Project Plan, Bondo

A project plan for the purpose of developing a course on greenhouse farming for smallholder farmers in Bondo, Kenya

Our Mission

Offering suitable education enables smallholder farmers to gain entrepreneurial skills and knowledge to become more resilient.

Scope

The Bondo region is one of the poorest regions in Kenya. Due to the increasing pollution in Lake Victoria, there is a shift from the fishing industry towards a more agricultural society. Most of these farms provide enough yield for the farmers themself, but not enough to sell anything on the market.

When the farmers are able to produce more vegetables they can take these to the market to get a revenue stream of sold vegetables. The money earned with the sold vegetables can be invested in the farm or can be spent to increase the living standard of the farmers.

The course

By giving the smallholder farmers the right knowledge we want to empower them to become more independent and have the ability to create a more comfortable life. These tools will be given to them through a course on greenhouse farming. This course should not only give them the knowledge to cultivate using greenhouses, but also the skills and capacity to run a business. We will develop and design the course almost from scratch to a tested draft. The developing will be in a co-operation with professors and students from the JOOUST and smallholder farmers from the region. By visiting a lot of farmers we want to see in what kind of circumstances they work and ask them what they'd want. We will also do a more in-depth research with some of these farmers. We will ask them if it is possible to work together for a day or two so we will also get some hands-on experience. The idea behind this is also that we can first get a relation with these farmers before we start to ask them a lot of questions.

Research

The group that went to Bondo last year started with a paper about greenhouse farming in the Bondo region. We will continue this research towards the topic of capacity. The research we do for this paper will also be used in the development process of the course on greenhouse farming. If the research will be published it will not only be valuable for our course but it gives researchers from all over the world more knowledge about smallholder farmers in western Kenya. However this research will only involve the topic of capacity and won't discuss anything about the technics.

Constructing new greenhouse

Last year another group of students from the TU Delft constructed another greenhouse at the JOOUST. This will be the greenhouse where the courses will be given, this year we will construct another greenhouse. The second greenhouse will be rented to farmers who have completed the course but can't afford to buy a greenhouse on their own. By renting the greenhouse they can already practise their knowledge and skills from the course and save up some money. After about four years the farmer should be able to buy his own greenhouse, a business plan for this will be written by the other group in Bondo.

Building a new watersupply system

Last summer there was a long period of draught in Bondo. During this time the whole university had a shortage of water. Because the greenhouses are on the waternetwork of the university there was also no water in the greenhouse. Due to this watershortage the plant in the greenhouse died and the harvest failed. To prevent this from happening another time there will be another watersupply system build and research will be done on how to build this. This both is however the task of the other group in Bondo, but on the spot we will probably work a bit more together.

Contribution to development

The whole plot of greenhouses and the water system can evolve towards a knowledge centre about greenhouse farming. The JOOUST is an important partner with this in providing the right tools and knowledge. With the course farmers should be able to get more and better vegetables from their farming, the rentable greenhouses provide them with their own greenhouse while they can't afford to buy one. After a few years these farmers should be able to buy their own greenhouse so the greenhouse can be rented to the next generation of farmers that finishes the course. By spreading knowledge and the right tools the course should contribute to a better life for these farmers and on the long term this can serve the whole region with more prosperity.
Partners & Stakeholders
Current status

Last year two students from the TU Delft, David Kooymans & Umit Sheombarsing, they were also part of the minor 'International Entrepreneurship & Development'. They built a greenhouse and did research on greenhouse farming. We will continue their research and the intentions they had for a course on greenhouse farming.

David & Umit did a lot of research on local farmers, they did interviews with 20 farmers and with 4 agricultural organisations. one of their conclusions was that farmers don't have enough capital to invest in a greenhouse. They contacted another group of students from Delft who had a plan for rentable greenhouses. The university was very enthusiastic about this plan of Laurens Matla, Marc van den Berg & Arwen Matthijssen. The continuation of the business plan of rentable greenhouses will be mainly done by the other group in Bondo.

We will continue the research from David & Umit, they found out that there are farmers now who go to Kisumu or even Nairobi for a course on greenhouse farming, they made a rough list of subjects that should be addressed in the course. These are: finding a good plot for the greenhouse; constructing the greenhouse and watermanagement; choice of crops and fertilizers; sale, marketing and management. We will use these themes as a guide and find out what is the best way to teach each topic.

