Public Notice

Nature-Positive Food Systems for Climate Change Adaptation in Kenya and in Ethiopia – Public Comments Invited

June 2nd, 2025 – Global Affairs Canada must determine whether the proposed Nature-Positive Food Systems for Climate Change Adaptation project, located in Kenya and in Ethiopia is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, Global Affairs Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by July 2nd, 2025 to:

Environment Specialists

Global Affairs Canada

200 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau (QC) J8X 4B7
Email: CommentsIAARegistry-CommentairesRegistreLEI@international.gc.ca

 

The Proposed Project

The project aims to improve low-carbon, climate-resilient economies in rural areas of Kenya and Ethiopia, for the enhanced well-being of communities, especially women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. More specifically, the "Nature Positive Food Systems (Nature+)" project aims to address environmental degradation, low agricultural productivity, and socio-economic vulnerabilities of local communities through nature-based solutions (NBS) combined with physical structures. The project promotes climate-resilient livelihoods, improved natural resource management, and social inclusion. The interventions focus on soil and water conservation (SWC), agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement in landscape governance. The regions in which the projects will be implemented have experienced significant land use changes over the years, leading to deforestation, soil erosion, and declining agricultural productivity.

The Canadian Food and Grain Bank is working in partnership with Migbare Senay Children and Family Support Organization (MSCFSO), FH Ethiopia and Lutheran World Federation (LWF), in three different regions of Ethiopia. More specifically, MSCFSO will implement projects near the boundary of Goncha Siso-Enesie and Enarj-Enawga woredas in the Amhara Region, FH Ethiopia will work in the Oromia National Regional State in the East Wollega zone of the Wayu Tuka Woreda and LWF will work in the Ginnir Woreda of the East Bala Zone of the Oromia region.

In Kenya, CFGB is working in collaboration with Fadhili Trust in Kenya's Mbui Nzau landscape of the Kikumbulyu South Ward and with National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and ADRA-Kenya in various regions of Kenya's Kitui County.

The proposed physical works take will be implemented in various regions of Kenya and Ethiopia and implemented by CFGB and its partners as outlined below:

Soil and stone bunds consist of an embankment of soil or stones, constructed along the contour and stabilized with vegetative measures, such as grass and fodder trees. Bunds reduce the velocity of runoff and soil erosion, retain water behind the bund and support water infiltration thus aiding in ground water recharging. MSCFSO will install a total of 100 km of stone bunds (~75,000 m²) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. FH will install a total of 365 km of soil bunds, each measuring a maximum of 0.5 x1.3x80 m in the Wayu Tuka region of Ethiopia.

Check dams are obstruction walls across the bottom of a gully or a small river to reduce the velocity of the runoff and prevent deepening or widening of the gully and can be made of any material available locally, such as stones, live or dead branches, wooden poles, gabions, etc. These are built to stabilize the soil, prevent erosion, retain slopes and control waterflow during high intensity rain events. FH will construct a total of 2430 m³ in the Wayu Tuka region of Ethiopia. MSCFSO will construct a total of 2000m³ of gabion check dams and a total o 3000 m³ of wood supported bamboo matt and sandbag check dams in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. NCCK will construct and desilt 9 earth dams in the Kitui County of Kenya.

Reinforced concrete dams will be constructed by ADRA and NCCK in various regions of the Kitui County of Kenya. These areas house seasonal streams or rivers flowing from the Yatta Plateau to the Athi River which is a permanent river in the region. The dimensions of each dam depend on the estimated river discharge. In each case, the water retaining structure will e a rectangular broad crested mass concrete weir, designed to maximize flow conditions at each site. dams will have a spill way height of between 10.4 m and 18 m, each dam will have a height of 1.5 m from the riverbed and the upstream extend of the dam will fall between 38.8m and 74.3 m and the length of the dams will range from 8m to 18 m based on location.

Trenches consisting of short ditches dug along contours of the slope to trap runoff water and allow it to slowly seep into the water table, limiting surface runoff and erosion. Trenches are approximately 2–3 m long and 0.3–0.5 m deep and are spaced about 1 m apart along the contour and staggered at 2 – 3 m so that overflow flows into the next trench below. MSCFSO will dig approximately 1000 trenches (1,000 m²) in key areas of the Amhara region of Ethiopia. FH will construct approximately 400 trenches in the Wayu tuka region of Ethiopia. MSCFSO will construct a total of 2000 trenches at various locations in the Amhara region of Ethiopia based on local technical recommendations.

Farm ponds will be built to enable rainfed farming systems where annual rainfall is more than 500 mm. The ponds will capture and store rainwater for irrigation during prolonged dry spells. Fadhili Trust will build 25 farm ponds with an average size of 10 x 10 x 1.5 m deep (150 m³) in Kenya's Mbui Nzau landscape. LWF will build community ponds and smaller household ponds in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Community ponds will have a top surface area of 70 x 50 m, bottom surface of 40 x 20m and a maximum depth of 3m.  Smaller household ponds will have a top surface area of 9 x 8 m, bottom surface of 4 x 3m and a maximum depth of 2.5m.

 

Gullies and woven wire dams will be built or rehabilitated to allow the unobstructed flow of water through the prevailing slope of the natural channel. These structures will minimize runoff and bank erosion, while allowing them to store water upstream for irrigation. Woven wire dams will be constructed at 1.2 m intervals and 60-90 cm deep.  Heavy gauge woven wire is placed against each structural post with the lower part set in a trench (15-20 cm deep) so that 25-30 cm projects above the ground surface along the spillway interval.  Rock, brush or sod may be placed up to a length of 1.2 m to form the apron. For sealing the structure, straw, fine brush or a similar material will be placed against the wire on the upstream side up to the height of spillway crest. MSCFSO will reshape and stabilize an area totalling 2000m² of gullies to produce a gentler slope (one-to-one) for water flow. NCCK will build 45 gabions to rehabilitate degraded gullies causing erosion, reducing arable land and cutting off feeder roads and community paths in the Kitui county of Kenya.

Storage tank will be constructed at each existing rock catchment to harvest water. Fadhili Trust will construct two 225 m³ tanks at the Kalungu rock catchment of the Mbui Nzau landscape in Kenya.

Boreholes: Four functional boreholes will be established in the Mbui Nzau Landscape of Kenya by Fadhili Trust. Two existing boreholes will be rehabilitated and two more will be established based on recommendations from a hydrogeological survey. Boreholes will be 8" in diameter with a 6" casing, slot size of 2mm and a gravel patch of 2-4 mm.  they will be equipped with an 8" surface casing that will be at least 5 m long. A 1 x 1 x 1 m slab will be constructing around the protruding 6" casing to limit surface water intrusion. Maximum depth will not surpass 200m below ground level as recommended by the Ground Water Resource Assessment Hydrogeological Survey. They will yield 20 m³/day and will not impact the aquifer.

Establishment of an Indigenous Botanical Garden: In collaboration with the Kitui County Government, CFGB and NCCK will establish a botanical garden showcasing indigenous plants for conservation and educational purposes. It will include a multi-purpose amphitheater in a circular shape, with open walls, a grass roof, auditorium-style seating, and a dais. The amphitheater will have a capacity of 80–100 people, with a radius of 12–15 meters.