COMMUNITY INTEGRATED FARMERS SOLUTIONS

IMARA SEEKS TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF POVERTY, LAND AND ENVIRONMENT DEGRADATION, FOOD SECURITY, LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT AND UNSUSTAINABLE LAND USE PATTERNS, WHERE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE CAUSED THROUGH AGRICULTURE AND POOR LAND USE SYSTEMS LIKE MONOCULTURE, WETLAND ENCROACHMENTS AND EXECESSIVE USE OF SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS. IMARA ADDRESSES THE INTERLINKED CRISES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, DEFORESTATION, BIODIVERSITY LOSS, UNSUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS AND VALUE CHAINS.

OUR SOLUTION IS AN AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION IN MISSION AND CHARACTER AND OUR APPROACHES ARE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAIN LIVELIHOODS, IMPROVE THE STATUS OF ENVIRONMENT, BIODIVERSITY AND GENETIC RESOURCES IN NAMANJALALA AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN KENYA. THROUGH AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND AGR-ECOLOGY TECHNIQUES.

OUR SOLUTION SERVES THE POOR RURAL SMALL SCALE HOLDER FARMERS, WOMEN, YOUTHS AND FARMERS LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION CULTIVATING LAND HOLDING EQUIVALENT TO 2 HECTARES. THIS SOLUTION WILL IMPACT THEIR LIVES SOCIALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY AND ECONOMICALLY IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:- 

• INCREASE FARMERS CASH INCOME EARNING SAND IMPROVE THE LIVING STANDARDS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY 50%
• INCREASE AND IMPROVE VEGETATION BY 50%, (BIODIVERSITY), AND 54,300 THOUSAND TREE SEEDLINGS PLANTED BY THE COMMUNITY OF NAMANJALALA
• IMPROVE WOMEN'S LIVING CONDITIONS BY 90% DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUEL WOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
• IMPROVE SOIL FERTILITY, REDUCE POVERTY, REDUCE DEFORESTATION BY 50% IN THE COMMUNITY OF NAMANJALALA
• REDUCE CARBON DIOXIDE TO THE ATMOSPHERE, REDUCE SOIL EROSION BY 50% IN THE COMMUNITY.
• IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND OXYGEN PRODUCTION, ACTIVE EVAPORATION.
• AVAILABILITY OF RAINFALL AND THE REPLENISHMENT OF WILDLIFE HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY.
• INCREASE CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND STORAGE BY 50% IN THE COMMUNITY.

IMARA ADDRESSES THESE THROUGH: -

MOBILIZATION AND SENSITIZATION AND COMMUNITY PUBLIC MEETINGS TO INTRODUCE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO IMARA CBO IDEA OR PROPOSAL IN THE COMMUNITY ADDRESSING POVERTY AND LAND AND ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION.

CAPACITY BUILDING THE COMMUNITIES, TRAINING, SEMINARS AND FIELD-DAYS.

INTRODUCTION OF INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS IN THE COMMUNITIES AND THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE FARMERS' FARMS AND OPEN LEARNING WEEK. 

IMARA CBO, AND PARTNERS ARE WELL POSITIONED TO DELIVER THIS SOLUTION BECAUSE WE DELIVER TRANSFORMATIVE SCIENCE TO CREATE A FUTURE WITH HEALTHY BIODIVERSE, AND PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, PROVIDE CONSERVATION TRAINING TO THE CONSERVATIONCOMMUNITIES. WE USE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLY TECHNIQUES IN OUR ACTIVITIES AND LEARNING AND TRAINING OF OUR FARMERS AND TARGET GROUPS, THAT IS WHY WE ARE MUCH PLACED TO UNDERTAKE THE SOLUTION AND DELIVER THE SOLUTION. GIVEN THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IMARA CBO HAS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TRAINED TEAM OF WOMEN AND MEN MANAGERS WORKING ON THE DAY-TO-DAY SOLVING THE PROBLEMS IN NAMANJALALA COMMUNITY. OTHER ACTORS LACK KNOWLEDGE OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND AGROFORESTRY, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS KNOW-HOW, AND OUR ORGANIZATION CONSISTS OF A TEAM OF AN EFFICIENT AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND TRAINED MIX OF WOMEN AND MEN MANAGERS TRAINED IN NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, AGROFORESTRY, FORESTRY, LIVESTOCK, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES. WITH GENDER EQUALITY AT THE HELM OF OUR PROJECT THIS MAKES IT EASY TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY OF NAMANJALALA. 