With the research that the group did last year they made a paper, this paper investigated the problems farmers face with greenhouses and evaluated the problems that occurred more often. We will continue their research and will investigate the topic of capacity building. This research will also be an influence for the course, these both activities should strengthen each other.
Analyses of the problem

For this project the main problem we are going to work on is the inadequate knowledge, skills and capacity of smallholder farmers on greenhouse farming.

To analyze the problem we mapped out core issues that we predicted have influence on this problem. We identified causes and effects of the main problem. Next we turned it around and looked at the objectives rather than the problems. We did this by converting the elements of the problem map.

We concluded that the following objectives should be addressed:

1. Education
2. Resources
3. Capacity

Through education, and facilitating the necessary resources, smallholder farmers will receive adequate knowledge, skills and capacity to be able to run a successful business.
To contribute to the mission the training/course should not only containing basic knowledge and skills on greenhouse farming, but also modules about management, bookkeeping and marketing. These are essential to instigate an entrepreneurial mindset. Altogether the goal is to provide sustainable circumstances in term of work and life in general.
Project Structure

This project is split up in several activities: 1. Research the capabilities of the local farmers. 2. Recover / Building greenhouses 3. Developing and designing a course on greenhouse farming. 4. A business plan: Greenhouse usage by the local farmers. (In cooperation with the other Bondo group)
Milestones & Deliverables

The project will last a total of three months, from November - January. We made a schedule in which the various activities are included. By the end of the project, we will have the following deliverables: 1. A course on greenhouse farming 2. A short movie 3. A Business Plan for the continuation of the project 4. A report regarding to our experience, research findings and conclusions

Planning

Deliverables

A course on greenhouse farming
We will developed and designed a course for smallholder farmers in the Bondo region. This course will contribute to the mission of the project.

We will research what structure best suits the potential participants.
The course will consist of both theoretical and practical modules. With help and support of students and staff members of JOOUST, and input of the farmers, the content of the course will be determined. Presumably the course will consists of serval workshops or course days, where the different subject will be given. A booklet, instruction video or illustration board could be possible deliverables.

A short movie
In the past two month we followed a film workshop. We learned basis skills and techniques on how to make a short documentary film. We will use this knowledge during our project by making a short documentary film about the project.

We want to show our partners, stakeholders and others who are interested the progress of the project.
Students 4 Sustainability and JOOUST may use this movie for promotional purposes.

A Business Plan for the continuation of the project
In this business plan is we will elaborate the feasibility of the project, regarding to the course and renting greenhouses to local farmers.

A report regarding to our experience, research findings and conclusions
This report is part of our curriculum for the TU Delft. This report is a reflection on the project.We will elaborate our experiences, research findings and conclusion.
Otto Kroesen, our supervisor, will review this report.
Project organization

This project will be executed in collaboration with the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Bondo. A group of bachelor students from JOOUST have been assessed to participate in this project as part of their curriculum. The process will be supervised by JOOUST professors and other professionals in the field of agriculture.

Our team consists of two members: Simone and Sybren.
We will work in close cooperation to guide the process of the project. If needed, we will divide different tasks among ourselves.

Specific tasks
Sybren: treasurer

Part of the project is a collaboration with the other group in Bondo; building water supply systems.
Together we will research the feasibility of rentable greenhouse(s) to the local smallholder farmers.
This research regards a financial plan, organisation plan, sales plan and savings plan. Also a long-term plan for the sustainability of the project is required.

Read more about our stakeholders and partners here
Intended presentation and continuation after we leave

We aim to provide the community of Bondo of relevant knowledge and material to pursue the project.

What next?
The intention of this project is that each year a new delegation of students from the TU Delft will go to Bondo to expand the project. S4S has agreed to collaborate for at least 3 years.
It is our task to prepare the next step. How we organise this is crucial for the succes of the project.

Right now we are in the first phase of the project. In the coming years new greenhouses will be built and more farmers will get an opportunity to gain expertise on greenhouse farming and entrepreneurship. In the long run we hope to see Bondo grow out to be a prosperous region.
Risk Management

Contingencies, alternative scenario’s, what if..

To identify where the biggest differences are between us and our main customer segment, the farmers, we made a YUTPA graph. The YUTPA framework is a tool for analyses and for design. Comparing the results also show where the highest risk could lie.

The main question we asked when filling out each element in the graph was, 'how is their status/perspective in this factor regarding to the project? Note that these are our assumption.

