SOF-DI’s main activities are centered on four districts in the Western Province of Kenya, about 60km north of Kisumu at Lake Victoria, close to the equator: Kakamega South District, Vihiga District, Emuhaya District, Hamisi District.
The climate is tropical with fairly regular rainfall. Agriculture is the principal source of income, supporting 80 percent of the population. Animal husbandry is of minor importance.
The main crops are sugar cane, maize, millet, potatoes and bananas but the farms are not self-sufficient, due to over-population and the poor condition and small size of the plots, which are often interspersed with large rocks and have leached, infertile soils. The condition of the public transport network is dire; most roads are impassable during rainy season. Only 14 percent of roads are asphalted, and rutted with potholes.
While 41 percent of district centres have electricity most rural households depend on firewood and charcoal, resulting in severe deforestation. However, due to the sufficient and regular rainfalls the districts have enough surface and groundwater resources. Nevertheless, only 20 percent of the people have access to clean drinking water. The available springs are mostly unprotected, as the government tends to neglect the public water supply.
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