AIAP MAKES EARLY PROGRESS IN WATERPIP-KAN PROJECT
AIAP launched the WaterPIP-KAN project activities in January 2024. Within the first 4 months, i.e. January to April 2024, we had implemented two of the components of this project, produced and submitted deliverables, as follows:
AIAP WaterPIP Team visits farmers in Naromoru
AIAP has among its roles in the WaterPIP-KAN project, the responsibility to support the consortium develop a methodology to identify marginalized groups of farmers who will be involved in the WaterPIP-KAN project. This responds to the project Terms of Reference specifically on Needs Assessments and regional surveys. This component was successfully implemented and the report entitled: “Methodology for Identifying Marginalized Groups for WaterPIP-KAN Project Engagement” was prepared and shared with project partners.
The general criteria and methodology for identifying vulnerable and marginalized groups (VMGs), communities or farmers who would become the grassroots beneficiaries and partners of the WaterPIP-KAN project was recommended. It should be noted that methods for selecting targets areas and beneficiary households for the project may differ slightly in each country.
Between March-April 2024, AIAP implemented a short scoping study in the Upper Ewaso Ng’iro Basin of Kenya by adopting the methodology described above. This was to look for candidate sites for “Taking data to the margins”, which is the clarion call for the project. We conducted thorough literature reviews followed by field visits and utilizing participatory methodologies, to identify suitable marginalized communities and sites for the project. This included assessing their on-going farming activities, water scarcity, irrigation, knowledge needs and other issues such as readiness to adopt experimentation, new ideas and technologies. Through data analysis and objective scoring system, we were able to categorize the candidate sites and prioritize them , and produced a report entitled: “Identifying sites for community engagement for implementation of WaterPIP-KAN project in Kenya. This report has been shared with partners.
The WaterPIP-KAN project aims to decisively target and be inclusive of remote and marginalized communities engaged in agriculture and where improving water productivity, especially under irrigation is desirable. These will constitute the grassroots beneficiaries and implementation partners of the project. AIAP has already made strides in functionalizing this.