Comparing the two graphs we can see the biggest difference lie in 'action' and 'relation'.
For instance, we score high on 'engagement', whereas the farmers score under the average. This has to do with the fact that we are coming to them with a project we designed. It is highly probable the farmers can't engage easily, because for them it's a different way of working. Also the language barrier plays a role. They will need to adjust. On the other hand, we need to take this in consideration where we can adjust to them as well. We need to find common ground.

Another difference lies the 'action' factors. We made these conclusion based on last year's research results. Management skills and motivation were major issue. This is related to how a person acts in different situation and/or towards others.
It may happen that in the process of the project the farmers won't fully participate or even completely stop.
We need to make sure they are willing to join, that we are not there to build something and leave, but get them enthusiastic and motivated for how they will benefit from this in the long run.

To conclude, our solution to reduce the differences and risk is to really get to know the farmer first, on a personal level. Spending time together, having a conversation while sharing a meal or a cup of coffee, can reveal a lot about who someone is. Also, when the attention is on them and there is sincere interest, the farmer will probably be more open and honest towards us. For the development and success of the project honest and fair input in required.
Safety Plan Bondo

Safety Plan Bondo

CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Counrty: Kenya
Town: Bondo

• Culture: Kenya is a country with many small communities with different cultures and traditions. It is a tribal country, where the biggest part is catholic.
• Politics: It is a democratic republic, with Uhuru Kenyatta as president. He was elected in 2013, but there has been criticism on several laws he signed, which seemed to infringe on democratic freedom. The country is quite stable.The borderparts with Somalia are coloured red in the advise from the foreign relations ministry. This is a "don't travel" advise. We will not go in this part of Kenya. Bondo, where we will be staying, is coloured yellow. This means some attention is needed but it is okay to travel there.
• Social economical situation In central and east Africa Kenya has the highest GDP. However, the Human Development Index is very low. The agricultural sector is very big but inefficient.
• Climate condition Kenya lies on the equator, where there is a warm and humid tropical climate. Bondo is close to the Lake Victoria, where the climate is mostly humid.
• Health There is a lot of malaria. 16 % of the adults are HIV-infected. Health standards in Kenya are different than what we're used to. Some attention is needed to prevent food poisoning e.d.

BEHAVIOR
Personal behavior and group rules of engagements:
• Four girls and one guy in Kenya attracts attention
• Don’t wear inappropriate/offensive clothing
• Try to hide your belongings when travelling/not at home
• Don’t bring any items of value
• Share phone numbers
• Always know where the others are
• Let our supervisor know when we go on a trip
• Personal health cards + emergency numbers
• We will leave Kenya, in case of war, epidemic diseases, kidnapping and sexual harassment
• Don’t go outside alone at night
• Find out which taxi companies are to be trusted / Ask our supervisor if he knows anyone
• Always hire a driver
• Don’t drink tap water

CONTINGENCY PLAN (WHAT IF….)

When we encounter an accident we will try to stay as calm as possible. It is best to be completely sure about what is happening before we take any action. We will start with contacting our local contacts in Kenya as they are the most likely to be able to do anything about it. If this proves to be not sufficient we will contact our supervisor in the Netherlands. It depends on how much impact the incident has when we will call our Dutch supervisor. In case of a kidnapping or comparable incident we will directly call the S&S department of the TU Delft.

ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORT
In case of travelling within Kenya on the weekends, for instance, there is public transport we can use. The previous group has assured us that this is doable. As a group we have agreed not to drive ourselves. If we need to travel around we will ask our supervisor to arrange for someone to drive us or take us on the back of a motorbike. The accommodation provided for us is reliable. We will be staying in the same apartment as the previous group from last year.

ANNEXES
• Travel Details
For now we have booked our return ticket from Amsterdam to Nairobi and back. Our flight from Nairobi to Kisumu still needs to be booked. Since the group dynamic recently changed we still need to arrange this as a group. We have decided to leave our options open for our return to Nairobi in January. Of course, we will pass these details on by then.
Summary of the Project Plan

The main goal for this project is to develop and create a course on greenhouse farming for farmers in the Bondo region. We will be working on this project in collaboration with students and members of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. To achieve this goal there are several activities and side projects to be done.

1. RESEARCH ON LOCAL FARMERS
Continue the research that the previous group (David & Umit) started on greenhouse farming and the farmers in the region. We will take the results of the previous research, recap, and go deeper in on the capacity and attitude of these famers. This will give useful information for the content and design of the Greenhouse.

