Mission
To be a lead institution for the universal adoption of organic agriculture. KIOF is a pioneer and leader in organic agriculture, committed to seeing global adoption of organic agriculture through training in organic practices, processing of organic pesticides, manufacturing of biomedicine, and marketing of both fresh and dried organic produce and livestock.
Vision
To promote organic farming through training, producing, processing, and marketing of organic produce for a healthy lifestyle and economic empowerment. Farmers receive advice on how to grow different types of crops and also on how to ensure their fields remain fertile and productive all the time, using organic forms of farming.
The Year 2020 Club
Introduction
There was a song in the 1970s/80s about the "year 2525". The song made predictions about how the world would be like in the year 2525. Kenya has been similarly curious about what the year 2030 will be like. Around 15 years ago, a Government program was set up to formulate goals that could be achieved by the year 2030. Now, the year 2020 holds a unique fascination with its repeated numbers. It will be over 100 years before 2121 comes along. The Year 2020 Club Membership aims to celebrate this unique year and bring people together.
The Year 2020
The year 2020 is a special year with its repeated numbers. It is a rare occurrence that won't happen again for over a hundred years. The Year 2020 Club aims to celebrate this uniqueness and bring people together to commemorate various events and milestones.
The Year 2020 Club Membership
The Year 2020 Club Membership encourages people whose main celebrations fall on the 2nd or 20th of each month of 2020 to join. This includes those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other significant events on these dates. The club will have two main groups - The 02 Year 2020 Group and The 20 Year 2020 Group, based on the date of celebration.
What to Celebrate?
Members of The Year 2020 Club can celebrate various anniversaries, milestones, and significant life events that occurred on the 2nd or 20th of any month in previous years. The club aims to create a sense of community and celebrate together during the unique year of 2020.
Official Registration
The process of forming The Year 2020 Club will involve registering the club, drafting a constitution, officially launching the club, and recruiting members. The club will be officially registered and may have multiple branches in different cities or towns.
Financing
Financing for club activities will mainly come from individual contributions, but the club may also seek donations and funding from organizations interested in supporting its activities. Activities may include assisting the needy, promoting education, providing emergency relief, and more.
Club Activities
The activities of The Year 2020 Club may include assisting the destitute, vulnerable, and marginalized members of society, promoting education, environmental protection, and youth employment. The club aims to make a positive impact during the unique year of 2020.
Benefits of Organic Farming Training and Follow-up for Groups
- It is a less expensive learning method.
- It attracts markets – locally and for export.
- It is environmentally friendly.
- It is a suitable production method.
- It points to the future of the industry.
- It encourages organization. During training and subsequent follow-up, for instance, the group is encouraged to elect a chairman and a committee.
- The group is also encouraged to legally register with government authorities and to open a bank account.
- The group becomes properly structured and qualifies for possible assistance from other NGOs. Most of all, the entire group is encouraged to meet regularly and to have a group project involving all the members. Such a project may be a marketable product that the group grows, processes value addition and markets together. The meeting place is often the group’s demonstration garden within their communities, where they show and learn various organic farming techniques.
At KIOF, we maintain contact with various groups through regular magazines, for instance, What’s About, and through inviting the groups to attend Farmers day in November/December of every year. The institute is also promoting the marketing of organic produce and the certification process.
How to Apply for the Farmers Training Course
Farmers or persons interested in organic farming courses should form a group of at least 20 farmers within their community. They should look for convenient places within their village for a venue. They should then collect training fees and inform KIOF. During the week of the training, the group should organize their own meals and training materials.
