Partnership Program in Integrated Agri-Aquaculture Systems for Food Security and Poverty Reduction in East Africa

Cooperating countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Austria

Coordinating institution: Egerton University, Kenya, Prof. Isabel N. Wagara, iwagara@egerton.ac.ke

Partner institution: Laikipia University, Haramaya University, Gulu University, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

Project duration: 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2024

Abstract:

Smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa are characterized by low productivity, profitability and sustainability. Although the smallholder farmers produce more than 80 percent of the food in the region, they are the most vulnerable to food and nutrition, insecurity, poverty and environmental degradation due to low levels of agricultural productivity, profitability and sustainability. Overall, agricultural productivity can be increased through integration, intensification and diversification of agri-aquaculture in smallholder systems, whereby waste from one part of the system becomes a crucial input in other components in the system. This calls for strong cooperation partnerships to exchange and transfer knowledge, skills, technologies and innovations in integrated agri-aquaculture systems to smallholder farmers for enhanced productivity and climate change resilience. This should contribute to SDGs on; no poverty, zero hunger and responsible consumption and production.

The proposed project is a Partnership Program in Integrated Agri-Aquaculture Systems for Food Security and Poverty Reduction in Eastern Africa, based on the SDGs, seeking and aiming to:

1. establishing a cooperation regional network between the countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, and Austria;
2. strengthening knowledge sharing for increased food production and poverty reduction by integrating resilient agriculture-aquaculture systems; and
3. promoting a guideline integrating triple wins of increasing food productivity, job creation and ensuring sustainable consumption (Zero wastes).

The triple wins build on SDGs 1, 2 and 12 and seeks to focus on priority agri-aquaculture systems where partnerships can develop a formidable evidence-based guideline with expertise and guidance from the Austrian partnership. In the three East African countries, about 80 percent of production is carried out by small holder farmers whose production is associated with high poverty levels, poor production and threats of climate change. Agri-aquaculture approach provides a cyclic agriculture approach that focuses on recycling, enhancing production and making contributions to climate change effect mitigation.

The project will mainly focus on:

• promoting technologies for women and youth entrepreneurship for food production, nutrition, and income generation.
• contributing to African Agricultural transformation through identification and documentation of improved technologies for the integration of Agri-Aquaculture at small scale levels, and ultimately contribute to the enhancement of food and nutritional security at household levels within the continent.