2. BUILD A NEW GREENHOUSE.
This year, Students 4 Sustainablity (S4S) has indicated to finance the material costs for the new greenhouse and hereby keep the ownership over the greenhouse. Based on an estimate made by Laurens, Arwen and Marc, who did the Pamoja Greenhouse Initiative project in Nairobi (2014-2015), S4S will cover material costs up to €3100,00. The Pamoja Greenhouse Initiative project will be the foundation for our project this year. The purpose for this new greenhouse is to rent it to farmers and farmer groups that want to take part in the course, and can’t afford to buy their own greenhouse. The rent includes all the training needed to become a successful With this concept, renters are not only being able to get an income, but also stimulated by a feeling of responsibility and independency.
Specifically for Bondo, we will research the feasibility of this idea and how it needs to be managed, both organizationally and financially. The greenhouse that was built last year will serve as an education center for the course and the students.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is needed to develop a course that gives local farmers the enthusiasm to participate and use that experience and knowledge to become confident and self-supporting entrepreneurs?
2. How can we introduce the concept of renting greenhouses? Is this idea, the Pamoja Greenhouse Initiative, relevant and achievable for Bondo?

1. On what level are the farmers in the occasion to pay for and participate in the course provided? How can the course be developed in such a way that it is accessible for them?
2. How does an intercultural collaboration have influence on setting up a successful business? Why and where does it succeed? Why and where are there difficulties due to our differences?

Below we have listed out learning goals of the minor to the project.

1. The experience of working in a different culture setting.
2. Developing knowledge about entrepreneurship – in general and in developing countries.
3. Gaining experience on development aid, what kind of different forms of development aid are available and their pros and cons.

ACTIVITIES/CONTENT
Below we have listed the activities we want to do during our time in Bondo. We have specified the content of each activity and made an estimation of the time involved in completing them. Keep in mind that during the process changes and adjustments may occur to the content.

1. Interview farmers and experts in the surrounding area. Visit the different kinds of farms to see how farmers work and get to know them. Through the interviews we want to find out more their capacity and attitude. The outcome of the interviews and the expertise of professionals in the field is important information we need for the design and content of the course. Duration: The first 3-4 weeks.

2. Developing the content for the course on greenhouse farming. Dr. Darius Andika and Mr. Jackson Achuti are both working in the field of agriculture and will accompany us in the construction process of the greenhouse but also during the cultivation of the vegetables. There will also be a group of students from JOOUST joining us in this phase.

The questions to be answered during this time of our internship in Bondo are:
- How to build a greenhouse?
- How can a water supply be built and what is best as a second source?
- What types of seeds & fertilizers are needed?
- In what form is it best to teach farmers about finances, bookkeeping, sales of the produces etc.
Duration: step by step for the first 1,5 months, before Christmas break

3. Developing the structure of the course. The course needs to be structured in a way that matches the needs and capacity of the farmers. We need to take in consideration, for example, the fact that some of the participants might not be literate or speak the language. Duration: step by step for the first 1,5 months, before Christmas break

4. Build a new greenhouse and recover the greenhouse that was built last year. The new greenhouse should be removable and we need to think about adding water supply to the Duration: 5 days – 1,5 weeks. The kit needs to be ordered and delivered, and we could possibly encounter

5. Conduct a pilot of the course. With our research findings and first concept of the course we want to test the results. The goal for this activity is to give us a clear insight into the quality and relevance of the course. What works, what doesn’t work? What are the reactions of the participants and others involved? With the results of the pilot, we can improve the course and work towards our endeavors; delivering useable course material, meeting the requirements, and adequate for use after our return to the Netherlands.

TIMELINE & MILESTONES
We will start with the research that needs to be done for the course. This means making a questionnaire for the farmers together with the student group of JOOUST. The time we spend doing this will also give us some time to get used to the local lifestyle and climate in Bondo. After this week or so we expect to be ready to start the interviews with the farmers. We will also construct the new greenhouse before Christmas break. Most of the Kenian people will be with their families in December, for Christmas. This will give us some time to prepare the course on greenhouse farming. We hope to start the pilot in January, and use the last weeks to make adjustments.

Deliverables
1. A report, including:
- Interview results
2. A test draft of a course on greenhouse farming for farmers in the Bondo region.
3. A scientifical paper about greenhouse farming in the Bondo region.
4. A short video about the project.
In this video we want to show our activities and tell the stpry behind the project. This material can also be used by S4S to show their donators what happens with the donated money.