CIAT-AICCRA impact evaluation: Sustainable agriculture project

This report presents the impact evaluation of the CIAT AICCRA Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP), implemented by Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which employed a mixed-methods approach with 412 beneficiaries across seven communities. The findings demonstrate that SAP successfully promoted the widespread adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs), with an average of 7.16 practices per farmer notably organic manure (82%), crop rotation (73%), and soil testing (68%) leading to transformative outcomes including increased crop yields for 95.6% of participants, a significant shift toward commercial farming (82.3%), and improved household incomes (72% earning over KES 10,000 per season), thereby enhancing food security for 96.8% of households. While the program excelled in gender inclusivity and employed an effective integrated model of knowledge-sharing and practical support, key challenges to sustainability persist, such as water scarcity, high input costs, limited market access, and structural barriers to youth engagement, necessitating future focus on water infrastructure, affordable inputs, strengthened market linkages, and targeted youth strategies to ensure lasting impact.