Transforming rain-fed farming to irrigation through water harvesting installations.
MajiAgri Solutions Limited aims to provide climate coping mechanisms for African smallholder farmers through increasing irrigation possibilities.
Overview of the project
MajiAgri Solutions Limited works with smallholders farmers to give them installation of innovative water harvesting ponds, combined with water efficient irrigation systems and agronomic support.
Its solution makes possible for farmers to collect and reserve large water resources from ground run-off (when it rains), to use them during dry months to support crop production. The company installs innovative underground ponds at household level, combined providing water efficient irrigation systems. To ensure that these farmers use the water resources for maximum gain, it provides agronomic skills that enable them grow high value/ high nutrition crops.
The purpose of our project is to provide climate coping mechanisms for African smallholder farmers through increasing irrigation possibilities.
Ongoing research
1/1/2017
We have so far installed 120 household water ponds, with a capacity to irrigate 500 acres of land during the dry months. These installations are spread out in 16 of the 47 counties in Kenya.
The availability of water to conduct irrigation – even during the dry months – has enabled the 120 households to increase their harvests by up to 4 times. Therefore, it has also enabled farmers to cultivate diverse and high value/high nutritional crops. This has resulted in an increase of incomes, an improvement of the nutritional intake as well as the creation of rural jobs. In addition, this water availability has enabled the households to grow fruit trees. As a result of this project, the increase of forest cover and the reduction of soil erosion – mainly due to the growth of crop cover – contribute to reversing climate change.
The pilot was financed through owner contributions. Subsequent installations are being paid for by the farmers.
organisation
MajiAgri Solutions Limited is a Kenyan start-up working on giving smallholder farmers the possibility to shift from the climate-challenged rain-fed farming practice to a more reliable irrigated practice.
in collaboration
