Panel Session Title: Cheers and tears of conservation agriculture in Kenya – examples from Eastern, Central, Rift Valley and Western Kenya

Session:  The session will focus on highlighting and sharing with the participants the lessons learned from implementing two food security programs promoting CA principles in Eastern (Tharaka Nitii), Central (Muranga), Rift Valley (Nakuru) and Western Kenya (Busia) in the last 5-7 years. Even though we are starting to see positive results and identifying future potential of farmers adopting CA principles in the target areas in Kenya, we realize there are also limitations and challenges to the CA principles that need to be mentioned. At the end of the session, some recommendations will also be given including how to best integrate CA in ongoing community development programs with other sectors such as health and village savings and loans. Dan Njau works with the National Council of Churches Kenya and oversees their work in central Kenya.

Biographical data: Stephen Lutz is Program Consultant for World Renew in Kenya for the past 12 years, and advises three local established church partners throughout Kenya, managing program/project grants and building capacity in the area of food security and community development through conservation agriculture and environmental restoration. Other program areas include MNCH, nutrition and health. His skills and passion are in community program/project design and management, organizational capacity building and networking/collaborating with others for results. Stephan was born and grew up in Honduras where he attended an international school for elementary and high school. He later moved to Germany to continue his studies at the University of Kassel, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in “Tropical and Sub-Tropical Agriculture” and a Master’s of Science Degree in “Ecological Agricultural/Third World Development." Daniel N. Njunge is a Programme Officer for Economic Empowerment at the National Council of Churches of Kenya where he provides technical expertise and leadership and coordination in management and implementation NCCK projects aimed at enhancing food security, poverty eradication and value chains development. Daniel has over 8 years of experience in design and implementation of community development projects with a bias to sustainable agriculture and food security. Daniel is a strong believer and promoter of Conservation Agriculture technology and has effectively overseen adoption of CA by more than 1000 households in the Semi-arid Lands of Tharaka Nithi County in Kenya. He is a holder of BSc. Agribusiness Management degree from the University of Nairobi and is currently pursuing MSc. Agricultural and Rural Development.