Posted on February, 14, 2022 at 11:39 am
Integrated and Climate Smart Innovations for Agro-Pastoralist Economies and Landscapes in Kenya’s ASAL (ICSIAPL) has launched an innovation fund which will support good practices that will lead to improved forage seed varieties, sustainable forage management and other activities.
Speaking to KNA in Kajiado, ICSIAPL Technical Advisor Jane Kinoti noted that the target group for the fund are ranches, conservancies, and private companies in production or processing of milk and meat, market oriented agro-pastoralists and other livestock keepers, and producer organizations, Community Based Organizations and Self-help groups.
“The fund focuses on innovative ideas on introduction and up-scaling of improved forage seed varieties, improved pasture and crop management and feeding practices, enhanced mechanization and storage, innovative input supply and service delivery models and forage supply chain financing models,” said Kinoti.
Kinoti said that investments in buildings, machinery, equipment, inputs, technical support and other materials, hardware and services needed for the proper implementation and management of the proposed investments are eligible for co-financing by the innovation fund.
“The co-investment from ICSIAPL will not be more than 50 per cent of the total value of the proposed investments and will not exceed a maximum of Sh 3.2 million. However, Informal Youth and Women self-help groups are encouraged to apply as they will be financed up to 60 per cent of the proposed investment,” said Kinoti.
Applicants for the fund must belong to one of the target groups and must have an investment that relates to the introduction of improved forages, improved forage management, and/or enhanced forage value chains in the project area.
The investment should contribute to enhanced availability and quality of forages in pastures and fodder crops and environmentally more sustainable livestock keeping systems.
Interested applicants are advised to visit ICSIAPL website and fill the application form then send the completed form to sicsiapl.innovation@snv.org on or before 15th March 2022.
The implementing partners of ICSIAPL are SNV Kenya/Netherlands Development Organization and the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research organization (KALRO). It works in Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Narok Counties.
Source: KNA