Akili Group Learning and Exposure Visit
On Friday, 9th June, the K4R team consisting of 16 people from different member organisations went to Akili Group for a learning exposure visit. The aim for the day was to learn about climate change and carbon credit, but all present can attest that there was so much more information gathered. We met the group founder Haron Wachira who shared the inspiring story that led to the formation of the Akili Group. Mr. Wachira is keen on the generational transfer of information and among the things he promotes in Akili Group is the preservation of knowledge as communities usually have the solutions to their problems.
Akili Group provides communities with high-quality vegetable, fruit and indigenous plants in return for their carbon credit. The proceeds from selling carbon credit are then shared amongst the communities through development initiatives, Akili group and their investors. The group also produces energy-efficient cookstoves using clay soil, diatomite and kaolin which are less harmful to the environment.
Key takeaways from the visit:
- The solution to local problems lies in our communities. Looking for these solutions inwardly builds resilience.
- Carbon credit earning is not a small-scale activity. Akili Group is currently running a project that intends to plant 1 million trees to contribute to their carbon credit project so the more farmers plant trees, the better.
- Carbon credit programs are long-term.
- Think about the value being added to communities even as projects and programs are rolled out.
K4R Community of Practice members were extremely impressed by everything happening at Akili Group and could not stop talking about how eager they were to share the information learned with their organisations. We are thankful to Akili Group for their time and knowledge sharing.