Y1 Progress report | Juliana Cheboi

Enhancing Resilience and Sustainable Food Systems: Improving Access to Nutritious Climate-Smart Crops through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) and Value Addition Technology

During the first year of the FAR-LEAF II project, significant progress has been made toward laying a strong foundation for its successful implementation. The project seeks to enhance the resilience of smallholder farming communities and improve sustainable food systems by promoting nutritious, climate-smart crops through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC), value-addition technologies, and strengthened stakeholder participation.

The project commenced after all mandatory ethical and regulatory requirements were met. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Nairobi-KNH Ethics Review Committee, and a research permit was subsequently obtained from NACOSTI. These approvals ensured that all research activities complied with ethical standards, safeguarded participants' rights, and adhered to national research guidelines.

A major milestone during the reporting period was the initiation of project implementation, accompanied by extensive stakeholder engagement. Introductory meetings were held with county government representatives, agricultural extension officers, education officials, school administrators, community leaders, and farmer representatives to introduce the project objectives, expected outcomes, and implementation strategy. These engagements fostered strong partnerships, enhanced local ownership, and created a collaborative framework for project execution.

Stakeholders provided valuable insights that informed site selection, implementation planning, and community mobilisation. The stakeholder engagement process was documented in a comprehensive report booklet that serves as a reference for future project activities.

The project also successfully conducted a baseline survey across the selected project sites in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. The survey collected data on household production systems, consumption patterns of climate-smart crops, nutrition knowledge, existing value addition practices, and farmers' awareness of climate-smart agriculture.

Information was also gathered from participating schools on school feeding practices, nutrition education, and opportunities to integrate climate-smart crops into school food systems.

The baseline findings will provide benchmark indicators for measuring project outcomes and assessing the effectiveness of future interventions. To demonstrate improved production practices and facilitate experiential learning, demonstration fields were established in selected farmers' fields and in four primary schools. These demonstration plots showcase improved climate-smart crop production technologies, including recommended agronomic practices, and provide practical learning platforms for farmers, teachers, learners, and extension personnel. The school demonstration fields also support nutrition education by promoting hands-on learning and increasing schoolchildren's awareness of the importance of nutritious, climate-smart crops.

The establishment of the demonstration fields has been documented in a second technical report booklet detailing site selection, field establishment procedures, crop management protocols, and stakeholder participation.

Throughout the first year, project coordination and implementation have remained on schedule, with regular monitoring visits undertaken to assess field establishment, stakeholder participation, and adherence to project timelines. The strong collaboration established with county government departments, schools, extension officers, and farming communities has enhanced project visibility and strengthened institutional support for subsequent activities.

The next phase of the project will focus on implementing Behaviour Change Communication interventions, strengthening value-addition technologies for climate-smart crops, conducting farmer– and school-based capacity-building activities, monitoring crop performance, promoting nutrition-sensitive food utilisation, and evaluating changes in knowledge, attitudes, practices, and household food and nutrition outcomes. These activities will contribute to building resilient farming systems, improving dietary diversity, and enhancing sustainable livelihoods among participating communities in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

Over the past 12 months, my understanding of transdisciplinary research has shifted from viewing it as collaboration across academic disciplines to recognising it as a participatory process that integrates scientific knowledge with the lived experiences, priorities, and insights of diverse stakeholders. Through implementing this project, I have learned that addressing complex challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and malnutrition requires continuous engagement of researchers, policymakers, extension officers, educators, farmers, community leaders, and the private sector throughout the entire research cycle.

Stakeholder engagement during project inception highlighted the importance of co-designing research activities with local actors. Farmers and extension officers contributed valuable practical knowledge on climate-smart crop production and adaptation strategies. At the same time, school administrators and teachers identified opportunities to integrate nutrition education and establish school demonstration gardens. These interactions reinforced my understanding that local knowledge is not

secondary to scientific knowledge, but is an essential and complementary component of evidence-based research.

The baseline survey further deepened this perspective by revealing the complex social, cultural, economic, and behavioural factors influencing the adoption of climate-smart crops and value-addition technologies. It became clear that technical innovations alone are insufficient to drive meaningful change without considering community food preferences, gender roles, market access, income constraints, and institutional support systems. This realisation has strengthened my commitment to integrating Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) strategies into agricultural and nutrition interventions to enhance adoption and sustain impact. In addition, working closely with diverse stakeholders improved my appreciation of the importance of trust-building, continuous communication, and feedback loops in ensuring research relevance and ownership. Engaging with communities throughout the process also helped identify practical constraints and opportunities often overlooked in purely academic settings.

The communities in Elgeyo Marakwet County have been highly receptive and supportive of the research project. Their willingness to participate in stakeholder meetings, conduct baseline surveys, and establish demonstration fields has created a strong foundation for collaborative research. Farmers have shown strong interest in climate-smart crops and have actively shared indigenous knowledge, farming experiences, and local adaptation strategies. This exchange has enriched the research process and ensured activities are aligned with local needs and priorities.

Participation from primary schools has also been encouraging, with teachers and administrators embracing demonstration gardens as platforms for nutrition education and practical agricultural learning. The stakeholder engagement process strengthened trust between the research team, county government departments, extension officers, community leaders, and farming households. This has enhanced community ownership of the project and increased confidence that outcomes will benefit local livelihoods and food systems.

The enthusiasm of women and youth has been particularly notable, particularly regarding improved production practices, value-addition technologies, and opportunities for better nutrition and income generation. The project also highlighted the vulnerability of farming communities to climate-related shocks. During the reporting period, a mudslide occurred at the Chesongoch site following heavy rainfall. The disaster affected households and destroyed some established demonstration fields, disrupting planned activities and leading to the loss of research plots. Despite this setback, the community remained committed and worked with the research team to identify alternative sites and re-establish demonstration fields. Their resilience and cooperation underscored the importance of climate-smart agriculture in strengthening preparedness and adaptation to extreme weather events.

Other challenges included initial expectations of immediate financial or material support among some community members, requiring continuous clarification of the project’s research objectives and long-term benefits. Competing household responsibilities limited attendance at some activities, while varying literacy levels necessitated participatory, locally appropriate communication approaches to ensure inclusivity.

During the first year of the project, engagement with Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and local belief systems was an important component of fieldwork in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Farmers hold extensive indigenous knowledge on climate variability, crop selection, seed preservation, soil fertility management, and traditional food preparation practices developed over generations.

This knowledge has provided valuable insights into existing resilience strategies and complemented scientific approaches to climate-smart agriculture. Through stakeholder meetings, baseline surveys, and interactions during the establishment of demonstration fields, farmers shared indigenous indicators for predicting seasonal weather patterns, determining planting periods, and selecting suitable crop varieties.

Traditional food processing and preservation practices for climate-smart crops also highlighted opportunities to improve nutrition and add value while maintaining cultural food preferences. Rather than treating this knowledge as separate, the project integrated relevant indigenous practices into Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) interventions and training activities.

However, some belief systems and long-standing practices also posed challenges to the adoption of improved technologies. Many farmers preferred traditional seed varieties for their familiarity, taste, and cultural significance, leading to an initial reluctance to adopt improved, climate-smart varieties. In some households, cultural norms and gender roles influenced decisions on crop selection, food preparation, and participation in training, affecting adoption rates. These experiences showed that behavioural change requires more than introducing technologies; it requires understanding the social and cultural context shaping farming decisions.

Annual report submitted by Dr Juliana Cheboi

(summarised for publication by Heidi Sonnekus for the FAR-LeaF Programme)