THE IMARA CBO SOLUTION CURRENTLY SERVES 525 HOUSEHOLDS WITH APOPULATION OF 2525, LIVING IN OVER 10 VILLAGES SPREAD OVER NAMANJALALA COMMUNITY, LIVING IN EXTREAME POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENT DEGRADATION. WOMEN---300, YOUTHS---125, AND 100 MEN FARRMERS.

IMARA CBO IS APPLYING TO SOLVE BECAUSE POVERTY, LAND AND ECOSYSTEM DEGRADATION IS STILL A MAJOR PROBLEM AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY OF NAMANJALALA. LAND AND ENVIRONMENT DEGRADATION CONTINUES TO SPREAD WITH GREAT INTENSITY IN NAMANJALALA AND IS ESTIMATED TO AFFECT ABOUT 40% OF THE COMMUNITY FARMERS. BECAUSE SOIL DEGRADATION IS A KEY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN WITH OVER 50% OF THE SOIL EXPERIENCING SOME LEVEL OF DEGRADATION. IMARA IS APPLYING TO SOLVE BCAUSE OUR BUDGET HAS RISEN TO 4,203,592 MILLION EXCLUSIVE OF VAT HENCE THE NEED TO LOOK FOR GRANTS, DONORS, SPONSORS AND INVESTORS TO BOOST OUR CAPITAL, THIS PROJECT IS NEEDED BECAUSE IT WILL IMPROVE THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY INCREASING THEIR FARM PRODUCTION AND THE AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. SINCE AGRICULTURE IS THE BACKBONE OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES WHO RELY ON THEIR LAND FOR SURVIVAL AND WELL BEING IN NAMANJALALA. 

OUR SOLUTION IS INNOVATIVE IN THE FORM OF USING SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES IN OUR ACTIVITIES AND LEARNING AND TRAINING OF FARMERS, USING THE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT (SALM) AND (PLUP), PRACTICES, OR METHODOLOGY WHERE THESE METHODS ARE DESTINED TO INCREASE THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE OF THE FARMERS. APPLYING TECHNIQUES LIKE:- MULCHING, NO-TILL, MINIMUM TILLAGE, USE OF COVER CROPS, CROP ROTATION, ALLEY CROPPING, CROP RESDUE MANAGEMENT, AND USE OF ORGANIC MATTER IN THE AGRICULTURAL FIELDS, TERRACING, AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR OUR FARMERS TO BE RESILIENT AND ADAPT /COPE UP WITH CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS IN PRACTICE. WE ALSO PROMOTE AGRO ECOLOGY TECHNOLOGY WHERE THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT OF TREES ON THE CONSERVATION OF SOIL AND WATER AS A NATURAL RESOURCE BASE IS EVIDENT. TREE PLANTING AND AFFORESTATION SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, i.e SOIL EROSION, WIND EROSION, SOIL FERTILITY LOSS AND DEGRADATION OF WATERCATCHMENT AREAS. WE TEST NEW SOLUTIONS TO STUBBON PROBLEMS AND SHARE OUR LEARNING WITH LOCAL SMALL SCALE HOLDER FARMERS IN THE COMMUNITIES OF NAMANJALALA, BIDII, KAPSITWET LOCATIONS UNDER OUR CATCHMENT AREA.

