In this blog, Ashley Mutiso, Co-founder of Itanya Africa Group, a RAIN Challenge winner, details training sessions with local farmers, where they shared sustainable agricultural practices and learned from the farmers’ expertise.

When we started Itanya Africa Group last year, we had a dream. Driven by a passion for helping smallholder farmers, we ventured out with little more than our vision and determination. We spent time reaching out to farmers, promising them a brighter future despite our limited resources. Our commitment was unwavering, and our spirit indomitable. We may have been dreamers, but we were resolute in our mission.

Our recent weekend training sessions were a testament to this commitment. Three novice trainers, fueled by enthusiasm and creativity, developed their own topics, created a curriculum, and planned every detail. Our goal was ambitious: train 150 farmers in three days. We succeeded against all odds, training 44 farmers on the first day, 56 on the second, and 59 on the third, a total of 159 farmers.

Our training incorporated behavioural science and human-centred design into the curriculum, ensuring it was both engaging and practical. We had three theoretical sessions, each filled with unique activities. Imagine farmers racing to the whiteboard to stick sticky notes with their responses, eager to win sweets, or working in groups to create pictorial representations of what they had learned. The farmers brought so much energy and humour to the sessions. After the theoretical sessions, farmers witnessed the practical applications on our demo farm. They saw the water pan, regenerative agricultural practices, and syntropic agroforestry in action. They also observed composting in real life. 

Each cohort visited the KALRO Katumani Expo courtesy of an MOU signed between Itanya Africa Group and Eastern African Grain Council. During the expo, they gained more knowledge on good agricultural practices, they also engaged in various activities, and conversations with various stakeholders.

Our smallholder farmers came from diverse backgrounds, including women aged 18 to 83. Some brought their children and toddlers, and stayed from morning to evening. This  demonstrated their commitment and eagerness to learn. The diversity in attendees enriched our sessions and brought different perspectives and experiences to the table.

Key training takeaways include:

1. Storytelling goes a Long Way: Taking people on a journey makes the information memorable and impactful.
2. Humour as a communication tool: Engaging and connecting people through humour enhances learning.
3. Mutual learning: We learned from the farmers as much as they did from us, highlighting the value of two-way knowledge exchange.
4. Childlike enthusiasm: Embracing fun and creativity breaks down barriers and fosters deeper engagement.
5. Localisation: Printing booklets in the local language Kikamba made the content accessible and relevant to the farmers.
6. Sustainability: Using food harvested from the demo farm to cook lunch demonstrated practical sustainability.
7. Meaningful impact: For us, impact is when smallholder farmers understand, own, and implement concepts, rather than just scaling numbers.
8. Resourcefulness: As a small community-based organisation with minimal funds, our ability to create impact is greater than we imagined.

Our first capacity-building session was a hit. We had incredible moments, profound learning experiences, and emotional breakthroughs. We are more motivated than ever to continue our work and expand our impact. However, we cannot do it alone.

The area we work in is characterised by vast potential yet marred by numerous challenges. Smallholder farmers in these regions often struggle with limited access to resources, knowledge, and market opportunities. Women, who make up a significant portion of the farming population, face additional barriers, including gender biases and limited access to capital. Our training sessions have shown that with the right support and resources, these farmers are more than capable of transforming their agricultural practices and improving their livelihoods.

To sustain and expand our efforts, we need more funding and partnerships. We have proven that even with limited resources, significant impact is possible. Imagine what we could achieve with adequate support. We envision a future where every smallholder farmer in Africa has the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to thrive.

We invite you to join us on this transformative journey. By partnering with Itanya Africa Group, you can help us empower smallholder farmers, foster sustainable agricultural practices, and create lasting change. Your support will enable us to expand our reach, enhance our training programs, and drive impactful innovations in agriculture. Together, we can secure a better future for Africa’s farmers and communities. Let’s make a difference, one farm at a time.

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Written by: Ashley Mutiso, Itanya Africa Group

Photo credit: Eugene Kaiga