Disability & Urban Agriculture –
An innovative approach
Serah W. Nderitu
Research Fellow
African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
s.nderitu@acts.or.ke
17th May, 2013
Outline
• Background
• Project outputs
• Conclusions
Objective
• Raise awareness & identify gaps in
access to urban agriculture for PWD
through action based research
• Kenyan context…
582650 sq km
• 80% ASAL
• 41Million
• 4.6% of population PWD
• Little welfare for PWD
• Equity issues
Population
Agriculture
Urbanisation
• 80% of rural employment
• 24% to GDP
• 60% of export earnings
• Rain-fed agriculture
• Rural-Urban migration
• Poverty
• Food insecurity
• Urban Agriculture – poor
populations in informal
settlements
What does the research provide?
• Socioeconomic data about persons with disabilities and their
families in a selected peri-urban settlement
• A snapshot of the livelihoods, food security and nutrition
status of persons with disabilities and their families living in
urban/peri-urban areas
• A more in-depth understanding around issues of livelihoods,
food security and nutrition for persons with disabilities and
their families living in urban areas
• An opportunity to link research to policy and support the
inclusion of persons with disabilities and the families in
agricultural-based policies and interventions
Action Research Output 1:
Demonstration gardens
• 2 demonstration nutrition
gardens (800 M2 ) set up in
schools (~240 pupils):
• Joy Town Secondary School
• Mary Magdalene School
• Lessons on simple agricultural
techniques integrated into the
curriculum:
- Sack gardens
- Green House
- Vermiculture
- Drip irrigation
• Overall improvement in the
school menu & nutrition
• Local community learn from the
gardens
Contd.’ Demonstration gardens
Students during an agriculture lesson
And the parents too… during a parents visiting day
Action Research output 2: Addressing
Stigma and raising awareness
• In collaboration with Well Told
Story Ltd. (WTS)
• Nairobi based communication
company
• written in ‘sheng’ – mixture of
English and Swahili,
• Story line published in ‘Shujaaz’
comic magazine.
• Monthly distribution- over 600,000
copies through mobile money
transfer agents (M-Pesa) shops and
as newspaper inserts
• Anticipated readership – over 12M
Source: http://shujaaz.fm/
Action Research output 2: Addressing
Stigma and raising awareness
• Story aired on Shujaaz FM
radio
• Daily radio programme
• Partnering with 20 FM stations
across Kenya
• Audience - 3.2 million daily
Courtesy:WellToldStory
Contd.’ Addressing stigma
• Feedback
“Hey DJ B, Maria Kim’s story is really
really good. Let us respect those
disabled in our societies. I tried the
sukumas in a sack idea and right now I
have enough money for food and my
college needs. Thanks for inspiring
youths” - Anonymous
Action Research output 3: Household
Survey data
• Pilot HH survey conducted
in Kiandutu slum, Thika
• Snowballing technique used
for HH identification
• ‘Kiandutu’ means a ‘place
with jiggers’ in the local
language
• Second largest slum outside
Nairobi
• Population: 13, 000 people
and 5, 000 households (2009,
Kenya Census)
• Low access to basic services
Courtesy: Muungano support Trust
Contd.’ Household Survey
• 140 HH sampled
• 60% HH with at least one PWD
member
• Largest group – physical
impairment
• 39% HH control sample
• 62% of the respondents female
• Access to land 41% had access
to land
• No HH from control depend on
agriculture for income
• Crops grown: maize, beans, kale
Contd.’ Household Survey
• 46% of HH had at least one
person with PWD
participating in agriculture
• Planting, harvesting, thinning,
weeding
• Less involved in marketing,
livestock rearing
• Stated reasons for PWD not
participating in agriculture:
• Physical inaccessible
• Lack of assistive devices
• ‘Not allowed’ to participate’
Contd.’ Household Survey
Research Output 4: Identification of
policy gaps
• The central role of agriculture & foodsecurity is
acknowledged in national and sectoral policies and
strategies
• Over 100 agricultural legislations in Kenya:
• The Agriculture Sector Development Strategy (ASDS), 2010 – 2020
• National Food and Nutrition Security Policy , (2011)
• Draft National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture and Livestock Policy
(Draft, 2010)
• Draft Gender mainstreaming policy MoA (2010)
• PWD classified as a vulnerable group together with
women & youth
Contd.’ Identification of policy gaps
• Gender disaggregated data on women, youth
participation in agriculture
• Strategies in place to enhance women and youth
participation in agriculture
• Women Enterprise Fund
• Youth Enterprise Fund
• Involvement of private sector in this agenda
• National Fund for the disabled in Kenya providing
financial assistance & equipment for disabled individuals
& DPOs
• Lack of information on opportunities of PWD in agriculture
Research Output 5: Perspectives of key
stakeholders
- Policy makers
- Agricultural
extension workers
- Teachers
- Social workers
Perspectives on
opportunities for PWD in
agriculture
Perspectives of stakeholders…
Policy makers
Agriculture
extension
workers
Parents, social
workers, teachers
• Inclusive policy
making processes
• Build the capacity of
DPOs to engage
with policy making
process
• Targeted approach
• Affirmative Action
• Build capacity for
extension workers
on working with
PWD
• Promote
technologies that
can be adapted by
PWD
• Create awareness
on opportunities of
PWD in agriculture
through
• Integrate
agriculture into
school curriculum
Research Output 6: In-county Outreach &
Dissemination
• Open Day, Thika – World
Disability Day, Dec. ‘12
• Dissemination Workshop in
Nairobi, May. ’12
Courtesy: Real Impact
• Awareness raising amongst
stakeholders
• First step to stakeholder
mapping
• Potential for strategic
partnerships eg. NORAD,
RedCross, MoA
Contd.’ In-county Outreach &
Dissemination
Courtesy: Real Impact
Conclusions
• A small sample, limited variation between case &
control (poverty levels)
• Unanimous that there are opportunities for PWD in
agriculture
• Timely… in the Kenyan context …
• Policy opportunities:
• National Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture
and Livestock Policy (UPAL) , Draft 2010
• Development of the Urban and Peri-Urban
Project (UPAP) by the Ministry of Agriculture
Contd.’ Conclusions
•
Need for strengthen partnerships & linkages amongst
various agencies providing research and extension in
the related sectors
• Create a department/desk at MoA to target PWDs and vice
versa at NCPD (agriculture desk).
• PWD indicators
• Encourage knowledge exchange between stakeholders
• Agricultural NGOs and relevant agencies must receive
appropriate training to support people with
disabilities in urban agriculture
Contd.’ Conclusions
• Established research and evidence base for
disability-inclusive urban agricultural interventions
is essential in promoting sustainable urban
agricultural programmes
Thank you
Courtesy: Washington O. Sati