1. Dam Sustainable Development! Sophie Brown (Excellent Development) Kevin Cook (St Marys University College) A sand dam on a river near Kola, Machakos, Kenya

2. Where is Kola? Kola

3. What was Kola like 75 years ago? Akamba confined to poorer quality land Slopes terraced incorrectly Cultivation above carrying capacity Akamba not allowed to grow cash crops Limited water available Woodland being cut down Machakos is an appalling example of uncontrolled development by natives…rapidly drifting into state of hopeless and miserable poverty (Maher, 1937) Community groups banned Overgrazing common

4. What is Kola like today? Thousands of fruit trees planted Cash crops being grown Mwethya groups flourishing Water storage facilities provided Fanya juu terracing widespread Zero grazing common Carrying capacity raised but not exceeded New maize varieties grown There has been considerable progress, much of it generated by local effort, in a relatively supportive (national) policy environment. (Tiffen, Mortimore and Gichuki 1994)

5. The current food security situation March 2008 Kola Famine Early Warning System (2008) http://v4.fews.net/docs/Publications/Kenya_200708en.pdf

6. The role of Excellent Development To enable disadvantaged rural communities in semi-arid Africa to transform their environment sustainably and improve water supplies, food production, health and incomes. 2010 goals To build 300 sand dams To dig 1000 kms of terraces To plant 1 million trees

7. What is happening at Kola? Sand Dams Members of a local community group (mwethya) are constructing a sand dam

8. What is happening at Kola? Tree Nurseries A member of Excellent Developments local team is tending seedlings in a tree nursery

9. What is happening at Kola ? Terracing Local farmers are constructing hillside terraces using the fanya juu method

10. References Tiffin, M., Mortimore, M. and Gichuki, F. (1994). Population Growth and Environmental Recovery: Policy Lessons from Kenya. Gatekeeper Series No 45. IIED. [Online: http://www.iied.org/NR/agbioliv/gatekeepers/documents/GK45.pdfhttp://www.iied.org/NR/agbioliv/gatekeepers/documents/GK45.pdf accessed 20.3.2008accessed 20.3.2008] Famine Early Warning System (2008) [Online: http://v4.fews.net/docs/Publications/Kenya_200708en.pdf accessedhttp://v4.fews.net/docs/Publications/Kenya_200708en.pdf 20.3.2008] Excellent Development [Online: http://www.excellentdevelopment.com/say.phphttp://www.excellentdevelopment.com/say.php accessed 20.3.2008]