Achievements:

• Setting up and strengthening of Project Management Unit (PMU) with offices at KEFRI-Karura and field offices at LIKABICS, Ndhiwa;
• Project inception meetings with project partners and collaborators including GARA Board, KEFRI, LIKABICS, SINOKA and JOOUST;
• Assessment of technologies for charcoal/ briquettes cookstove models in Nairobi, Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Migori counties undertaken;
• Consultative workshop of GARA Board members and staff for review and updating of organizational policies and procedures held;
• Project monitoring and engagement conducted with officials of Homa-Bay County Government and KEFRI sub-regional office.

Partners & Collaborators

1. Gum Arabic and Resins Association (GARA) – Lead applicant and manager;
2. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
3. Ligodho-Kanyadoto Bioenterprise Cooperative Society Ltd (LIKABICs)
4. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST)
5. Kenya Forest Service (KFS);
6. County Government of Homa-Bay;
7. Sinoka Bieoenterprise Cooperative Society Ltd (SINOKA).

• WP1: Strategic partnerships and project management: This work package involved developing the project organization and management, and implementation structure, as well as grounding the basis to facilitate the implementation of the other two work packages:
  1. Developing an agreement between a private sugar producer industry and three community cooperatives for supply of waste bagasse of at least 60 tons per day.
  2. Framework for cooperation between a gum and resins cooperatives/ companies and briquette cooperatives for supply of 3rd grade gum arabic as binder material established;
  3. Reorganizing three village cooperatives into a business company, BioCorp Enterprises Company of Kenya Ltd) of 200 members for management of briquette business;
  4. Enhanced partnership between Kenyan and Norwegian partners for establishment of a renewable energy value chain based on a waste-to-fuel production at industrial scale with a big potential for expansion of production units and consumer base.
• WP2: Capacity building in biofuel technologies, access to raw materials and technical skills: This WP involved designing and developing a complete system of production, a system for converting biomass waste into a carbonized briquette, readily available to market. The following were the achievements under the WP:
  1. Briquette production micro-factories managed by two community-based cooperatives upgraded with logistics for biomass feedstock transportation, gum arabic binder material supply and briquette production technologies and systems;
  2. Designing and developing an efficient system for converting the raw feedstock into biochar for briquette production and as soil amendment in small farms;
  3. A biochar to briquette mixing and conversion system protocol including use of gum arabic as an appropriate binder material;
  4. Drying and storage systems for feedstock and briquettes designed and developed;
  5. Briquette packaging, storage, and sales.
• WP3: Business and market development and access to financial services. The following achievements were realized under this WP:
  1. Stakeholder engagement for development of national standards for charcoal and carbonized briquettes;
  2. A sustainable business advice service for SMEs in the renewable energy value chain;
  3. Develop business skills and marketing, with weekly deliveries of 15 tones/week fuel- briquettes by the end of the project.
  4. Key market segments identification and trade-up cooperation agreements between producers with distributors and large public and private consumers for sustainable supply, distribution and consumption of clean upgraded biofuel.

Partners and collaborators

1. Gum Arabic and Resins Association (GARA);
2. Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI);
3. Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO);
4. Royal Norwegian Society for Development (Norges Vel);
5. Agriculture and Food Authority – Sugar Directorate (AFA-SD);
6. Migori Juakali Cooperative Union Ltd (MJCU);
7. Fine Aromas Company of Kenya Ltd (FA);
8. Ligodho-Kanyadoto Bioenterprise Cooperative Society Ltd (LIKABICs)
9. Sinoka Bieoenterprise Cooperative Society Ltd (SINOKA);
10. Kanyakira Bioenterprise Cooperative Society Ltd (Kanyakira).

• To enhance participation of communities and stakeholders in review and enforcement of laws and policies governing the gums and resins sub-sector;
• To strengthen and increase the participation of producer associations in the market systems within gums and resins value chain and
• To increase the capacity of 30 producers’ associations in addressing environmental degradation in the gums and resin producing areas.

The project stakeholders were ACT CRM facility that provided funding, Kenya Forestry Research Institute who provided technical support, Kenya Forest Service who are the main implementers of forestry related policies and regulations, the producer organizations involved in the trade of gum and resins, the county government whose role was to support the gums and resins subsector by providing an enabling environment and the media whose role was to educate the public and others on the importance of gums and resins. The project ended in September 2014.

Achievements

Increased policy engagement at county and national level

• The project was able to sensitize the county government in the importance of gums and resins as a source of alternative source of livelihood for the people living in Marsabit, Wajir and Isiolo counties. In Marsabit County there was integration of Gums and Resins in the integrated plan of the county while in Isiolo, the county government allocated some budgetary support for the Gums and Resins subsector. The County governments of Isiolo and Marsabit partially financed the participation of the co-operative in the trade fair held in Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi where the cooperatives were able to engage duty bearers at national and county level on gums and resins. Some of the counties like Isiolo are having a investors conference next year and have put Gums and Resins as part of the agenda
• The project was able to carry out an awareness campaign result of an intense awareness of gums and resins is increased knowledge of gums and resins. One of the respondents stated that students during the Isiolo show appreciated that gums and resins are used in food and is not poisonous as they thought. There was a change in attitude among duty bearers on issues that affect the Gums and Resins after understanding the importance of the sub sector. It was reported by some members of the co-operative that the duty bearers are now keen to implement some regulations unlike before the project.
• Formation of the gums and resins cooperative in the counties is an innovation. The co-operatives are the only in the county and over 50% of the members are women. There were producer groups that were involved in the trade
• This has increased their recognition among their stakeholders in the county. It has promoted the development of new relationships with new other stakeholders e.g. Waso Gums and resins are in the process of seeking funding from a development organization SNV for a borehole to support the tree commercial nursery

