regulator, fittings and the tube. We do not use electronic devices such as solenoids,
valves, controllers or timer

The water source can be a well, a river, saline water, tap water, reclaimed water, etc. The system is self-regulating and provides more water to the plants (as they “call” for it) depending on the whether condition.. High temperatures do not affect the system’s efficiency. The system provided a monitoring and evaluation platform,capturing data measurements to provide remote monitoring. This results in a perfect blend of organic chemistry and modern technology. vii. This irrigation system provides water-soluble nutrient fertilizers and micro-nutrients directly in the root zone of the plants, so plants can be grown in arid and semi arid regions and sandy soil. Leafy vegetables has been grown in sandy soils using this system where traditional surface drip could not sustain growth in the sand, even with more water and nutrient fertilizers.
viii. The drip system is made of bio-non degradable material with a life span of 12 years.
ix. Our intelligent drip system is a green technology that works organically to communicate with plants. It’s capable of growing plants in the harshest of environments, while using very minimal amounts of water. It bring about balance of nature, sustainability, and regeneration. The system is portable and can be relocated when need arises. This technology is highly recommended to internally displaced people who majorly dwell in arid and semi arid regions of the Horn of Africa. The technology would regenerate our ecosystem for future generations