Multidisciplinary Partnership for Inclusive Agribusiness in Kilifi

In Kilifi County, agriculture has long been shaped by deeply rooted social norms that influence who makes decisions, who controls income, and whose labour is recognised. These dynamics have often limited women’s participation in agribusiness, despite women constituting a significant share of the agricultural workforce.

The Tushauriane, Tuimarishe Kilimo Biashara (Let’s Discuss, To Strengthen Agribusiness) project, implemented under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC), addresses this challenge through an integrated approach that combines agribusiness skills with a gender lens, Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), and digital learning tools.

Implemented in partnership with the Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication (CBCC) Africa, Pwani University, and Amplio Ghana, the project brings together multiple disciplines to test how inclusive learning and dialogue can strengthen productivity, resilience, and gender equality at individual, household, group and community levels.

Addressing structural and social barriers together

Rural women in Kilifi face persistent inequalities when accessing productive resources, markets, and services, alongside heavy unpaid care burdens and limited participation in decision-making spaces. These challenges are further reinforced by social norms and gaps in institutional capacity to deliver gender-responsive agribusiness training.

“Women often know what to do on the farm, but they cannot decide on income or investments. The Tushauriane project opens space for dialogue and joint planning,” says Hellen Collete, Project Coordinator at CBCC Africa.

The Tushauriane project treats these barriers as interconnected rather than isolated. Instead of focusing solely on technical production, the project integrates economic empowerment with social transformation, recognising that sustainable agribusiness growth depends as much on transforming power relations as it does on improving skills and productivity.

WE-FBS: Strengthening agribusiness skills at household level.

At the core of the initiative is the Women’s Empowerment – Farmer Business School (WE-FBS) approach. Delivered through Tushauriane Schools, an adapted Farmer Field School (FFS) model, the WE-FBS equips women and men with practical skills in gender, farming as a business, including enterprise selection, market analysis, record-keeping, and financial planning, while encouraging joint decision-making and planning at household level.

“We train farmers to look at their farms as businesses, not just sources of food,” explains Dr. Lenard Mounde, senior lecturer at Pwani University. “But equally important, we train them to manage labour and income together.”

The approach shifts learning away from top-down instruction toward participatory analysis and peer exchange. Farmers meet regularly to assess their own contributions, test practices, and reflect on how labour, income, and responsibilities are shared and decisions made. By positioning the household as a unit of change, the WE-FBS translates technical knowledge into improved cooperation, more efficient use of resources, and stronger market engagement.

“I used to decide alone what to plant and sell,” says Loice Kaingu, a participant in Magarini. “Now, my husband and I plan together. Our farm runs smoother, and we even save money.”

Social and Behaviour Change: Enabling reflection and dialogue.

Complementing the technical training is a Social and Behaviour Change component, designed to address social norms and power relations that shape participation, decision-making, and the distribution of labour and care responsibilities.

“We use dialogue to make people reflect, not to lecture them,” explains Buliba Wilberforce, a Tushauriane facilitator. “When farmers talk about gender and decision-making in their own words, change becomes real.”

The Social and Behaviour Change approach emphasises dialogue, positive role modelling, and collective problem-solving, creating safe spaces for women and men to question norms that limit productivity, inclusion, and household wellbeing.

Digital tools that extend learning beyond sessions

The Amplio Talking Books extend learning beyond formal sessions by delivering short, locally adapted audio messages on agribusiness and gender. Their portability allows households and farmer groups to listen repeatedly, reflect together, and continue discussions outside scheduled meetings. By relying on audio rather than text, the way of delivering content ensures that participants with low literacy levels can engage fully, sustaining dialogue and learning at both household and community levels.

“Even my children join the discussions when we listen to the Talking Book,” says participant Charo Katana from Kilifi North. “It has become a family learning tool.”

Rather than functioning as a standalone intervention, the devices complement facilitated learning and household-level reflection.

“Amplio Talking Books ensure no one is left behind, even those who cannot read or write,” says Andy Aluda from Amplio Ghana. “They are small devices with a big impact.”

Multidisciplinary partnership in practice

The project’s design draws on the complementary strengths of its partners, each contributing a critical dimension to its success. FAO provides technical oversight, policy alignment, and the WE-FBS framework; CBCC Africa leads the design and integration of a Social and Behavioural Change approach; Pwani University ensures the curriculum is locally adapted while strengthening facilitator training and extension capacity; and Amplio Ghana delivers the digital learning platform, enhancing both reach and inclusivity across communities.

Together, the partners support 80 Tushauriane Schools across Kilifi North, Kilifi South, Magarini, and Ganze sub counties, engaging thousands of smallholder farmers, most of them women.

Early outcomes and learning

Early outcomes from the pilot indicate positive shifts at both household and community levels. Women are participating more actively in farm planning and group decision-making, while Tushauriane participants demonstrate improved understanding of markets and enterprise viability. The initiative has also fostered greater household-level dialogue around roles, responsibilities, and income use, contributing to increased confidence among women to engage in agribusiness and leadership spaces.

 At the same time, the project has highlighted structural constraints, including water scarcity and market access, underscoring the need to link social transformation with broader system-level support.

“We see that empowerment is both social and economic. Training alone is not enough; dialogue and reflection are essential,” explains Collete.

Laying the foundation for scale

The Tushauriane project was designed as a learning-oriented pilot. Its value lies in demonstrating how agribusiness training, social norm change, and digital tools can work together to address complex gender-related and productivity challenges.

“We want the lessons from Kilifi to inform other counties and even global FAO programs,” says Huda Alsahi, FAO Social Policy Officer.

The experience from Kilifi is informing future programming under FAO and partner institutions, providing evidence on how inclusive, dialogue-based approaches can support more equitable and resilient agrifood systems. In Kilifi, the project’s name reflects its core insight; when farmers are given space to discuss, reflect, and plan together, meaningful change can take root, in farms, households and communities alike.

For more information on the WE-FBS Approach Contact

Huda Alsahi

Social Policy Officer

Email – [email protected]

Or 

Joseph Othieno

FAO Kenya Communication Specialist

Email – [email protected]