FACT4BUDGET PROGRAMME

General

Addition 2015 The federation, with support from Agriterra has been implementing the FACT4Budget project in 5 counties, where the federation has been building the capacity of the farmers to participate in budgetary allocation process at the county level. The methodology used is the Farmers Advocacy Consultation Tool (FACT) approach, which is a tool used by Farmer organizations to enhance their capacities to effectively participate in lobby processes. KenAFF would like to amplify the good lessons learned from the piloted counties on the FACT approach to cover twenty more counties as well as out scale the same to ten youth farmer organizations. 2014 Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (KenFAP) is the apex farmers’ organization in Kenya. Its objective is to articulate issues affecting farmers by defending the interests of its members and the general farming community through focused lobby and advocacy to the relevant entities. The federation’s stronghold encompasses 2 million farm families drawn from the farming community structured into 10,000 farmer groups. The membership is spread over 42 out of the 47 counties in Kenya. The Kenya Constitution 2010 creates a county government structure which enables the national government to have considerable authority over the policy issues, regulation, capacity building, finance and technical assistance among others. On the other hand, county governments will be responsible for priority setting, financial management, agricultural production and related extension services in their respective areas of operation. This will allow a better alignment of the government actions and projects to the objectives and priorities of the national development agenda. By using the FACT approach Kenfap want to sustain the lobby and advocacy capacities of its members and to increase their participation in policy formulation processes and their representation in relevant stakeholder platforms. It is important to engage the relevant structures to focus on agricultural issues. Improved legislation is a prerequisite for fair prices for agricultural products, formalises land tenure rights and corrects adverse fiscal regimes. Enhanced participation in policy making can exercise influence by steering investments in infrastructure and enhanced budget allocation to agriculture. KenFAP will amplify the FACT (Farmers Advocacy Consultation Tool) Approach to cover twenty counties. 2015 (first semestre) OBJECTIVE The overall objective is to enhance farmers’ participation in the new devolved governance structure in Kenya for improved budgetary allocation to agricultural development and enhance youth engagement in agriculture The specific objectives:- a) To build capacity of leaders, youth and staff on governance and the FACT methodology; b) To enhance the capacity of the leaders, youth and staff through implementation of the FACT approach on budgetary allocation process; c) To improve the budgetary allocation tracking information systems, data bank to monitor and sustain lobby for budgetary allocation and best farming practices exchange platform; d) To enhance Institutional support and development of KenAFF and its constituents. Activities -To build capacity of youth and staff on governance and the FACT methodology; -To enhance the capacity of the leaders, youth and staff through implementation of the FACT approach on budgetary allocation process; -To strengthen the budgetary allocation tracking information systems and data bank to monitor and sustain lobby activity for budgetary allocation; -to enhance institutional support and development of KenAFF and its constituents. Results - 500 staff and leaders trained in FACT - 12.000 farm families reached - 10 county based youth councils: 250 youth leaders trained, 31250 youths reached; - Budgetary allocation to agriculture 2014 The overall objective is to enhance farmers’ participation in the new devolved governance structure in Kenya for improved budgetary allocation to agricultural development Specifically the objectives are : 1. To build capacity of leaders to identify county specific budgetary allocation issues for agricultural development 2. To carry out in-depth participatory research on the county specific issues identified on budgetary allocation for agricultural development 3. To develop county specific SMART proposal on budgetary allocation to Agriculture and engagement strategy to direct funding to support farmers initiatives 4. To establish budgetary allocation tracking information systems, data bank to monitor and sustain lobby for budgetary allocation This will be achieved by the following activities: 1.Training of staff and leaders on Farmers’ Advocacy Consultation Tool 2.To get better understanding KenFAP will organize participatory research: will link up with experts who will assist in defining methodology and ascertain what information to gather and how. The process will be followed by primary data collection which is backed up by desk study on the existing literature related to the issue. 3.Smart solutions will be packaged to develop a SMART proposal for each of the counties to be presented to county decision organs. 4.Developing a well elaborated engagement strategy using all available means of lobbying and advocating by proper lobby mapping etc. 5.To set up an strong budgetary allocation tracking and information dissemination system. Results: - Farmers leaders and staff trained on FACT approach - County specific lobby budgetary allocation issues identified - Farmers and farmer leaders consulted - Priority issues researched - Competing claims on budgetary allocation identified - Data collection tools developed - Enumeratos trained to administer tools - Experts to define technology - Software for data analysis procured - Validation workshops held - Final report produced - SMART proposal written - Engagement strategy developed (lobby mapping and stakeholder analyses) - Farmers groups sentized, recruited and organised - Consultative forums at all levels formed - Alliance formed - Data bank established - Budget allocation tracking system and information system developed - County government allocation to support farmers initiatives enhanced - Capacity of leaders to convene, collaborate and lead Multi stakeholders process enhanced - FO's leaders represented in county budgetary allocation commitee Output - Volume of County budget allocated to agriculture due to lobby efforts (FACT approach) is expected to 1 million Euro / district ( to the benefit of members and non-members) Enhanced farmers’ participation in the new devolved governance structure in Kenya for improved budgetary allocation to agricultural development