Have you ever filled in a questionnaire which asked: “Would you be proud to work for xyz”?
In the case of One Acre Fund, I have known the answer for years.
You have probably read reminders here, to go and look at what is on offer from One Acre Fund, so you’re going to wonder why I have woken up again. The answer is because I noticed ‘Seeking a proven and passionate writer with global development experience‘.
No, no, no, I’m not being countryist, you can also work for them in other countries like TZ, Uganda, Rwanda đ Check out their current opportunities.
Have you have ever thought about a career at One Acre Fund, but wondered about what the office and work culture are really like? Ronny Mutisya and Victor Kirubi, two of their staffers, take you behind the scenes at their headquarters in Kakamega, Kenya. In their video, they answer your questions about working with One Acre Fund. Theyâll tell you about what to expect from the One Acre Fundâs office, the benefits of moving from the city to a rural area, and how you can transfer your skills to a career in agricultural development.
I have known One Acre Fund for years and would encourage anyone to apply.
One speaker, Mr. Michael OâBrian of Green Peace Africa said âIf there was an Olympics Competition for Policy drafting between continents, Africa would win hands downâ. All conference participants burst out in laughter, but not because it was funny. The reason is because it is true. We are very good at drafting policy documents, but devoid of action.
The Plenary_2nd Africa EBAFOSCDelegates__2nd Africa EBAFOSCThe Drafting committee_2nd Africa EBAFOSC
Like I had informed you earlier, the â2nd Africa Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Conference 2015â  ended with adoption of âNairobi Action Agenda on Africaâ  and a “Constitution of the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly” symbolized the official start of the “Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA)”. We hope this time we are going to be a continent of action.
Follow the links below to read the declaration and constitution:
I had the opportunity to attend the â2nd Africa Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Cnference 2015â held at the UN complex Gigiri, Nairobi Kenya on 30th and 31st July 2015. There were over 1200 invited attendees, comprising of dignitaries, professionals, farmers and students.
2nd Africa EbA Conference
A Major concern of the conference was addressing the continent’s transecting challenge of
hunger and malnutrition in the growing and increasingly young unemployed population, in the face of climate change. The conference intended to showcase how, by investing in its ecosystems and working with nature, Africa can climate proof its food production systems and achieve sustainable agricultural productivity hence enhance food security under the changing climate; and how, by investing in value addition process along the agro-value chain, potential opportunities for employment for the youth are created.
Here are some powerful quotes from some of the speakers;
âImagine Africa without hunger, poverty, malnutrition, obesityâŚâ Dr. Patrick Kormawa , FAO SRC Eastern & Rep to AU, ECA
âIt is not the analysis that we need at this time, we need to go beyond that. We need to take action.â Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, Executive Director, ACTS
âIt is within the power of our generation to sort out the challenges of food security in Africaâ Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, Executive Director, ACTS
âFrom a youth perspective? It is our time now. The youth should take overâ Youth Delegate from South Africa
âLet us not just speak about what the government can do for us, what the private sector can do for us.. We must be self determiningâ Alice Kaudia , Environment Secretary. Min. of Environment Kenya
The Drafting Committee_2nd Africa EbA Conference
Food Security, as defined by World Food Summit is the condition where all people at all times have social, economic and physical access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary and preferential needs for an active and healthy life. Africa has an immense agricultural potential. It is estimated that about 65% of the worldâs arable land and 10% of internal renewable fresh water sources are in Africa, yet;
About 240 million people (25%) in Africa go to bed hungry and over 200million people suffer the debilitating symptoms of chronic to severe malnutrition. (UN-FAO)
6million tones of grain annually are lost due to degraded ecosystems. These are enough to meet annual calorific needs for 30million people.
Sub-Saharan Africa loses food worth up to USD4billion annually (about 23% of field harvests), enough to feed 48million people per annum in Post harvest losses (PHLs) due to inadequate financial and structural resources for proper harvesting, storage and transportation, as well as unfavorable climatic conditions for food storage. (UN FAO)
Africaâs annual food import bill is over USD35 billion. Imports exceed exports by 30%.
In Africa, a 10% increase in crop yields translates to approximately a 7% reduction in poverty, according to the World Bank.
Very interesting facts there. The road to Food Security in Africa, it is believed, lies with the adoption of the Ecosystem based Adaptation driven Agricultural strategies that aim not only at maintaining but also improving the fertility and productivity of ecosystems which often include traditional practices such as conservation agriculture, crop rotation, inter-cropping and biological pest control.
The delegates summarized the conference with strong resolutions to achieve Food Security in Africa, adopting the “Nairobi Action Agenda on Africa’s Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security” declaration. The chief guest H.E. Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the Africa Union Commission closed the conference with a strong message; âTogether we can build the Africa we wantâ.
I will give you a very brief description of the lessons we learnt on planting weeding and pest control because. Take them very seriously. This phase of crop cultivation is what really determines whether you will reap bountifully or not.
By all means, select your seeds well. Seek help from available agricultural institutions/practitioners if you arenât sure. If you cannot get certified seeds, get the ones that you can but take you time to sort them well, selecting the healthy, undamaged ones for planting. Good quality seed means high quality produce.
If possible, pre-spray a broad spectrum herbicide two days before planting. This will go a long way into saving you the trouble of dealing with the weed menace when your crops germinate. Even if weeds grow later, you will have more time concentrating on improving yield rather than controlling weeds. Remember that more weeds means more pests, so if you are going to wait to deal with weeds later, you sure will have to deal with very destructive pests harbored in there at the same time. If you destroy weeds and leave pests, they will have only crops to feed on.
Do a good research on modes of planting. I will tell you for sure that so far, in Narok, there is no planter for beans. They lie to you that they have but truth is that they are using the maize planter. The gauge (spacing and number of seeds) will not be right. Available planters are for wheat and maize. Last year (2014) I cultivated 10acres of beans and used people (manual laborers). I did not regret.
When planning to spray, whether herbicide, fertilizer or pesticide, consult agricultural experts if you arenât sure what chemical to use. It is also wise to decide early whether you want to use a tractor or knapsack sprayer. Whatever you choose to use, consult the operator on the amount of water they normally use on an acre of land or per drum used. It will help you make closer approximations on the amount of chemical(s) to buy for your job.
Do not do things in a hurry. Plan well your timing and finances. It will cost you much if you delay in carrying out any particular measure, be it weeding or any other. Close monitoring of crop is critical and so is quick decision making. Delays will cost you.
If you come across a situation, be it weeds, pests or disease invasion that you do not comprehend well, a photograph can help when you are seeking help from an expert. Make use of your smart phone.