Strengthened Market system

• Prior to the project, the quality of gums and Resins was poor. The producers would mix the gums and resins in one bad leading to cross contamination of both products. The producers were also mixing the gum from different species of Acacia. The producers after capacity building do not mix the gums and resins nor the acacia species which have led to improved quality of gums and resins. According to one of the collectors 80% of the gums and resins received meet the quality standards.
• The formation of a cooperatives has been of importance since they provide greater opportunity for bargaining in the market system. Currently the market is controlled by a few individuals who export the gums and resins, there are also cartels. One of the cooperatives Waso has a store in which they use to bulk the gums and resins and sell them collectively.
• There has been increase in the production and prices of gums and resins through tapping. Prior to the project the collectors would wait for the wild animals to tap and tap using an inappropriate method that would lead to the destruction of the trees/ The producers/collectors go into the woodland to tap using the appropriate method.. There was an increase in prices from an average price of Kshs 40-50 per Kg to Kshs 120 per Kg for the gums.

Adoption of Climate Change adaptation and Mitigation practices

• The cooperatives were trained on climate change adaptation and mitigation practices. During the dry spell, it is possible for the producers to focus on gums and resins as an alternative source of livelihood rather and the need to protect the trees from destruction. Both cooperatives are in various stages of establishing demonstration plots and tree nurseries in their respective counties.
• The cooperatives have been able to work with the Kenya Forestry Services on reducing the destruction of trees especially acacia through enforcement of the policy. Cutting an acacia tree in Marsabit now attracts a fine. Also be training the producer/collectors on appropriate methods of harvesting there is reduction of destruction of the trees. There producer cooperatives were trained on climate change and participated in the development of climate change plans at the county level.

Gender and Community Empowerment

• In the project areas some of the poverty levels can be as high as 92%. This generally affects women the most as they have limited opportunities due to low levels of education, access and/or control of the productive resources. From discussions with target communities and other stakeholder over 50% of the collection of gums and resins is done by women. Through the project has enabled the women to access knowledge and skills on how to improve their likelihoods. Over 70% of the members of the gums and resins cooperatives are women. One of the male members of one of the cooperatives highlighted that the cooperative has enabled the women to become co-contributors to the household incomes instead of relying on the men.
• The community members who were trained on advocacy were able to engage the management of an NGO regarding their lack of involvement or consultation in the project planning. This was unlike before where they were not aware on the right to participate in their own development agenda.

Networking and Linkages

• The project has brought cohesion of different communities (Rendille, Samburu, Borana and Somali) on the gums and resins agenda. This has encouraged inter county learning among Marsabit, Wajir and Isiolo. Some of the business men from Wajir have begun to take interest in trading in Marsabit and Isiolo due to the proximity to the market. The trade fairs and training sessions have also supported joint learning and sharing of experiences among producers involved in Gums and Resins.

GARA institutional capacity strengthened

• There is increased visibility and appreciation of GARA as the lead organization in gums and resins. This was achieved through the engagement of stakeholders both state actors and non-state actors like the media. One of the media houses wanted to do further interviews with the specialist of Gums and resin in KEFRI to educate the public since the previous interview was too short. Staff capacities were enhanced in monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning and advocacy programming. The staff involved in the project were able to implement the project properly and strengthen advocacy at county level. One of the stakeholders, KFS is willing to host the GARA at its local office in Isiolo. GARA now has equipment’s were purchased like computers and laptops etc. this will enable to continue with its mandate.

The project was implemented to achieve results under three milestones:

• sustainable briquette production;
• market analysis and development; and
• Business development, job creation, lobbying and development of associations.

The achievements over the period were

• the establishment of 3 briquette production units in 3 locations,
• establishment of 5 bio-enterprise cooperative societies and
• Capacity building of the cooperatives in technical skills, business aspects and technology and knowledge transfer.
• One site established a tree nursery.
• In regard to climate change mitigation, a total of 7.7 tCO2 in a period of 17 months was reduced as a result of the production of Bio briquettes with potential reduction of 109 tCO2 over 20 years. In addition, comes a total of 3,360 tCO2 from 28 000 trees planted calculated over a period of 24 months with a potential of 33 600 tCO2 over 20 years. The overall reduction over 20 years is then calculated to be 33 709 tCO2.

Although the project target of establishing 5 production units was not fully realized due to unforeseen challenges, the concept demonstrated opportunities for addressing multiple challenges facing that target communities. The potential for sustainability in the pilot production units is subject to a number of recommendations including legal confirmation of sufficient supply of and access to sugarcane bagasse or alternative biomass feedstock, stability of power supply in the region and optimisation of production processes to achieve commercial operations.