Sustainable and climate smart agriculture

Our Sustainable Agriculture program is run through “Wakulima Ni Sisi” a well established Community Demonstration Farm located in Kajiado County, Kenya. The name “Wakulima Ni Sisi” translates from Swahili “Wakulima” meaning farmers and “Ni Sisi” meaning us. We are the farmers is a name symbolizing our commitment to food sovereignty and self-reliance. By empowering local farmers to produce their own safe and nutritious food, we address critical issues related to climate change and food insecurity while fostering food sovereignty.

The three main aims of Wakulima ni Sisi are:

1. Learning and Capacity Building:
   • Farmers Field Schools: Wakulima Ni Sisi serves as an educational hub where community members and visitors can gain practical, hands-on experience in agroforestry and permaculture. Our field schools offer workshops and training sessions that cover a wide range of sustainable agricultural practices, from soil health and water conservation to crop diversification and pest management.
   • Knowledge Sharing: We facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices among farmers, fostering a collaborative learning environment that strengthens community resilience and enhances agricultural skills.
2. Permaculture and Agroforestry Showcase:
   • Food Forest Demonstration: The demonstration farm features a well-maintained and established food forest designed to model successful permaculture and agroforestry practices. This living showcase illustrates how diverse, intercropped systems can produce a variety of food sources while enhancing soil fertility and biodiversity.
   • Documentation and Learning:The farm is a living laboratory where we seek a lot of feedback and document lessons learned from implementing sustainable practices. This documentation serves as a valuable resource for other farmers and organizations, contributing to the broader knowledge base on effective permaculture and agroforestry techniques.
3. Revenue Generation and Economic Empowerment:
   • Diversified Income Streams: diversified sources of income such as organic vegetable production, indigenous community tree nursery, organic honey production, fish farming and livestock (poultry and goats).
   • Empowering Households: By training and supporting households to establish their own food forests, we enable them to produce abundant food for their families and sell surplus to generate income. This approach not only enhances food security but also helps families meet other household needs and improve their overall quality of life.

Impact and Reach:

Since its inception, Wakulima Ni Sisi has successfully trained and supported over 500 households, positively impacting more than 3,000 individuals. Our program’s holistic approach to sustainable agriculture fosters community resilience, promotes environmental stewardship, and drives economic empowerment. Through the Sustainable Agriculture program, we are committed to building a more resilient and self-sufficient community, where farmers are equipped with the skills and resources to thrive amidst the challenges of climate change and food insecurity.

Cheka na Mtoto ”( Smile with a kid)

Ledi-Kenya endeavors to see a happy and healthy child at all times. We recognize the fact that mentoring programs can be effective tools for enhancing the positive development of children and young people. Mentored children and young people are likely to have fewer absences from school, better attitudes towards school, and fewer incidents of hitting others, less drug and alcohol use, more positive attitudes toward their elders, improved relationships with their parents and community at large, making them contributing members of the society and creating a firm foundation for building a better future generations.

Under this program:

1. We visit children’s homes, primary and secondary schools, school drop-outs at their homes and kids on the street to listen to them and share on life experiences, and we then offer appropriate mentorship on positive living. We assist them in gaining skills in smart farming through bio-intensive agriculture for those with gardens, especially at school and school drop-outs.
2. We do mentorship to them on current issues affecting young people like media, drug abuse, reproductive health and career development, peer pressure, life skills and how to handle stress and depression.

Environmental Conservation

Ledi-Kenya is dedicated to protection, preservation and restoration of natural environments through tree planting and forest rehabilitation. We believe the protection of the environment fosters resilient livelihoods of local communities. Through community mobilization, we ensure that local people play an active role for the best care and management of natural resources. Through Carbon sequestration we implement agroforestry projects such as syntropic agriculture, silvopasture and food forests aimed at drawing the carbon from the atmosphere.

We also run an Indigenous Community Tree Nursery at Wakulima Ni Sisi Demo Farm aimed at revitalizing Kajiado County’s natural landscape and empowering local farmers. The tree nursery is dedicated to establishing a vibrant community tree nursery focused on propagating and raising indigenous tree species. By cultivating a diverse range of native tree species, we are restoring local ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices. Indigenous trees are crucial for environmental conservation efforts as they are well adapted, improve soil fertility, enhance water retention, and provide vital habitats for wildlife.

Gender Equality and Inclusivity

At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to the realization of an equal and inclusive world through promoting gender equality and inclusivity. We believe in creating opportunities for everyone, without the basis of their gender, ability, or background, is critical for building a just, stronger and an equitable society.

We are committed to supporting and placing women, widows and people living with disabilities (PLWDs) at the center of all our programs to promote equal access to resources, education, and leadership opportunities. Through targeted programs and initiatives, we aim to break down barriers and create pathways for their success in all areas of life, from agriculture to community leadership.

Policy, Lobby and Advocacy

We partner with other like-minded organizations and institutions to lobby for development or review of policies, standards and regulations that do not favor the communities we serve. Through policy, lobby and advocacy, Ledi-Kenya’s mission is to get the attention of the government and other key stakeholders to address pertinent issues that are unfavorable to communities, groups and individuals where our programs operate.