Personal testimony - Margaret Ikiara

Country: Kenya, East Africa Name: Margaret Ikiara Programme Coordinator CIFORD Kenya Office: P .O Box 646-60600 Maua Kenya WEB.www.cifordkenya.org I am a Kenyan lady holder of a Diploma in Farm Management from Egerton University, Njoro. I have had passion for agriculture and agro-forestry activities in the rural areas. I have worked with both international and local not-for-profit organizations in rural Kenya in food security, agro forestry, renewable energy and environmental rehabilitation to reduce the effect of climate change. I have worked in diverse cultures and regions of Kenya including Kilifi in the coast province, Murang'a in Central Kenya and Embu in Eastern Province. This has given me understanding of the dynamics of food and environmental synergies in different areas. I founded CIFORD Kenya Community Initiatives for Rural Development (CIFORD Kenya), a Community Based Organization working in Meru North Districts of Kenya together with like minded people. After PLAN International phased out of the Meru North region we realized that there was a development gap in the region. There were issues which were indentified during a rapid rural appraisal affecting the rural people in the target area: 1. Environmental degradation 2. Effects of Climate change 3. Food and agro income insecurity and malnutrition. 4. High school drop-out among children 5. Regressive cultural practice e.g Female circumcision 6. Women marginalization 7. Effect of HIV/AIDS. I coordinate all CIFORD activities and also do the resource mobilization for the organization. Working with CIFORD Kenya has made me appreciate the importance of working with the poorest people in the community. It has helped me realise how important a small gift is when it gives a smile to a hopeless family. CIFORD Kenya works in four thematic areas of 1. Sustainable Agriculture 2. Community empowerment eg campaigns against Female genital mutilation 3. HIV/AIDS programmes - poverty mitigation and stigma reduction 4. Knowledge management My work also involves training the farmer groups on food security, tree nursery establishment and tree planting. We have trained the farmers on sustainable farming systems to help in the environment and care for the soils. CIFORD endeavors to have a tree planting campaign to be able to rehabilitate the hills and the forests. This is in an effort to improve the environment. The seedlings raised during the dry season are planted during the rain season both on public land and on the farm. We wish to request well wishers and like minded partners to support our tree planting campaign through assisting in paying the farmer groups for the seedlings before they are planted in the rainy season or support in the establishment of the nurseries at the group level. For more information on CIFORD Kenya activities please get in touch with us on Cifordmeru@yahoo.com or ikiara@cifordkenya.org Or visit our website on www.cifordkenya.org