SACDEP as an Organization

Sustainable Agriculture Community Development Programme – SACDEP Kenya

The Pioneer and leading Institution in the development and mainstreaming of Sustainable Ecological Agriculture (S.E.A) in Kenya, East Africa and Africa.

SACDEP as an Organization

SACDEP as an Organization

Sustainable Agriculture Community Development Programme – SACDEP Kenya

The Pioneer and leading Institution in the development and mainstreaming of Sustainable Ecological Agriculture (S.E.A) in Kenya, East Africa and Africa.

In the year 1993, SACDEP Kenya set up its head office in Thika, Kenya. It is at the Head office that the organization also runs a Sustainable Ecological Agriculture demonstration sites.

SACDEP Thika compound. September 2025. Source; SACDEP Library

At the head office in Thika, SACDEP runs a training and conference center.

The center can host 72 persons in self-contained rooms. There are also training halls, group discussions, outdoor sheds and organic gardens.

Accommodation facility at the Agriculture Development Training Center in Thika. September 2025. Source; SACDEP Library

In Kilimambogo, 17km East of Thika, there is also the college of Sustainable Agriculture for East Africa started in 2022. Youth are trained at Craft Certificate level in Agribusiness skills for employment creation.

Aerial view of College of Sustainable Agriculture For Eastern Africa – CSAEA College in Kilimambogo 17Km East of Thika town. September . 2025 CSAEA Library

The college runs a 2-year craft certificate course. The training is designed to provide 40% theory and 60% practical instructions.

Aerial view of College of Sustainable Agriculture For Eastern Africa – CSAEA College in Kilimambogo 17Km East of Thika town. September 2025. Source; CSAEA Library

The organization further runs an Environmental Education Programme for Schools and Youth. This is on Lusoi Hill in Laikipia County.

Lusoi Hill is situated mid distance between Mt. Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges in Central Kenya. The programme is known as Schools and Youth Environment Conservation Action – SAY – ECA

Aerial view of College of Sustainable Agriculture for Eastern Africa – CSAEA with Mt. Oldonyo Sabuk in the background. September 2025. Source; CSAEA Library

In Kilifi County, Kenyan Coast, region SACDEP is constructing a Youth Skills Development Center. The site is Gongoni area of Malindi Sub – County

Malindi Youth Skills Development Center in Ngongoni area of Malindi Sub – County September 2025

The organization also runs a Kilifi Youth Skills Development Center. This helps deep-sea helps deep sea fishermen have a fish landing site. The fish preservation and marketing

Kilifi Youth Skills Development Center. The Indian Ocean is in the Background June 2024

In Eastern Aberdare Forest, SACDEP runs a training center on Nature conservation and Trout fish rearing. The Center produces Trout fish for learning purposes while serving as a source of trout fish fingerlings for farmers adjacent to the forest.

John Karuwe, the fish attendant at Kimakia Forest Nature Conservation and Environmental Education Center in the Aberdares Forest, Muranga County harvesting table-sized trout fish. June 2023. Source; SACDEP Library

SACDEP’S DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPY

SACDEP Kenya has accumulated a wide experience in changing lives through empowering families in food, nutrition and agro income security.

SACDEP farmers being trained in the field in Gatundu, Kiambu County 1996. Source: SACDEP Library

The Organization started work in the year 1993.  For the past 31 years, SACDEP has expanded work in Sustainable Ecological Agriculture (S.E.A) work among communities in Kenya reaching 145,000 families by year 2024. Total number being 435,000 people.

The families have obtained Food, Nutrition and Agro income security on a long term basis

Regions in Kenya where SACDEP has been carrying out development projects during the last 31 years. November 2025. Source: QGIS Maps

There is no developed and underdeveloped world. Only a badly developed world (Ngugi Mutura 1993)

Historically, some regions have had more access to productive resources than others. Same for development skills and opportunities among the people

Global Economic Development Parameters. Source: World Atlas 2025

Poverty is as a result of bad distribution and access of resources.

The resources would be Natural, skills and knowledge, materials, equipment, human among others.

In agriculture the resources are land, water, inputs (seed, livestock), knowledge, skills, roads, markets e.t.c

SACDEP Farmers from Taita Taveta Project Area through MFA V Project being trained in crop production- green grams using Sustainable Ecological Agriculture practices. June 2022. Source: SACDEP Library.

In the livestock sector, in the dry lands, interventions are made to reduce livestock deaths during drought periods.

In Kenyan Rangelands there exists a cyclic drought phenomenon where dry spells occur every 4- 5 years.

During these periods, pastoralists families loose up to 70% of the herds. It takes the families more than 4 years to build the herds back.

Drought period and animal deaths in Kajiado. May 2022. Source: SACDEP Library

For farmers in high rainfall regions, zero grazing methods are used for dairy production enterprises

Mariah from Loitoktok feeding her dairy cows in a zero grazing unit. May 2024. Source: SACDEP Library

On small animals, farmers receive skills development through training in Dairy goat and dorper sheep programmes

Catherine from Gaturi, Muranga East tending to her dairy goats. March 2025. Source SACDEP Library

In pastoralist areas SACDEP runs programmes that enable livestock keepers increase their resilience on negative effects caused by recurrent Droughts.

The Programmes include skills in improving of breeds, pasture grazing, disease control, excavation of water pans and matters of mitigation against negative effects of Climate Change phenomenon

Cattles drink water at Olshaiki waterpan in Olkeri, Kajiado County. May 2024. Source SACDEP Library

In the Agriculture industry, availability of seed and planting material is paramount. In Sustainable Ecological Agriculture (S.E.A) farmers are enabled to grow, select and store seed. Group members are able to access seed and planting materials and plant seed at the onset of rains.

Assorted legume and cereal seed stored by farmers in a group common seed store in March 2025. Source: SACDEP Library

For smaller seed, farmers are trained on how to select, clean, treat, package and establish seed banks.

Farmers seed bank in the Muranga project area in April 2025. Source: SACDEP Library

In Natural soil fertility, farmers are trained to make high-quality compost, also termed biological fertiliser (Bio-fertiliser). They use on own farms while selling surpluses to neighboring farmers.

Cyripan of Mwondu village, Mbeere North Embu County packing biofertilizer for use in his farm and for sale. March 2025. Source: SACDEP Library

Therefore, due to seed being readily available, crop producers are able to plant and grow farms using the right timing for seasonal rains.

85% of smallholders in Kenya practice rain-fed agriculture. Many misses planting on time due to a lack of ready planting seed

Benson from the Mkoroshoni Self Help Group of Lamu is inspecting his crops in February 2023. Source: SACDEP Library