IMPACT GOALS:-

• TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY BY SAFEGUARDING ECOSYSTEMS, SPECIES AND GENETIC DIVERSITY.
• ENHANCE IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH PARTICIPATORY PLANNING, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING OF COMMUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION.
• IMPROVE COMMUNITY LIVELIHOOD AND FOOD SECURITY.
• REDUCE THE DIRECT PRESSURES ON BIODIVERSITY AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE USE AND CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
• RAISE AWRENESS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY POPULATION ABOUT LAND DEGRADATION AND DESERTIFICATION THROUGH VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL STRATEGIES THAT LEADS TO HIGHER ADAPTATION RATES BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
• ENHANCE FOREST AND ECOSYSTEMRESILIENCE WHILE PROTECTING AND RESTORING BIODIVERSITY, MAINTAINING PRODUCTIVITY, PROVIDING ENERGY AND SECURING LOCAL LIVELIHOODS AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
• MAINSTREAMING THE ROLE OF FORESTS AND NATURE WITHIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION BY BUILDING NATURE- INCLUSIVE FOOD SYSTEMS AND PUTTING PLANET EARTH AT THE HEART OF FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION
• TO IMPLEMENT INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT BOOST SOCIAL WELL BEING.

HOW WILL IMARA ACHIEVE THEM?

•  THROUGH EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS.
• THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, EDUCATION AND FORMATION OF SCHOOLS GREEN ENVIRONMENTAL CLUBS.
• THROUGH MOBILIZATION AND SENSITIZATION OF COMMUNITIES ESTABLISHING OF TREE NURSERIES FOR LOCAL TREE SEEDLINGS PRODUCTION IN THE COMMUNITIES.
• PROMOTION OF INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES, CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FOREST RESOURCES WITHIN NAMANJALALA COMMUNITY.
• TRAINING FARMERS ON SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSUMPTION AND MANAGEMENT, AGRICULTURE, AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND AGRO-ECOLOGY TECHNIQUES IN ORDER TO INDUCE SELF-RELIANCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN FOOD PRODUCTION.
• THROUGH AFFORESTATION, REFORESTATION AND SOIL, WATER CONSERVATION AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES.
• THROUGH OPEN LEARNING EVENTS AND FIELD-DAYS THAT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL SCALE HOLDER FARMERS TO ACCESS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT (SALM)PRACTICES THAT OFFER SOLUTIONS TO CHALLENGES OF LAND DEGRADATION AND HIGH COST OF FARMING AMONG OTHERS HENCE STRENGTHENING THEIR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY.  
• THROUGH FOREST LANDSCAPES RESTORATION, TREE PLANTING, AGROFORESTRY, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND MANY OTHER RESTORATION METHODS.
• THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT AND ESTABLISH RECORD OF INCREASING LOCAL BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY TO RECOVER FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND AUGMENTING LOCAL LIVELIHOODS, THROUGH RESOURCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
• THROUGH DEMONSTRATION LEARNING SITES, WHICH ACT AS LEARNING CENTERS FOR COMMUNITY FARMERS TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BACKSTOPPING TO PARTICIPATORY ADAPTIVE RESEARCH THAT WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL SMALL-SCALE FARMERS.       

THROUGH OUR PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION TEAM, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO FUNCTION TOGETHER IN A TRUSTED MANNER AND TRUST ONE ANOTHER AND HAVE A COMMON GOAL AND PRODUCE GOOD RESULTS. THEY PERFORM PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION, TEAM WORK AND INFLUENCES OTHERS TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR OBJECTIVES AND DIRECTS THE ORGANIZATION. THEY MAKE ROUTINE OBSERVATION OF WHAT IS BEING DONE AND ACHIEVED BY MEASURING AND COUNTING, AND MAKE PERIODICAL MEASUREMENT OR ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT PERFORMANCE. THEY DO FORMATIVE EVALUATION, MIDTERM EVALUATION AND TERMINAL EVALUATION. 

