Interview #1 with Johnson Kimani. Local coordinator for Sipik 1 and Sipik 2 projects (July 2024)

Hello Mr. Kimani:

-How did you meet Marcel Bony?

Answer -He, three of his friends and a guide visited me on January 19, 2024, I showed them around my farm and among other things showed them my three water tanks, one of the three, the largest with a capacity of 1 million liters.

-At what stage are you in the Sipik 1 project that you initiated with the association?

Answer -Thanks to the help of Marcel Bony, I purchased a solar pump, solar panels, a controller and the accessories that came with me.

 For my part, I built a pump holding chamber and a carrier mast for the panels, I also planted corn as a demonstration plot and the crop is about 6 inches tall.

- What do you expect from the project?

Answer: Agricultural extension in Kenya is demand driven. To ensure we got appropriate support, I identified a practicing researcher and an environmentalist.

-Are you well supported locally by agents of the Ministry of Agriculture?

Answer Yes, but with a lot of bureaucracy.

-What do you see as the key success factors of the Sipik 1 project?

Response -Include free and rapid flow of resources to support critical activities, clear and measurable objectives, appropriate experimental design that will produce a statistically viable contribution, expert support and engagement.