KIOF Activities
Besides from the regular training-programmes, KIOF is involved in a wide range of activities related to the broad field of organic farming:
-
Quality Management Systems for Small Scale Marketing Groups
- Banana Nurseries
Juja Organic Market -
Organic Products from Kenya’s Smallholder Farmers
The Juja Organic Market was opened in February 2006. It specializes in healthy farm produce that has been grown organically, without the aid of chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, or growth regulators. The Juja Organic Market is meant to be a link between organic farmers and those consumers who wish to buy healthy food.
The Juja Organic Market is supplied by organic farmers who have been trained in farming by institutions around Kenya, such as the Kenya Institute of Organic Farming (KIOF). It exists as a non-profit making enterprise, meant only to bridge the gap between organic producers and consumers.
Although many farmers have been trained in organic production, Kenya has long been lacking a venue through which these farmers can sell their produce as organic. Instead, many of these farmers are forced to sell their organically grown vegetables alongside those which had been grown using chemicals and synthetic fertilizers. Now, farmers can be appreciated for the healthy food they grow and consumers have a market, which supplies only organic produce. Feed your body and the earth well by shopping at the Juja Organic Market!
Products Available in the Juja Organic Market Include:
- Fresh fruits
- Fresh vegetables
- Kienyeji Eggs
- Dry cereals and legumes
- Organic farming and gardening products
- Organic healthcare products
- Books and pamphlets on a variety of topics related to organic agriculture
The Organic Market is also distributor for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) or the "box scheme" in Nairobi. Receive your box of fresh, organic produce delivered to your home or a nearby distribution area on a weekly basis! More information can be downloaded here.
Juja Organic Market
located next to KIOF on Thika Road, Juja Town-- opposite JKUAT campus
Open 7 days a week!
Monday-Saturday 8 am- 6 pm
Sunday 8 am- 4 pm
Demonstration Gardens on Organic Farming
The KIOF Demonstration Gardens focus on promoting knowledge and the practice of organic farming by demonstrating techniques, crop and livestock production for the surrounding communities. The purpose of the demo farms is to increase food security using organic farming as sustainable means of natural resource management through the demo farms. There are KIOF Demonstration Gardens situated in
| Demo Garden | District | Contact |
| Mathioya | Muranga | KIOF |
| Maragua River | Muranga | KIOF |
| Small Earth Girls’ High School | Maragua | KIOF |
| Nyagithambo | Maragua | KIOF |
| Embu | Nakuru | KIOF |
| Gilgil | Nakuru | KIOF |
| Ol Kalou | Nyandarua | KIOF |
Services offered by the demo farms to the surrounding communities:
- Creating awareness facilitate formation of groups
- Maintaining the existing water harvesting techniques existing on the farms
- Demonstrating of organic farming techniques
- Organizing of farmer to farmer exchange visits
- Research activities
Small Earth Girls' High School
This is a newly established project of KIOF. It is meant to support the girl child to access education beyond the primary school. Besides formal secondary school curriculum, the girls are trained on organic farming methods. They are exposed to organic gardening as part of their extra curricula activities thereby growing some of their own food. This ensures that the girls feed on healthy naturally grown food.
The Form 1 intake was in January and February 2007. The pioneer Form 2 class is aready in session.
For more information please contact:
The Headmistress,
P. O. Box 107
MARAGUA, Kenya
email: kiof@iconnect.co.ke
Outreach and Consultancy Department
As organic becomes more popular among small scale farmers, many organizations dealing with food security issues on rural development started to approach KIOF to seek information on organic farming for their target groups. This resulted in the creation of the Outreach and Consultancy department which main mandate is to reach out to other organizations like NGOs, churches, CBO etc. to train their target groups in the use of organic farming methods. Over the years many farmers have been trained on organic farming as an alternative to food insecurity, especially in the marginalized areas.
Our main partners are World Vision Kenya, Plan International, Anglican Church of Kenya, Heifer International, Path Finder, Food for the Hungry International, Save the Child UK, and many more.
It is also in this department that tailor made courses are offered to organized groups, farmers or individuals on agreed course outline, venue and duration at a reasonable fee.
Please contact us for more details!