Climate-smart agriculture takes root in Lambwe

As the Kenya grapples with the effects of climate change, a non-governmental organisation dubbed Send-a-Cow has joined the cause by training farmers in Western region on climate-smart agriculture and financial literacy.

The NGO which has worked in Kenya since 1996, has transformed the lives of thousands of poor families

Faced with unpredictable rainfall, recurrent droughts, insect, pests, among others affecting crops, farmers have been devastated but Send-a-cow Kenya took the initiative to support them especially in the Western region of the country to try and mitigate the situation.

Working in partnership with local experts and sub-national governments, it has influenced suistainable agricultural development in the region and enabled farmers to become food and income secure.

Speaking with the NGO’s Country Director Titus Agala in Sulwe village, God Jope sub location within Lambwe West location, Suba North Sub County, he says that they have been working with farmers especially those living in dry areas to find ways that support crop-growing despite the climatic conditions.

“Our aim is to ensure that farmers in the region are able to feed their families and also make a living from their produce despite the areas where they come from,” says Agala.

He said they were conducting integration of farming activities that are assisted by donkeys which are the dominant domestic animals in Lambwe owing to their resilience in the midst of dry conditions.

Agala said the NGO had benefited close to 20,000 farmers in the western region beginning from 2013 with those from Homa Bay County totaling nearly two thousand.

Peter Diang’a is among the farmers from Lambwe who have benefited from ‘Send a Cow’ programme.

Diang’a narrates that since he ventured into climate-smart agriculture almost one year ago, the difference in his farm outlook has been paramount and the yields and quality of his crops have also increased.

In his 1.5 acre land, Diang’a, through farm planning and layout, has managed to grow over five African vegetables, bananas, maize, beans, cassavas, pawpaw, onions, tomatoes as well as sorghum.

“I partitioned my farm in a way that allows me to maximise on the limited space and still benefit from the little different crops I grow,” states Diang’a.

The farmer uses various farming techniques whose roots are embedded in the assessment of soil fertility, integrated pest management, soil water and environmental conservation as well as the use of natural resources.

Vegetables such as kales and spinach and African vegetables can be grown through the use of techniques like sunken double-dug beds, square beds, zai pits, cone gardens, square-base sack mounts as well as the keyhole technique.

Most of these techniques rely on mulching and planting of seeds on beds lower than ground levels to help in the retention of moisture as well as the use of compost manure from the homestead.

“Utilising natural resources available within my homestead is cheap and reliable. I use cow dung as well as manure compost from my kitchen wastes and this has helped me save from purchasing manure,” he adds.

The techniques used by Diang’a in his farm use small amounts of water which is favourable for the region that has unreliable rainfall. This has assisted in addressing one of the major challenges facing agriculture in the area, which is lack of water.

He explains that every two days he has to travel two kilometres to Lambwe River to collect water using donkeys to fill up 1000-litre tank he uses to water his crops.

“The process is strenuous and requires great dedication to sustain but the benefits are even greater, when I compare the state of my farm today and to what it looked like more than a year ago, the difference is huge and I have started reaping the benefits by selling some of my vegetables,” says the farmer.

Diang’a says that the NGO had helped farmers all over the Western region to form support groups where they can act as each other’s source of labour as well as provide the groups with peer trainers who are skilled in climate-smart agriculture.

“Groups formed by the farmers provide a workforce utilized by all the members as we assist each other in farm activities and share knowledge gained from our trainers,” he adds.

He expresses hope of defying the climatic conditions in Lambwe and enlarging his farm for commercial purposes.