Linking Research to Extension for Watershed Management - The Nyando Experience

ICRAF Technical Manual no 1

Download The Nyando Experience

In 1998, the Government of Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), made a long-term commitment to support East African governments for a coordinated approach to sustainable development in the Lake Victoria Basin. Sida realized that it was vital to link research to extension for this huge endeavour and invited the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) to join hands with the National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP) to develop sustainable solutions to the lake’s problems. This led to the TransVic Project. At the same time Sida facilitated a separate project to support lakeshore communities in Kusa, implemented by RELMA and called the Kusa Pilot Project. The TransVic project employed state-of-the-art methods, such as remote sensing with satellite imagery and spectral reflectance to detect large-scale land degradation because conventional methods were not suitable. The challenge was how to translate key findings of the research to field extension staff of NALEP, as well as policy makers at various levels.

TransVic’s findings were surprising in two ways. First, it was assumed that we could identify hot-spots where we should target our interventions using NALEP’s focal area approach. Instead, the research showed that land degradation was so widespread that a major investment was called for — well beyond the reach of a single farmer or community. Second, the restoration effort required on these fragile lands was considerably more complex than could be dealt with by the improved fallow technologies developed in the relatively high-potential areas in western Kenya. In other words, there was to be no quick fix. This booklet by John Mbaria describes some of the problems facing such a daunting task and the opportunities the task presents, including the high expectations of people living in the basin. I hope that the lessons learned and the huge challenges that lie ahead will inspire you, because the work has just begun. Finally, I wish to thank our NALEP partners and farmers for their close collaboration and friendship in this endeavour.

Foreword by Chin Ong, Plant Physiologist and RELMA Project Manager