Outline of the Project

Project Name

Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion Project for Local and Up-scaling (SHEP PLUS)

Subject

Agricultural/Rural Development

Country

Kenya

Date R/D Signed

Dec. 04, 2014

Project Site

Nairobi (Project Office), 18 Counties (Elgeyo Marakwet, Uashin Gishu, Nakuru, Kiambu, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Nyamira, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Embu, Meru, Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, Busia, Bungoma, Kwale and Kilifi )

Term of Cooperation

Mar. 2, 2015 to Mar. 1, 2020

Implementation Organization

Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF)

Background

Agriculture sector in Kenya contributes to 24% of GDP, employs around 80% of the labor, and generates over 65% of foreign exchange earnings. Horticulture, its leading sub-sector with average annual growth rate of 15 to 20% is dominated largely by smallholders. There was a clear need to support the smallholder horticulture farmers to benefit more from the domestic market and export market.

In 2006, GoK through the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA), and JICA formulated and implemented the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment Project (SHEP) on a pilot basis in four Counties (2006-2009). During the implementation of this project, the SHEP Approach was developed. The SHEP Approach refers to specific methods and techniques for empowering smallholder horticulture farmers. It includes a series of training sessions for both farmer groups & Frontline Extension Officers (FEOs)/Group Facilitators. As a result, the implemented farmers have increased their incomes from horticultural crops more than twice in average.

By acknowledging the achievement of SHEP, GoK has established Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion Unit within the Crop Management Directorate in MoA to establish an effective support system for the horticulture smallholders to improve their livelihood through horticulture production sales. JICA has been supporting the Unit through the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion Unit Project (SHEP UP, 2010-2015) which is currently being implemented in sixty (60) Sub-Counties against a total of 290 Sub-counties. SHEP UP is up-scaling the achievements of the former project SHEP.

As the end of SHEP UP is approaching, GoK requested the Government of Japan a new technical cooperation project in order to further promote the SHEP Approach at the National and County levels. At the same time, the project will introduce the SHEP Approach in African countries which have been showing their interest in learning from Kenya. The new project proposal was approved by the Government of Japan and the Detailed Planning Survey Team has been dispatched to discuss the design of the Project and to work out the plan for the cooperation scheme of JICA.

The Overall Goal

Livelihood of Smallholder horticulture farmers applying the SHEP Approach in implementing Counties is improved.

Project Purpose

Implementation System to support smallholder horticulture farmers in implementing Counties is established.

Outputs

1. The SHEP Approach is improved by the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and adopted/adapted by implementing Counties.
2. Income of individual members of smallholder horticulture Model Farmer Groups is improved through the implementation of the SHEP Approach at implementing Counties.
3. Systems of monitoring and evaluation between the Project Coordination Unit and implementing Counties are established.
4. The SHEP Approach is improved by utilizing the experience from in-country training and advisory missions to African countries.

Project Activities

1.1	Establish plans for expansion of the SHEP Approach
1.2	Continue to improve the SHEP Approach
1.3	Facilitate the adoption/adaption of the SHEP Approach to the other farmers groups or in the other projects/programmes by Counties
2.1	Support pre-implementation activities*8 of the SHEP Approach in Counties
2.2	Support to implement the SHEP Approach for the 1st Year's Model Farmer Groups
2.3	Backstop the Counties in the implementation of the SHEP Approach for the 2nd Year's Model Farmer Groups
3.1	Improve the existing monitoring and evaluation tools and database at the Project Coordination Unit
3.2	Conduct monitoring and evaluation with the Counties
3.3	Improve IMU and support its implementation in implementing Counties
4.1	Conduct training in Kenya to support farmers and government staff from other African countries
4.2	Dispatch Kenyan staff to observe the experience of SHEP Approach in other African countries

Inputs

Japanese side

1. Dispatch of Japanese Experts (Chief Advisor, Administration/Planning and Management, Horticultural Crop Production and Extension, M&E/Coordination for SHEP Approach in African Countries, Training Coordination)
2. Dispatch of Japanese Short Term Experts
3. Provision of the equipment
4. Training for Counterpart Personnel (in Japan, in other African countries)
5. Local cost for the activity of Japanese Experts

Kenyan side

1. Allocation of Counterpart Personnel
2. Office space for Japanese experts
3. Local cost (Cost not covered by JICA support)

• Introduction
• The Project Extension Methodology: SHEP Approach in SHEP PLUS