A win-win-win solution for conservation, nutrition and livelihoods
Saturday, 2017/12/16 | 05:18:47
|
CGIAR 24 Nov 2017
A recent initiative by Bioversity International and partners was shortlisted as one of top ten innovative solutions that promote change in human activities to ensure sustainable food security while conserving biodiversity.
Could it be that we already have the answers to some of the greatest conservation and development challenges? The international conservation organization Rare is determined to find out, and uncover them through their Solution Search competitions. These contests shed light on successful innovations in community-led conservation so that we can as Brett Jenks, CEO and President of Rare, puts it: “Find what works and repeat it”.
The Farming for Biodiversity Solution Search competition set out to document examples of what works on the ground against the threats posed to our ecosystems and biodiversity by unsustainable agricultural practices.1 The focus is on behaviour change, which is often inhibited by a lack of awareness of solutions and of the value of biodiversity in the agricultural sector.
Out of over 300 entrants, only ten solutions made it to the list of finalists. Among them, is an initiative facilitated by Bioversity International2 in Busia County in western Kenya, where malnutrition, and the detrimental effects of climate change and soil degradation abound.
The idea was to promote a sustainable food procurement model that targets indigenous vegetables and links local farmer associations to schools and school feeding. This was put into practice in Kenya where African leafy vegetables, which are affordable, nutritious and adapted to the local environments, were grown using sustainable agricultural methods.
With support from Bioversity International and partners, a farmer group negotiated an agreement with a school allowing the group to grow the vegetables on the school land and sell them to the school at an agreed market price. The vegetables thus serve to promote conservation of the local food biodiversity while improving livelihoods and nutrition quality in school meals. The pupils benefit from a healthy, diversified meal and the farmers enjoy the link to a dependable market with reduced transportation costs and food loss. Moreover, with the plot in the school’s vicinity it doubles up as an educational tool for students who learn about sustainable agriculture, optimal nutrition and get hands-on experience in growing and using local crops.
What started as a pilot project in mid-2016 is proving to be a successful win-win-win solution, simultaneously addressing consumer needs for greater nutrition, supply constraints linked to marketing, and local crop species conservation. So far, healthy school meals are being provided to approximately 5,500 pupils through 13 contracts. Additionally, one contract has been secured with a hospital. These contracts also ensure a steady income to about eight farmer groups.
|
Back Print View: 319 |
[ Other News ]___________________________________________________
|