The challenge of HIV/AIDS: Where does agroforestry fit in? - World ...

132World Agroforestry into the FutureThe CSARD course is a 16-month programmeand the college has the capacityto take 80 students each year. Participantscome from Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania andUganda. The curriculum has been developedover the years to meet the needs ofparticipants and their communities. Thecourse aims to empower communities fromwithin, by encouraging them to nominateintelligent women and men who havedemonstrated a commitment to communitydevelopment. A scholarship scheme, sponsoredby GORTA, allows students fromsome of the poorest regions to participate.Starting in 2006 Baraka College will offera diploma course in sustainable agricultureand rural development (DSARD). This willbe a full-time residential eighteen-monthprogramme offered at Baraka. The courseis aimed at certificate in agriculture/ruraldevelopment graduates who a have a minimumof two years experience working withrural communities.Participants know that there will be very fewopportunities for employment with NGOs,government or church organizations. However,Bakara realizes that graduates of thiscourse will have problems satisfying theiraspirations for a better quality of life inrural communities. Consequently, we havea support structure for past students, theBaraka Agricultural College Old StudentsAssociation (BACOSA), which gives practicalsupport and includes a saving and creditscheme. In addition, the College has designedspecial short courses in ‘starting yourown business’ and ‘participatory projectplanning’ for past students of the CSARDcourse. We believe this is a cost-effectiveand efficient way of improving the developmentcapacity of rural communities.On average, 500 farmers and developmentworkers complete one-week coursesat Baraka every year. The content of thesecourses ranges from organic farming to e-business. The emphasis in all short coursesis on the participant acquiring practicalskills that she/he can apply on their farm orin their community or small-scale business.The beekeeping development unit providestraining and extension services in all aspectsof beekeeping, an enterprise that has goodpotential to create sustainable livelihoods,especially in arid and semi-arid areas.The area-based development programmeis concentrated in the Kamara and Laredivisions of Nakuru district. This programmeapplies the principles and methodsof SARD used in all other Bakara programmes.It also demonstrates that theconcept works and provides a practicaltraining ground for course participants.Day-release courses are aimed at teachers,school and college students and membersof the general public. The objective is topromote the SARD concept among thegeneral public.Sustainability of BarakaCollegeIncome generating units (IGUs) are animportant part of our strategy to develop asustainable college. Baraka has four suchunits: the farm, workshop, highlands honeyand shop. Until 2002, these units were rundirectly under college management andwere an overall financial liability to thecollege. In 2002, they were separated fromdirect college management and set up asan independent department. Efficiency hasimproved and the units are now contributingapproximately 5 percent of the collegebudget. The aim is to increase this to 20percent by 2007. It is clear that managementof IGUs demands a very differentmanagement style from that required forsocial service provision!However, no matter how successful localfinance generation is, it is evident thatfinance from external sources will have tobe provided if institutions such as Barakaare to fulfil their missions. In developingcountries, in the absence of direct Statefinancial support, this funding will haveto come from external sources; hencethe need for loyal long-term externalpartners.ConclusionThere are several lessons learned fromBaraka’s experience that have broaderapplication in the challenging work ofbringing smallholders and pastoralists intothe heart of the development process. Froma global perspective, theorists and policymakers must respond to realities – and doso quickly. The symptoms are all there –international terrorism, ecological disasters,uncertainty over energy supplies, disease,urban violence, unhappiness in the developedworld, especially among youth – andthe paradigm that is responsible for thesesymptoms needs to be challenged andalternatives proposed.In Baraka’s view, SARD is a conceptthat has the potential to achieve thesustainable development of the Africancontinent. Sustainable agriculture, properlyunderstood and applied by Statepolicy, will promote economically efficient,environmentally friendly farming.Rural development requires strongnational and international policies andsupport and, in rural communities, workis needed to create the preconditions fortake-off. However, with current developmentsin information and communicationtechnology, there is no reason why