By Bob Aston
Ng’arua Maarifa Centre located in
Ol-Moran ward of Laikipia County has been facilitating learning and skills
transfer among communities embracing a culture of knowledge sharing that has
enabled individuals to make informed decision on their livelihood.
Recognizing access to information as
a basic human right, Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) has been innovatively using
community-based ICT facilities to enable some of the most remote communities to
access the internet; library services and knowledge with the aim of improving
their livelihoods.
The Maarifa Centre which was started
by ALIN in collaboration with local communities and other stakeholders in the
year 2006 is currently hosted by Sipili Assistant County Commissioner (ACC).
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| Champion farmers from 6 Maarifa Centres |
The Centre is equipped with computers
with internet connectivity and contain information and knowledge products
focused on sustainable agriculture, climate change, sustainable land management
(SLM), markets and natural resources management (NRM).
The Maarifa Centre has been offering
free services that include; Library services, E-government services, multimedia
content, internet access, citizen journalism training, ICT training, advisory
services, publications like Joto Afrika, Baobab and Laikipia Mali Asili as well
as Sokopepe.
Since it was established, close to
28,000 community members have accessed various services at the Maarifa Centre.
The Centre has shared more than 200 best practices on agriculture and climate
change adaptation as well as increasing partnerships with government, local
community based organizations and Non-governmental organizations. Additionally
41 groups have been reached with technical farming information.
Between 2011 and 2013, a total of
1,200 youths, women, farmers and government officials were trained in basic ICT
skills to the level of certification equivalent to basic certifications
required for the employment industry. As a result many of them were able to
secure employment, job promotions while others have initiated business
enterprises.
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| Community members accessing information at the Maarifa |
The Maarifa Centre also partnered
with Kenya Seed Company Ltd, MEA Limited, Laikipia Produce and Marketing
Co-operative Society and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock
to establish five demonstration farms in Ol-Moran and Marmanet wards. A total
of 188 community members as well as CBOs and self-help groups have also been
trained on citizen journalism.
The Maarifa Centre has also hosted a
NRM and SLM knowledge sharing Mazingira Centre. The Maarifa Centre has been
instrumental in sharing knowledge with farmers through organizing open learning
days, exchange visits, video documentations and articles aimed at farmers and
pastoralists.
ALIN in partnership with Act
Change Transform (Act!), with financial support from Department for International Development
(DFID) and Swedish International Development
Cooperation (SIDA)
through the Maarifa Centre is also implementing a climate smart agriculture
project that aims to strengthen community resilience to impacts of climate
change and stewardship of natural resources in Laikipia Country.
The project has supported Matwiku
Horticulture Growers Self Help group to set up a drip irrigation system for
horticultural production. They have already been taught about plant protection,
harvesting, value addition and marketing.
With the recent government regulation
on enabling access of government services on digital platforms, the Maarifa
center has become vital in allowing close to 8,000 community members access
e-Government services that include downloading Personal Information Numbers;
pay slips, making online tax returns, online registration of exams, online job
application and County development plans.
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| Maarifa exhibition stand during the launch of Sokopepe |
With support of the Ford Foundation,
ALIN established an online market information portal known as Sokopepe at the
Maarifa Centre. Recently it has been spun off as a full-fledged social
enterprise registered in 2014 as Sokopepe Limited and offers two services
namely; Farm Records Management Information System (FARMIS) which is a farm
management and diagnostic tool based on the use of farm records aimed at
identifying productivity trends, profitability of different farm enterprises
and producing evidence for use in decision making at the farm, County and
National levels.
The other service is SOKO+ which is a
digital commodity trading and information system, linking small scale farmers
to end retailers/bulk purchasers of produce. SOKO+ is designed to address
transactions and extension needs along the entire value chain.
The uniqueness of Maarifa centers has
led to winning of various prestigious awards notable the 2011, Access to
Learning Award by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Maarifa Centre
through its blog Laikipia Rural Voices also won the Youth
in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloco Awards) in 2014.
Communities have been provided with a
chance to improve their farming techniques and technologies through full access
of information and assistance at the Maarifa Centre, something they were not
privileged to access before.
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