IMARA CBO PROGRESS PROJECT INDICATOS WILL BE BASED ON:-

• NJMBER OF FARMERS SENSITIZED IN AGROFORESTRY AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, IMARA CBO'S VISION, MISSION AND GOAL.
• NUMBER OF FARMERS TRAINED ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION
• NUMBER OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT PROJECT BENEFICIARIES.
• NUMBER OF FARMERS TRAINED SMOKELESS ENERGY SAVING COOKSTOVES, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE.
• NUMBER OF AGROFORESTRY TREES PLANTED BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
• NUMBER OF DRAINAGE CANALS, TERRACES, CONTOUR BUNDS DUG.
• NUMBER OF FIELD-DAYS, OPEN LEARNING WEEKS, PUBLIC LECTURES, OUTREACHES ORGANIZED.
• NUMBER OF FARMERS REACHED BY INFORMATION ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT, PARTICIPATORY LAND USE PLANNING PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES.
• NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS CONVENED, CONCERNING IMARA CBO PROJECT AND ITS INTERVENTIONS IN NAMANJALALA COMMUNITY.
• NUMBER OF KILOMETERS OF RIVER BANK RESTORED AND CONSERVED AND PLANTED WITH INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES.
• NUMBER OF COMMUNITY TRAININGS AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ORGAIZED.
• NUMBER OF EXCHANGE VISITS MADE.
• NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT CHANCES CREATED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
• NUMBER OF PAMFLETS, BROCHURES, BOOKS PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED TO FARMERS AND LIST OF ATTENDEES.  

                            THEORY OF CHANGE OF IMARA CBO.

IMARA INTEGRATED FARMERS INITIATIVE (HEREAFTER CALLED INFAI CBO) IN NAMANJALALA HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE AS A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION SINCE 2015. CREATED IN 2015, IMARA IS NOW THE LOCATION'S LARGEST  AMD MOST DIVERSE AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL  NETWORK, HARNESSING THE KNOWLEDGE , RESOURCES AND REACH MORE THAN 23 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND SOME 250 MEMBERS.IT IS A LEADING PROVIDER OF AGROFORESTRY, CONSERVATION INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. WHY STARTED? AIMED AT ERADICATING POVERTY AND HUNGER AND CONSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT, PARTICIPATORY LAND USE PLANNING PRACTICES USING THE (SALM/PLUP) METHODOLOGY. SO AS THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE RESILIENT AND COPE WITH THE PRESENT CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS BY ESTABLISHING HORTICULTURAL AND IRRIGATION SCHEMES AND TREE PLANTING TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH LAND PRODUCTIVITY AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. IT WAS CONCEIVED AS A BODY OF FACILITATORS REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM REALIZE THEIR NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS AND MOBILIZE GREATER COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND INITIATIVE TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT USING A TWO PRONGED APPROACH THROUGH:-

1. POLICY RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY WITH THE AIM OF INFLUENCING GOVERNMENT POLICY ON NATURAL RESOURCES VITAL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SUCH POLICY SUIT THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL SETTING OF SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. 

2. PARTICIPATORY INITIATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN SUSTAINABLE AND REPLICABLE ENVIRONMENT BASED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.  

TO ACHIEVE THIS INFAI CBO HAS THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:-

• TO STIMULATE LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF LAND AND THEREBY MAKE CONCERTED EFFORTS TO PROTECT IT AS A LIVING NATURAL RESOURCE.
• TO ADVOCATE FOR RECOGNITION OF THE POTENTIALS AND RIGHTS TO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE MARGINALIZED GROUPS IN NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.
• TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO MOBILIZE THEIR HUMAN RESOURCES TO UTILIZE THEIR AVAILABLE NATURAL RESOURCES SUSTAINABLY TO THE FULFILLMENT OF THEIR BASIC NEEDS.
• TO IMPLEMENT  INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT BOOST SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE. 

