Vi Agroforestry is a non-profit organization operating in Sweden, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda that has been at the forefront of empowering smallholder farmers to combat climate change and poverty.

To support their mission of fostering sustainable agricultural practices, Vi Agroforestry launched the Farming Methodology Tutorial Films project.

The objective was clear: create accessible, engaging educational resources to disseminate Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM) and agroforestry techniques to farmers and their communities.

To do so, Vi Agroforestry engaged Beyond Borders Media to help bring this vision to life.

We were entrusted with the task of producing a series of instructional films aimed at educating and inspiring farmers all over West Africa.

Our primary role involved creating 15 high-quality educational videos, each focusing on a specific agroforestry or sustainable farming technique. These videos needed to communicate the principles and benefits of SALM practices in an engaging, accessible manner.

To maximize their impact, the videos were recorded in Swahili, the region’s most widely spoken language, with English subtitles added to broaden accessibility. In addition, they were also designed to be playful, efficient, and visually engaging.

Each video was kept concise, approximately three minutes long, to maintain the audience’s attention while effectively delivering key messages. We incorporated doodle-like animations to complement the educative footage, making complex techniques easier to understand.

Additionally, we created opening credits for the series, establishing a sense of continuity and anticipation, much like a TV show, where viewers could look forward to the next episode

Below are a few of the videos we created. All of them can be seen on Vi Agroforestry’s channel.

Our team traveled to Kitale, North Kenya, visiting over ten farms to meet local farmers and document their practices.

The warm welcome we received from the farmers reflected the strong sense of community and commitment to sustainable agriculture. 

While photography wasn’t part of the initial scope, our team’s passion led us to capture stunning analog photos of the farmers and the region’s landscapes, further enriching the project.

This project offered us a deep dive into the diverse agroforestry techniques practiced by smallholder farmers in North Kenya.

From developing energy-efficient stoves to putting into place techniques such as pitting, intercropping or even terracing in slopping lands, we witnessed the ingenuity and adaptability of these communities.

We also had the opportunity to capture techniques such as semi-circular bunds, which are particularly effective in more arid and dry areas to capture and retain water, showcasing how farmers adapt to their unique environments.

Beyond the technical aspects, the human connection was equally profound.

Each farmer shared not only their expertise but also their personal stories, filled with resilience, determination, and hope. It was inspiring to see how the principles of agroforestry and SALM were not merely techniques but a way of life that fostered harmony with nature and strengthened community ties.