The Forum for Organic Resource Management and Agricultural Technologies welcomes you to its second event.  The purpose of this event is to provide a balanced platform for the exchange of ideas and products that will allow Kenyans to make more efficient and environmentally-friendly use of our natural resources. Balancing an event such as this is no easy task.  The 150 participants in REFORMAT are drawn from the research, development and private enterprise communities.  Farmers and local community-based organizations are provided opportunities to interact with scientists representing Kenya’s leading research institutes.   Representatives from government, parastatal and non-governmental organizations will describe their activities and perspectives to one another.  Participants from both urban and rural areas will exchange ideas on how to best manage organic wastes.

We have provided opportunity for every REFORMAT participant to take an active role in one or more activities of the event, either as a speaker, exhibitor or contestant.  During the three days of REFORMAT, there will be 63 presentations, 76 exhibits and six contests with over 42 contestants!  A distinguished panel of judges will present prizes and cash awards to exhibitors for their innovation and community service through organic resource management.  The three-day schedule of events is designed to inform and entertain REFORMAT participants, but moreover, it is hoped that interactions between participants will lead to new and better quality collaboration during the following months and years.

FORMAT’s overall goal of bringing diverse members of the farming, research, development and entrepreneurial communities together for meaningful dialog and exchange of information and products has already been described.  Furthermore, inspection of the session topics in the following Schedule of Events indicates that we have responded to a diverse range of issues expressed by participants at last year’s FORMAT 2000.  These issues include: the production and use of natural pesticides, the importance and potential of traditional African vegetables and the role of organic farming in smallholder communities.  The organizers also seek to raise awareness among participants in two important areas.  First, processing organic resources is a legitimate, value-added activity with great potential for poverty alleviation and should not be dismissed as merely the last resort of the poor.  Second, local efforts of organic resource management often have direct impact upon global social concerns, particularly climate change, carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection, that are often unknown to those who work at the grassroots level.  Some participants were invited to prepare special presentations and exhibits that cover these areas.  Finally, REFORMAT is intended to reward those who strive to increase the value and efficiency of organic resource processing, often with little recognition and in relative isolation from one another.  REFORMAT is one way of letting you know that your efforts are known and appreciated!

Back to top 

Prizes awarded at FORMAT 2000 stimulated participation in the event and lent a sense of friendly competition between exhibitors, however, some concern was voiced by participants over the procedures employed in the selection those prizes.  While the organizers did announce that cash prizes would be awarded to outstanding exhibits, insufficient information was given on the prize categories and criteria employed for judging them.  Furthermore, some prize-winning exhibitors also delivered oral presentations and other exhibitors felt this opportunity unfairly served to popularise certain exhibits.  The organizers were, to some extent, swept along by events, failing to appoint judges in advance and to prepare written descriptions if the competitions.  Contests rules and judging will be more transparent at the next event, with emphasis placed upon more, smaller prizes in better-defined categories. We propose the following contests and awards, which requires a total of US $2098 but greatly contributes to the spirit of the event:

Innovation in Organic Resource Management.  Exhibits will be judged by three distinguished members of Kenya’s research community who will be identified at the onset of the event.  Exhibits will be evaluated in terms of their creativity and potential impacts of organic resource management with additional consideration given for the ability to communicate difficult technical concepts to the general public.  Judging will take place during the periods allocated to exhibition while the exhibitor is present and prizes awarded during the final, public exhibition. All exhibitors, including those from the private sector, are eligible for the award except those who are also selected to deliver formal, oral presentations elsewhere in the programme.  Prizes are as follows: First Place KSh 12000; Second Place KSh 8000; Third Place KSh 4000; Honorable Mention KSh 2000.  Decision of the judges is final and FORMAT reserves the right to use photographs and information from winning exhibits in future publications and activities. 

Community Service through Organic Resource Management. Exhibits will be judged by three distinguished members of Kenya’s development community who will be identified at the onset of the event.  Exhibits will be evaluated in terms of their past or ongoing contribution to human welfare through the management of organic resources with additional consideration given for opportunities provided to the poor and disadvantaged.  Judging will take place during the periods allocated to exhibition while the exhibitor is present and prizes awarded during the final, public exhibition. All exhibitors, including those from the private sector, are eligible for the award except those who also selected to deliver formal, oral presentations elsewhere in the programme.  Prizes are as follows: First Place KSh 12000; Second Place KSh 8000; Third Place KSh 4000; Honorable Mention KSh 2000.  Decision of the judges is final and FORMAT reserves the right to use photographs and information from winning exhibits in future publications and activities.

Composting Craft Contest: Composts may be entered in two categories: composted manures and vegetable composts and will be judged on the basis of texture (low mineral content), appearance (dark and uniform) and smell (aromatic and mature).  Entrants must provide a 5 kg compost sample accompanied by a list of ingredients, brief description of composting procedures and the age of compost during registration.  Each entrant will be provided 1 minute to describe their composting skills.  Judges may rely upon rapid chemical analyses as tiebreakers.  Prizes in both categories are as follows: First Place KSh 6000; Second Place KSh 4000; Third Place KSh 2000; Honorable Mention KSh 1000.  Decision of the judges is final and entered composts become the property of FORMAT organizers.  No more than 15 composts within each category may be entered on a first-come basis with only one entry allowed per participant.

Indigenous Vegetable Cookoff.   During the forum, a cooking contest will be held.  Entries must primarily consist of indigenous leafy green vegetables that are boiled or steamed and must be prepared start-to-finish in 1 hour and 15 minutes within a single pot.  Each contestant will be provided similar cooking facilities but must supply their own pot, utensils and ingredients.  Each entry must be accompanied by a list of ingredients and recipe and will be judged shortly after preparation.  Entries are permitted the use of non-indigenous herbs and spices, but excess dependence upon non-indigenous ingredients will be penalized during judging.  The following ingredients are strictly forbidden; meat, fish, cheese, canned products, noodles, arrowroot and cassava. Entrants may be called upon by to taste their own entries before judging. Prizes are as follows: First Place KSh 6000; Second Place KSh 4000; Third Place KSh 2000; Honorable Mention KSh 1000.  Decision of the judges is final. No more than 15 recipes will be judged with only one entry allowed per participant. Professional cooks are excluded from this competition.

Pumpkin King (or Queen).  Each entrant will be allowed 30 seconds to display and describe a pumpkin that they have themselves grown.  The pumpkins may be of any size, shape or colour and may include squashes and melons.  The contest is organized by the forum but judged through public acclaim of the audience. Pumpkins may not be carved, or decorated but display may include the pumpkin interior.  Prizes are as follows: First Place KSh 4000 and crown; Second Place KSh 3000; Third Place KSh 1750. No more than 15 entries will be judged with only one pumpkin allowed per participant. Pumpkins will be auctioned immediately following the contest with the proceeds evenly divided between individual entrants and forum organizers. 

The Lamech Nyangena Trophy.  A prize will be awarded for the best work of art displayed by an individual exhibitor.  The work must be prepared by hand and be non-photographic in nature.  The judges responsible for evaluating the exhibits will also identify the five contestants who will be judged and awards presented during the final public exhibition. Prizes are as follows: First Place KSh 5000 and trophy.  Immediately following the awards, the art will be offered at public auction, on a voluntary basis, with the proceeds evenly divided between individual artists and forum organizers.  (As a farmer participating in FORMAT 2000, Lamech Nyangena produced excellent poster artwork and coined the phrase “Surely Nothing Is Useless”).