IMARA HOPES TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:-

1. AWARENESS CREATION AND DISSEMINATION OF FINDINGS THROUGH PUBLIC LECTURES, PUBLICATIONS AND TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS, MEDIA, EDUCATION TO COMMUNITIES AND PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

2. DEMONSTRATION OF THE VALUE OF LAND CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT FACILITATION OF SHARING EXPERIENCES THROUGH PROVISION OF INFORMATION AND NETWORKING, COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING WITH POLICY MAKERS, DECISION MAKERS, DONOR AGENCIES, RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION SUPPORT, PROMOTION AND DISSEMINATION OF TESTED AND VIABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND FACILITATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THE SOLE PURPOSE OF IMARA IS TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE LIVING IN NAMANJALALA COMMUNITY, BY WORKING THROUGH SMALL SCALE FARMING AND TREE PLANTING TO ENABLE FARMERS IMPROVE THEIR LIVELIHOODS.

OUR SOLUTION IS POWERED BY THE AGROFORESTRY TECHNOLOGY WHICH IS A DYNAMIC ECOLOGIALLY BASED, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF TREES ON FARMS AND IN THE AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE, DIVERSIFIES AND SUSTAINS PRODUCTION FOR INCREASED SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS. AGROFORESTRY IS PROFITABLE TO FARMERS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF FODDER, FRUITS, MEDICINES AND OTHER PRODUCTS AS POLES, POSTS AND PROVIDE GOOD SOURCE OF WOODFUEL TO POOR SMALL SCALE RURAL FARMERS, IT ENRICHES THE SOIL BY ADDING ORGANIC MATTER OR FIXING NITROGEN AND IT ENHANCES THE VALUE OF THE CROP PRODUCED. BECAUSE LANDHOLDINGS ARE SMALL AND FARMERS NEED TO INTENSIFY CROP PRODUCTION FOLLOWING AGROFORESTRY METHODS AS ALLEY CROPPING, CONTOUR PLANTING, TREES INTER CROPPED WITH AGRICULTURAL CROPS AND WOODLOTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COOKING ENERGY IN THE COMMUNITY. THE 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF AGROFORESTRY TECHNOLOGY OF LAND USE ARE:-

1. AGRO-SILVICULTURE         2.  SILVO-PASTORAL     3.  AGRO-SILVO-PASTORAL, WHERE CROP, TREE, AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION ARE COMBINED IN THE LAND USE MANAGEMENT. FARMERS MEET THEIR DOMESTIC NEEDS FOR FOOD, CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, FUEL, CASH EARNINGS AND SAVINGS, RAW MATERIALS FOR PROCESSING AND EMERGENCY RESOURCES. AGROFORESTRY INCREASES THE RESILIENCE OF ECOSYSTEMS BY ACTING AS A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUE THAT INCREASES BIODIVERSITY, DECREASES SOIL EROSION, IMPROVES WATER ABSORPTION, ENHANCES SOIL FERTILITY, INCREASES AND DIVERSIFIES AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND HELPS SAVE NATURAL FORESTS, THUS REDUCING THE LEVEL OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE. TECHNOLOGY IS A POWERFUL TOOL TO IMPROVE OUR LIVING STANDARDS, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES FOR DOING NEW THINGS HAVE LED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL BEING.

OVER THE PAST 6 YEARS IMARA CBO HAS BEEN LINKING NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION AND GENDER EQUALITY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FOCUS OF OUR WORK. GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT HAS BEEN INTEGRATED IN TO OUR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ACHIEVING EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF BOTH SEXES. GENDER EQUITY IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND GENDER CONSIDERATIONS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED IN TO IMARA RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, METHODOLOGY AND IMPLEMENTATION. THEREFORE SUPPORTING WOMEN AND MEN IN LEARNING BY DOING NEW ROLES AND ENGAGING IN RESPECTIVE CHALLENGING DISCUSSIONS,WOULD BE A VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGY TO ADOPT AND EMPOWERING APPROACH TO GENDER MAINSTREAMING BUILDING ON WOMEN'S OWN KNOWLEDGE, VALUES, SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION SHARING. INCREASE CONSULTATION OF WOMEN AT COMMUNITY LEVEL, ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN ORGANIZATIONS TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN CAPACITY BUILDING FOR WOMEN AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGE WITH POLICY TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION TO CONSERVATION INITIATIVES. IMARA CRITICALLY ADDRESS AND INTEGRATE GENDER EQUALITY, EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND PROMOTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN RIGHTS. BOTH GENDERS TAKE EQUAL PART IN THE GOVERNANCE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ITS ACTIVITIES.   

