Green Dreams Organic Farming in East Africa

The soil tests were abysmal. Two samples were taken each representing half of the field. The field was transected into two halves, A and B. Then using a zig zag pattern, 30 soil samples from a depth of 30 cm were collected from each side. These samples were put into 2 especially designated bags and shaken. A single sample was then taken from each bag and taken to the labs. (We used this method as soil testing is hugely expensive. Thankfully the lab did our tests for free though they would have cost $125.00

The results can be seen on the attachment.soil-tests-kibera

The picture shows the clear separation between two soil types. The grey soil (closest) was brought in a year ago from a construction site.You can also see the office block at the far end and the area of space beside it just at the end of our planting beds, designated to be a community center.

Our samples were high in Zinc, Boron, Copper and Lead!! The sample that had the largest portion of the ‘construction site soil’ was the worst. The other sample wasn’t as bad but was still a little alarming.
I feel the contamination in the second sample was from the ‘construction site soil’ which due to the method we used in collecting the soil samples was in a lower percentage. I’m hoping that this is the case and to try to prove this we are now doing another test on the red soil area.

We have consulted with a few experts on how to decontaminate the soil, Anne Bruntse has advised us to grow sunflowers and indian mustard for a season, and then to destroy the crop………somehow…..
I will discuss further with her today over lunch…….

Our options are 1) To remove the soil 2) To redesign the plot and plonk the community center on the bad soil which will allow us to use their good soil for the farm. 3) To grow sunflowers and indian mustard. The problem here is these plants will be consumed as we are in the slums. It would look beautiful but would be dangerous.

I think we will probably go with relocating the community center and growing right up to the office block. It will mean rethinking the seed bed area, which ironically is already where we would need it if we have to change! So on the positive side of things, we are actually ahead of schedule

Meanwhile we have all learnt something new……..sunflowers and indian mustard extract lead and zinc from the soils!

Fingers crossed that the new test will come out in our favour!!

The man behind the mic,

Joshua Kegode my nephew, all of 15 yrs and starting out on his journalistic career. Seeing and hearing his interview for our pod cast last week allowed me to ‘view’Kibera through the eyes of an urban teenager. Joshua asked me what he could do with his peers to help with or be part of the ongoing project. We talked about a rabbit breeding component for the farm. He would be expected to research the entire operation , come up with ways of funding the construction of the cages as well as training of the young men and women on how to rear rabbits…………and not just any old rabbits either, we have a unique set of breeders in our next-to-be-featured project The Limuru Agricultural Youth Center

Cute as a button at this stage, and soon to be 6 kilos of much needed and appreciated protein.

The garbage is finally camouflaged, and the pumpkins are up to what we expected.

Soon we hope this shadenetted wall of garbage will be covered entirely with green foliage.

The seedlings have now sprouted, thus the race to get the entire system set up is on. We have 3 weeks maximum!! The comfrey hedge is coming up too, as are the tithonia. Both much needed for composting materials.
The guys have made a geese proof seed bed area

The guys on the ground who are relentlessly transfoming this dump site in Kibera into an organic farm.

Pic 1 Zakayo Simel, husband to Kendi (both working for Green Dreams Ltd) parents of beautiful Vanessa (3yrs).

In 2005 twelve of the employees at Green Dreams were couples!!! Zak who was in charge of deliveries met Kendi who was working on the farm side of the operations. They fell in love and the rest is history! Zak is soon to be in charge of our local sales distribution and expansion and Kendi currently runs The Organic Shop, almost single handedly and very competently. As the expansion plans are being drafted, he is working in the field, teaching and aiding the Kibera Youth Reform group set up their organic farm.
Zak is also keeping a photo log, we shall have him blogging soon.
The second picture is Mohamed, his t.shirts tells us he is a devote Arsenal fan! You can hear Mohamed on the earlier posted pod cast talking on behalf of the youth group and their endeavour to leave their ways of drugs and crime.
The geese in the photo are pretending to be cool and friendly.

Prep-Aid is a non for profit informal organisation I have founded as I feel there is great need for us to prepare in some way, both financial and with ideas and plans for the myriad of disasters that affect Kenya. My friends and family pull together and brainstorm ideas and then seek to aid as best we can. Unfortunately as we are not registered and no one knows us we find it extremely hard to fund raise. Green Dreams Ltd is looking at starting up a Trust in the future to allow us to implement our ideas and projects much more efficiently.

The idea of the Famine Relief Seed Project seems to be something both government and Ngo cannot wrap their head around and after many frustrating meetings we were almost at the point of giving up. Everyone thinks it is a brilliant idea and that the amount of funding is small however, we seem to be sent from door to door and feel like ‘idea hustlers’ at the end of the day!

Our plans were to raise 4 million kenyan shillings, we have so far raised 100,000 (thanks to SafariCom) and thus were ready to channel the funds into a smaller project empowering a youth group of ex convicts to start up community gardens in one of the slum areas. We may however still be able to do the larger project as just yesterday we were told we may get $20,000 from a kind donor in the States.

If this is the case, we will down scale the larger project which is underlined below.

Following the disputed presidential elections in December 2007, Kenya has experienced unprecedented violent clashes among supporters of opposing political camps, which has resulted in large numbers of persons being displaced from their homes and farms in various parts of the country. Large-scale displacement of people from some of Kenya’s most productive agricultural land, particularly in the Rift Valley and Western provinces, has adversely affected Kenya’s agricultural sector, with potentially long-term implications. Recent reports have warned of looming famine and food shortages if the current situation is not normalized soon.

The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will target the estimated 250,000 – 300,000 displaced persons around the country, who are currently housed in camps managed by the Kenya Red Cross Society . Plans are currently underway to resettle displaced persons and provide food assistance. The bulk of this food assistance will consist of grains and non-perishable food items, which can be transported and stored over longer periods of time. PREP-AID’s Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will complement existing food assistance efforts by focusing on perishable food items (specifically fresh vegetables), and will provide additional benefits by taking advantage of the planting season, encouraging farmers to begin producing food, and providing nutritious supplements over the coming months. With the onset of the long rainy season in March, urgent action is needed to ensure that resettled farmers will have access to seed to begin planting as soon as possible.

Methodology: The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project will distribute 100,000 individual sachets consisting of a mixed variety of fast-growing, short-maturing, hardy vegetable seeds designed to produce fresh food that will be sufficient to sustain an average-sized Kenyan family (6-8 persons) from within 6 weeks after sowing. The seed packs will be distributed to families free of charge by the Kenya Red Cross Society.

Other funding sources: PREP-AID is currently sourcing funding and other contributions from donor agencies, international organizations and corporate sponsors. To date PREP-AID has had initial discussions with representatives of the Kenya Red Cross Society (logistical support) and Safaricom Ltd. (fundraising).

Summary: Urgent action is needed to address the current crises resulting from displacement of large numbers of people from agricultural land, and to mitigate the threat of famine and food shortages over the coming months. The Famine Relief Seed Distribution Project represents a proactive approach that seeks to address the problem before it happens, and while there is still time to act. PREP-AID is ready and willing to roll-out the seed distribution project as soon as funding is available to purchase and prepare seed packs. PREP-AID has already identified suppliers and partners to assist with the distribution of the seed packs.