COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Strategic goal: Enhance food security and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.

This strategic focus supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
particularly Goal 2, which aims to end hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition, and
promote sustainable agriculture.

Project Goal: Enhance livelihoods, food security, and community well-being through best
agricultural practices and local financial resource mobilization via savings and loans.
Introduction
KDC, with support from I&M Bank through KCDF, implemented a project to help revive Self-
Help Groups (SHGs) that Covid-19 severely disrupted in Migwani, Mwingi West sub-county,
Mbathani and wendo kithambangii in wikililye of kitui central subcounty.

The project  collaborated with households to improve food security, nutrition, and income.

It aimed to
enhance farmers' food security by providing water-holding structures, certified seeds, climate-
smart agricultural practices, post-harvest handling, and collective marketing.
Additionally, it offered group revolving funds and helped farmers access suitable and adaptable
value chains, including leafy vegetables, legumes, fruits, and poultry.

The project also created
opportunities for youth to participate in digital marketing and transportation of products to the
market, which was later expanded to other areas. For sustainability, KDC assisted in registering
UTU Wema Farmers' Cooperative.

To date, they supply fruits, fresh vegetables, and chicken at
Migwani Market and beyond. Mbathani and wendo kithambangii are selling their vegetables to
other community members and the local hotels in Wikililye market.

Project activities
Ponds were constructed, and the members are producing vegetables for home consumption and
the market.
Exhibitions conducted, which provided a platform where farmers gained knowledge on agro
ecology, marketing technologies, value addition, and an exchange of information
Farmers have been on board Farm Cloud, where they can access weather data of their farms
Farmers were given a revolving fund to do poultry and organic farming on vegetables
Formation of a farmers' cooperative (Utu wema)
Community trainings key messages
Promotion of slow foods and other hygiene and dietary practices

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights
Emergency supplementary feeding in schools in drought-hit areas