Sustainable Farming -case studies (video)

In this pair of films, designed for schools, Excellent Development provide case studies of their conservation driven development and community-led approach in semi-arid Kenya through the lenses of sustainable farming and sustainable development. These films and the series of mini-films which explore each individual element of the charity’s holistic approach to soil and water conservation offer a valuable insight into how communities can strengthen their long-term sustainability and make a positive grassroots contribution to fighting global climate change.

The sustainable farming case study demonstrates how farmers address problems of soil erosion and water availability using terracing, sand dams & trees as a first step towards sustainable farming. The terracing and trees massively reduce soil erosion and keep more moisture in the farms while the sand dams harvest rain water allowing farmers to dedicate more time to their farms, try out new farming methods like zero-grazing and inter-cropping, diversify the range of their crops and work towards achieving food security and generating incomes.

The sustainable Development case study explores why conservation of the environment has to be addressed first in order to make sustainable development possible in a semi-arid environment and looks at the impacts of soil and water conservation in terms of the improved availability of water and food, improvements in health, incomes and the positive contribution towards fighting climate change. The film also picks out the elements that make the development sustainable; the positive impact on the natural environment, Excellent Development’s bottom-up approach and the use of appropriate technology.