The Nature Positive Food Systems (Nature+) Project is a community-driven initiative supporting climate-resilient and low-carbon rural economies in Kikumbulyu North, Kibwezi West, Makueni County. The project promotes sustainable land restoration, climate-smart livelihoods, and inclusive governance to improve environmental health, household income, and community well-being.
Nature Plus focuses on empowering women, youth, farmers, schools, and persons with disabilities to actively participate in restoring their landscapes and strengthening their livelihoods.
Since its inception, the project has directly reached 5,361 participants (3,567 f, 1,031 m), among them 987 youth and 188 PLWDs. The project is also supporting 15 schools and 10 churches. Through knowledge sharing and community engagement, the project has indirectly impacted over 22,000 people across 3,943 households.
A strong community-led model supports the project’s success. 93 Lead Farmers, trained by the project, share practical knowledge and skills with other farmers, creating a sustainable peer to peer learning system. In addition, 60 Gender Champions work with farmers and communities to promote gender equality, mentorship, and protection of vulnerable groups.
☔ Our Approach
Nature Plus is built on three interconnected pillars that support environmental restoration, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive community leadership.
☘ Nature-Based Solutions
Nature-based solutions are practical actions that protect, restore, and sustainably manage natural resources while helping communities adapt to climate change, land degradation, and water scarcity. They include: -
☑ CA plus- Conservation Agriculture
Farmers adopt sustainable farming practices that improve productivity while protecting the environment. These include maintaining soil cover using mulch, practicing minimum soil disturbance, and intercropping &/or crop associations.
☑ Tree growing & Agroforestry
This involves integrating and planting appropriate tree species on farms to restore ecosystems, improve soil and water functions, and strengthen climate resilience. The project promotes planting of tree species which can do well in the landscape. Agroforestry improves soil fertility, enhances biodiversity, and provides additional income from tree products.
☑ Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration
FMNR is a low-cost land restoration approach that supports the natural regrowth of trees from existing roots and stumps. Farmers select and protect healthy shoots, allowing trees to grow and improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and increase water retention.
☑ Water and Soil Conservation
Communities implement practical techniques such as zai pits, terraces, earth dams, half-moons, and gabions to conserve water, prevent soil erosion, and improve land productivity. These practices strengthen resilience to drought and restore degraded farmland.
☑ Sustainable Livestock Management
Farmers are trained in improved livestock management practices that increase productivity while protecting natural resources. This includes improved grazing methods and rearing climate-resilient livestock such as Galla goats.
Farmers adopt sustainable farming practices that improve productivity while protecting the environment. These include maintaining soil cover using mulch, practicing minimum soil disturbance, and intercropping &/or crop associations.
☑ Tree growing & Agroforestry
This involves integrating and planting appropriate tree species on farms to restore ecosystems, improve soil and water functions, and strengthen climate resilience. The project promotes planting of tree species which can do well in the landscape. Agroforestry improves soil fertility, enhances biodiversity, and provides additional income from tree products.
☑ Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration
FMNR is a low-cost land restoration approach that supports the natural regrowth of trees from existing roots and stumps. Farmers select and protect healthy shoots, allowing trees to grow and improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and increase water retention.
☑ Water and Soil Conservation
Communities implement practical techniques such as zai pits, terraces, earth dams, half-moons, and gabions to conserve water, prevent soil erosion, and improve land productivity. These practices strengthen resilience to drought and restore degraded farmland.
☑ Sustainable Livestock Management
Farmers are trained in improved livestock management practices that increase productivity while protecting natural resources. This includes improved grazing methods and rearing climate-resilient livestock such as Galla goats.
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☘ Climate Resilient Livelihoods
Nature Plus supports sustainable and diversified livelihood opportunities that strengthen food security and household income. The interventions are as follows: -
☑ Drought Tolerant Crops
Farmers grow climate-resilient crops such as green grams, pigeon peas, sorghum and cowpeas, which provide reliable food and income even during dry conditions. Farmers are also supported through aggregation and market linkages to maximize on profits through increased bargaining power.
☑ Village Savings Loans Association (VSLA)
Community members participate in savings groups that enable them to save regularly and access small loans at relatively low interest rates for small businesses, education, healthcare, household needs and livelihood assets/activities. This strengthens financial independence and resilience especially for women.
☑ Beekeeping
Farmers, especially women, are trained in modern beekeeping and supported with beehives and market linkages. Beekeeping provides a reliable, climate-friendly source of income while promoting environmental conservation.
☑ Kitchen gardens
Households establish kitchen gardens to grow vegetables for consumption and sale. These gardens improve nutrition, reduce food costs, and strengthen household food security.
☑ Clean energy solution
The project promotes energy-efficient rocket stoves, which reduce firewood consumption, improve household health by reducing smoke exposure, and protect natural forests.
☑ Fodder preservation and selling
Farmers grow and preserve climate-resilient grasses such as Maasai love grass and African foxtail to ensure reliable livestock feed and generate additional income.
☑ Value addition and marketing.
Farmers are trained in value addition, product handling, packaging, and collective marketing. This improves product quality, reduces post-harvest losses, and increases income.
☑ Poultry Keeping.
Poultry keeping is promoted as a climate-resilient livelihood that provides quick income and improved household nutrition. Farmers are trained in proper housing, vaccination, feeding, and disease control to increase egg and meat production. This supports women and youth economically while improving food security at household level.
☑ Goat keeping.
Goat keeping is supported as a climate-smart livelihood suited to dry areas. Farmers receive training in improved breeding, feeding, and animal health management, including promotion of resilient breeds such as Galla goats. Goat keeping provides reliable income from milk and meat while strengthening household resilience to climate change.
