Working with resource-limited and marginalized communities to sustainably utilize locally available resources for livelihood improvement through sustainable ecological agriculture (S.E.A.)

Welcome to the site where practitioners of sustainable ecological agriculture (S.E.A.) share their hands-on experiences from the field.

For 30 years since inception, SACDEP has worked with small holder farmers (bottom of the pyramid) in 15 counties in Kenya and 2 districts in Tanzania to unlock their existing potential towards achieving tangible economic benefits that ensure improved livelihoods using the principles and practices of S.E.A. 

This work could not have been achieved without the invaluable support from partners like GLS Germany, Bread for the World, Tudor Trust, and the collaboration of local partners with whom we share both challenges and their possible solutions. We believe in the African philosophy of “I am because we are” and therefore all our projects and activities have a component of reaching out, networking and advocacy in collaboration with our partners.

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SACDEP-Kenya envisions Eastern African communities hitherto resource limited being in charge of their food sovereignty and wealth creation for sustainable livelihoods.

Mission

To accomplish its mission SACDEP-Kenya will facilitate and support sustainable development through sustainable agriculture for resource limited communities in Eastern Africa through practical, socio-economic, scientific linkages and partnerships in Sustainable Agriculture practices for food, nutrition, renewable energy and income security.

SACDEP-Kenya’s foundation and operations are built around eight (8) core values which are highly prized and important beliefs widely held to be crucial for the success of its programs.

These are

  • Self-reliance and determination
  • Transparency, integrity and accountability
  • Solidarity with resource limited communities.
  • Partnerships in development
  • Professional ethics
  • Respect for culture
  • Equity for all
  • Gender equity

To reach out directly to resource limited small holder farmers and marginalized communities through Environmental Improvement, Advocacy, Research, provision of Skills and Knowledge in SA Practices, for wealth creation and livelihood improvement within the Eastern Africa region.

To achieve this Mandate, SACDEP-Kenya is guided by SA principles and practices that have been tested for the past 23 years. The Principles are anchored on the 7 Pillars of SA which been refined over time. The Principles Pillars are as follows:-

Sustainable Agriculture Principles

Environmentally sound practices

  1. Environmentally sound practices
  2. Economic feasibility of farm enterprises.
  3. Social justice.
  4. Culturally acceptable

  1. To reduce weakness and vulnerability. Farmers are organized into strong groups for different projects and initiatives.
  2. Crop and livestock Programmes guided by the principles of sustainable agriculture, specifically using low external inputs.
  3. To have a good measure of determination farmers are trained to produce, process, add value and market as economically feasible.
  4. Small holder farmers are not often credit worthy (especially women) to banks and micro finance Institutions. Farmers form own village banks to save and obtain credit.
  5. Majority of the communities live in the difficult to reach rural regions. Use of Renewable Energy Sources is trained on. They use it for food processing, cooking, lighting, transportation etc.
  6. Harnessing, Conserving and Utilization of community shared resources. Communities work in the conservation and sustainable use of water for irrigation, cattle tick control dips and rehabilitation of forests and water catchments.
  7. Most communities leave others to determine their future. Ongoing Programmes educate farmers on policies, rules and regulations that affect them and how they can make proactive participation in their review and formulation.