WE ARE BOTH TECHNICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PRODUCERS,GIVEN THAT WE DO HAVE TECHNICALLY HIGHLY QUALIFIED MEMBERS IN OUR IMARA CBO IN THE FIELDS OF AGRICULTURE, AGROFORESTRY, FORESTRY, LIVESTOCK AND AGRO ECOLOGY, WE PROVIDE AND PROMOTE AGRO ECOLOGY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, BIODIVERSITY RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION THROUGH AFFORESTATION, REFORESTATION PROGRAMMES AND TREE PLANTING ON DEGRADED LANDS AND ENVIRONMENTS. WE PROMOTE AND EXECUTE ORGANIC FARMING, PERMACULTURE TECHNOLOGY AND ACTIVITIES AND WE ARE GOING ON TRAINING FARMERS ON FOOD FOREST TECHNOLOGY AND AIM TO SET UP DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE SAME. WE ALSO NEED OUR  IMARA CBO MEMBERS TO BE TRAINED ON PERMACULTURE INTERVENTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY AS TOTS, SO IN TURN WE CAN PASS THE MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FARMERS INCLUSIVELY. IN FUTURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE WE LOOK FORWARD TO ESTABLISH A PERMACULTURE TRAINING INSTITUTE IN KITALE, TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY KENYA. 

IMARA CBO MANAGEMENT WILL MAKE SURE 30% WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM ALL INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES AND BE BANKED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUSTAINABILITY. DIRECT FUNDING FROM THE SALE OF TREE SEEDLINGS, MEMBERS SHARES, FROM THE SALE OF AFRICAN LEAFY VEGETABLES, FIREWOOD WILL CONTRIBUTE THE MAJORITY OF OUR PRIMARY OPERATING REVENUE ABOUT 60%. THROUGH NETWORKING WITH OTHER BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. WRITE PROPOSALS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SAFARICOM FOUNDATION, COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF TRANS-NZOIA AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS IMARA CBO WILL INCREASE ITS TREE SEEDLINGS PRODUCTION FROM 150,000 TO 250,000, BY WORKING THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH WOMEN'S GROUPS, YOUTH AND FARMERS ORGANIZATIONS IN NAMANJALALA, WE SHALL FORM VILLAGE COMMITTEES AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS SELECTED TO SPEARHEAD THE PROJECT'S ACTIVITIES, SO WE WILL STILL IDENTIFY THE LOCALLY AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND MOBILIZE THE FUNDS TO KEEP US MOVING AND CREATE OTHER PROJECTS TO BE RUN TO HELP US CONTINUE. BY FORGING NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH INVESTORS, FUNDERS, GUARANTORS, THIS CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES THROUGH SHARED EXPERIENCES, KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND ACCESSIBILITY TO CHEAPER AND MORE READILY AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE.  

THROUGH NETWORKING AND PARTNERSHIPS AND FORMING NETWORKING GROUPS INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION, RESTORATION AND PROTECTION. THROUGH WRITTING PROPOSALS, PETITIONS AND LOBBY FOR FUNDS FROM WELL WISHERS, PRINT ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLICATIONS TO BE SOLD TO YOUTH IN SCHOOLS, CLIENTS PAY FOR OUR EXTENSION SERVICES.