Publications

The document presents the summaries of the 12 case studies used to illustrate SNV practices which contributed to the writing of the practice brief N° 4 focusing on Gender and Agriculture (see: www.snvworld.org/en/sectors/agriculture/publications/gender-and-agriculture-practice-brief). The summaries provide an insight of the gender issue and what practices SNV implemented to address to this specific constraint. The document also offers you hyperlinks at the end of each summary to enable you read the full intervention.

The camel and its products have been described by some as a ‘sleeping giant’, summarizing the potential that the camel has, especially in the face of droughts, effects of climate change and the unexploited nutritional value of camel products. This case study focuses on camel milk in the greater Isiolo region (Northern Kenya) and what various actors, including SNV, are undertaking to make the chain more effective, market oriented, and consequently contributing immensely to people’s livelihoods.

The dairy value chain in Kenya has the potential to provide income and employment opportunities for over one million smallholder households. This tremendous opportunity has however remained untapped due to a number of dairy value chain constraints. Production segment is characterised by low productivity levels due to lack of knowledge on appropriate dairy husbandry and feeding practices, and farming is rain dependent making the production susceptible to severe seasonal weather fluctuations. The case describes how SNV Kenya has provided capacity development services since November 2008, targeting 5000 dairy farming households in the Lessos milk shed.

There is a growing interest for camel milk and related products, particularly in the Horn of Africa. Camel breeds kept by pastoralists in subsistence production systems are very reliable milk producers during dry seasons and drought years when milk from cattle, sheep and goats is scarce. This case study highlights the experiences of a pilot intervention, among the first in the camel milk market, facilitated by SNV in Isiolo district of North-Eastern Kenya. A key objective of the SNV intervention was to enhance commercialisation of the camel milk sector in order to strengthen the socio-economic position of pastoralist women. It also sought to strengthen women’s organisations and enterprises, foster market linkages and private sector involvement within the sector, promote efficient use of technologies, develop and disseminate knowledge for replication of good practices in-country and across the region, as well as contribute to a policy environment that conducive to the commercialisation of camel milk.

This case describes how ‘Lessos Horticultural Growers Association’ was established. Starting with some passion fruit self-help groups in Kenya, a divisional agriculture officer and SNV advisors, a new umbrealla organisation was formed from all passion fruit growing self-help groups. SNV further facilitated capacity building of the group, as well as meetings between buyers and the association.

Follow up to case study on Lolunguniani - a partnership for progress published in 2008.