Farmers grow climate-resilient crops such as green grams, pigeon peas, sorghum and cowpeas, which provide reliable food and income even during dry conditions. Farmers are also supported through aggregation and market linkages to maximize on profits through increased bargaining power.
☑ Village Savings Loans Association (VSLA)
Community members participate in savings groups that enable them to save regularly and access small loans at relatively low interest rates for small businesses, education, healthcare, household needs and livelihood assets/activities. This strengthens financial independence and resilience especially for women.
☑ Beekeeping
Farmers, especially women, are trained in modern beekeeping and supported with beehives and market linkages. Beekeeping provides a reliable, climate-friendly source of income while promoting environmental conservation.
☑ Kitchen gardens
Households establish kitchen gardens to grow vegetables for consumption and sale. These gardens improve nutrition, reduce food costs, and strengthen household food security.
☑ Clean energy solution
The project promotes energy-efficient rocket stoves, which reduce firewood consumption, improve household health by reducing smoke exposure, and protect natural forests.
☑ Fodder preservation and selling
Farmers grow and preserve climate-resilient grasses such as Maasai love grass and African foxtail to ensure reliable livestock feed and generate additional income.
☑ Value addition and marketing.
Farmers are trained in value addition, product handling, packaging, and collective marketing. This improves product quality, reduces post-harvest losses, and increases income.
☑ Poultry Keeping.
Poultry keeping is promoted as a climate-resilient livelihood that provides quick income and improved household nutrition. Farmers are trained in proper housing, vaccination, feeding, and disease control to increase egg and meat production. This supports women and youth economically while improving food security at household level.
☑ Goat keeping.
Goat keeping is supported as a climate-smart livelihood suited to dry areas. Farmers receive training in improved breeding, feeding, and animal health management, including promotion of resilient breeds such as Galla goats. Goat keeping provides reliable income from milk and meat while strengthening household resilience to climate change.
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☘ Gender and landscape governance
Nature Plus promotes inclusive participation, gender equality, and community leadership in natural resource management and development.
☑ Gender Equality and Womens Empowerement
The project strengthens women’s participation in household and community decision-making through training, dialogue, and leadership support. Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) tools help households plan together, improve relationships, and achieve shared goals.
☑ Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Protection
Community awareness, Gender Champions, and referral systems support prevention, reporting, and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The project also promotes Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH), ensuring safe and respectful engagement.
☑Disability Inclusion
The project promotes equal participation of persons with disabilities by addressing stigma, improving accessibility, and ensuring inclusive decision-making and livelihood opportunities.
☑Community Governance and Leadership
Nature Plus strengthens community governance structures such as landscape committees, savings groups, and development committees. These structures promote transparent decision-making, inclusive participation, and sustainable natural resource management.
☑ Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) for Community action planning
Communities use participatory tools to identify priorities, develop Community Action Plans, and lead their own development initiatives. This strengthens community ownership and sustainability.
☑Policy Engagement and Advocacy
Community members are trained in leadership, advocacy, and policy engagement, enabling them to participate effectively in governance and influence decisions affecting their livelihoods and environment.
The project strengthens women’s participation in household and community decision-making through training, dialogue, and leadership support. Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) tools help households plan together, improve relationships, and achieve shared goals.
☑ Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Protection
Community awareness, Gender Champions, and referral systems support prevention, reporting, and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The project also promotes Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH), ensuring safe and respectful engagement.
☑Disability Inclusion
The project promotes equal participation of persons with disabilities by addressing stigma, improving accessibility, and ensuring inclusive decision-making and livelihood opportunities.
☑Community Governance and Leadership
Nature Plus strengthens community governance structures such as landscape committees, savings groups, and development committees. These structures promote transparent decision-making, inclusive participation, and sustainable natural resource management.
☑ Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) for Community action planning
Communities use participatory tools to identify priorities, develop Community Action Plans, and lead their own development initiatives. This strengthens community ownership and sustainability.
☑Policy Engagement and Advocacy
Community members are trained in leadership, advocacy, and policy engagement, enabling them to participate effectively in governance and influence decisions affecting their livelihoods and environment.
RECENT PAST TELEVISED ACTIVITIES
Nature Plus Project, Farmers Field day in Nthongoni village, Ndetani Sub location, at Pst Ambrose Mukumbu Farm In Kibwezi west - Makueni County
Nature Plus Project, Tree Growing Campaing, In Kibwezi West, Makueni County
Nature Plus Project, Planting Materials Distribution Exercise, In Kibwezi West, Makueni County
IMAGE GALLERY 2025
Canadian Food Grains Bank (CFGB)
Our goal is a world without hunger.
We work toward this goal by: providing food in times of crisis for hungry people in the developing world; helping people grow more food to better feed themselves and their families; and providing nutritional support to malnourished people with a focus on pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and young children.
We also advocate for public policies that enable families and communities to better feed themselves, and look for ways to engage and educate Canadians about global hunger.
We work toward this goal by: providing food in times of crisis for hungry people in the developing world; helping people grow more food to better feed themselves and their families; and providing nutritional support to malnourished people with a focus on pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and young children.
We also advocate for public policies that enable families and communities to better feed themselves, and look for ways to engage and educate Canadians about global hunger.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
MCC is a global, nonprofit organization that strives to share God’s love and compassion for all through relief, development and peace.
As an Anabaptist organization, we strive to make peace a part of everything we do. When responding to disasters we work with local groups to distribute resources in ways that minimize conflict. In our development work we plan with community and church groups to make sure the projects meet their needs. And we advocate for policies that will lead to a more peaceful world.
As an Anabaptist organization, we strive to make peace a part of everything we do. When responding to disasters we work with local groups to distribute resources in ways that minimize conflict. In our development work we plan with community and church groups to make sure the projects meet their needs. And we advocate for policies that will lead to a more peaceful world.