| dcterms.description | The Kenya Institute Of Organic Farming (KIOF) was established in 1986 With the aim Of encouraging sustainable methods of agriculture in Kenya, particularly among smallholder farmers. It is situated close to Nairobi in Lower Kabete, where it has its offices, a reference library and a small demonstration farm.
KIOF has been a member of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) since its inception. More recently it has been forming links with The Small Earth (De Klein Aarde) action group in the Netherlands and, as a result of this initiative, has been able to purchase a 15 acre (6.8ha) site 80km north Of Nairobi at Maragua where it will establish 'The Small Earth Training and Demonstration Centre'.
From small beginnings KIOF has grown within Kenya to develop 100 groups Of organic farmers and growers in Kenya, totalling 3,000 members and developing links with other sustainable farming institution within Kenya. There have also been exchange visits with Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
KIOF is a non-governmental orqanization funded by subscription and donations. Most of its work is through demonstrations and training courses explaining the rationale for, and practice of, organic farming techniques. Parlicular emphasis is placed on composting, non-chemical pest control, green manuring, water catchment and soil erosion control, agroforestry for fruit, mulch, fodder and fuel, rotational cropping, and marketing of organic produce. Simple notes and booklets have been prepared, some in collaboration with other organizations such as the The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Henry Doubleday Organisation, UK (See Spore 25). Titles such as A renewed approach to agriculture and the environment (leaflet), Farming for healh (booklet 16pp) and Field notes on organic farming methods (booklet 36pp) are available on request to the Director, who can also provide a full list of current publications, costs and details of how to make use of KlOF`s reference library.
KIOF
PO Box 34972
Nairob KENYA | en_US |
