Announcing our new partner: The Leopold Bachmann Foundation

Published on: May 6, 2020

LB Foundation: The Leopold Bachmann Foundation – based in Switzerland – focuses on the support of the rural communities, specifically, youth and women by fostering economic structures and opportunities. Together, with reNature it has now committed itself to utilize regenerative agroforestry for livelihood improvements and the fight against climate change in rural Kenya.

Manuella Balett – managing director of the LB Foundation – on a visit of another project of the foundation (Source: Africraft)

Providing opportunities for self-empowerment

Founded by the Austrian Leopold Bachmann, the Swiss-based Foundation focuses on providing opportunities for people born into or ended up in less privileged situations. Bachmann was an entrepreneur himself responsible for the establishment of 5000 apartments providing cheap housing. He dedicated a share of his real estate revenues to the foundation which are now used for its funding activities.

Following Bachmann’s beliefs, the foundation’s mission centers around creating opportunities for self-development. That is providing perspectives where external influences have restrained the possibilities for social as well as economic development.

In practice, the foundation primarily supports initiatives and commitments for the education of young people or for the sustainable improvement of rural conditions. It focuses on enhancing small-scale farming structures in regards to water security and organic farming as well as strengthening small, local businesses with strong involvement of women.

Driving nature-inclusive development in Kenya

Now, the LB Foundation and reNature have partnered up to initiate our first agroforestry project in Kenya: The Laikipia Project. The foundation’s support will enable us to utilize Regenerative Agroforestry as a means to fight ongoing degradation and desertification – a major threat to the rural population’s livelihoods.

The Laikipia Permaculture Center is the central hub of the project (Source: Laikipia Permaculture Center).

In a country where almost 60% of the population makes a living from agricultural activities enabling stable yields and protecting farmland from degradation is vital. The Kenyan example showcases like few others how functioning natural ecosystems are linked to the well-being of people and the flourishing of economic activities.

By introducing Regenerative Agroforestry on the farmland of 500 farmers, reNature and the LB Foundation will provide a promising showcase for how the advance of desertification can be halted and farmer livelihoods can be maintained. Over the course of three years, farmers will be capacitated with the knowledge to implement and manage resilient, productive farming systems.

Linked to the processing facilities at the local permaculture center, the farmers will be provided with a long-lasting business opportunity which goes in line with the LB Foundation’s mission.