Farmers in Gem, Siaya County are celebrating what they term bumper harvests after applying skills acquired from agricultural experts.
The locals said they saved at least Sh7,000 on DAP and CAN fertilisers by using organic manure after they were trained on how to prepare carbon beds by Haki Nawiri Afrika organisation early in the year.
The farmers planted sorghum, maize, millet and cassava.
Some of them planted indigenous maize seeds stating that they were more advantageous than the hybrid seeds.
“I was taught by Haki Nawiri Afrika how to plant various food crops including sorghum. We learnt lots of things including how to prepare a carbon bed,” Anastacia Muga said.
Muga spoke to the Star at her farm in Gem West ward, Wagai East, Siaya County on Tuesday.
“I planted sorghum and this is the harvest I have gotten after practicing what I was taught by them. I have gotten more yields. We thank the organization for the training,” Muga said.
She said before they were trained on agroecology by the non – profit making organisation, they used to buy fertilisers and hybrid seeds from local agro vets within Gem Wagai subcounty ‘but at times, there were no good yields.’
“I have seen great improvement having used organic manure. I have more yields with zero effects of chemicals,” Muga said.
Agroecology is sustainable farming that works with nature. Ecology is the study of relationships between plants, animals, people, and their environment - and the balance between these relationships. Agroecology is the application of ecological concepts and principles in farming.
Another farmer, Janet Oiro, said she also produced maize and got more yields using organic manure, a deviation from her usual norm of using fertilisers and hybrid seeds.
Oiro is a resident of Ginga C village in the same sub-county.
“I was taught by Haki Nawiri Afrika how to plant maize using organic manure. I have seen the difference in yields compared to when I used fertilisers from agro vets,” Oiro said.
“The training helped me reduce expenses on farming and producing good yields. Fertilisers from agro–vets are expensive. I have been using at least Sh7,000 to purchase DAP and CAN for my half – acre parcel of land over the years, Sh3,500 each for a 50kg bag, this is on the lower side. But, this season, I used no coin on fertilisers since materials for making carbon beds are locally available,” Oiro said.
The two farmers said they had since then been voluntarily training other locals, especially women on agroecology and best farming practices.
“I have been training women in chamas to use organic manure, it isn’t expensive,” Oiro said.
Jane Obondo said she was able to save and pay her children's school fees in secondary school, courtesy of skills acquired from the organisation’s training.
“I have already sold a bag of maize and sorted my child’s school fees after the bumper harvest,” Obondo said.
Other than training communities on best agricultural practices, Haki Nawiri Afrika, is working with schools on climate change mitigation as well as addressing impacts of food insecurity. They have so far rolled out their programs in Machakos, Nairobi and Siaya counties.
“We are working with schools because they are spaces where children suffer from food insecurity. We, therefore, create awareness because schools have spaces that can be used to produce food,” Haki Nawiri Afrika organisation founder Leonida Odongo said.
The organisation has launched the programme in three schools within Siaya County; Nyapiedho secondary, Ulamba and Ober primary schools.
The organisation donated sanitary pads, pens, pencils, geometric mathematical sets and food during the visits. They trained learners on agroecology, how to prepare carbon beds, plant trees and vegetables.
The organisation is involved in four pillars; food justice, climate justice, gender justice and youth engagement.
“There are children who go to school without taking food. So, we are filling that gap. Article 43 (c) of the Constitution also talks about the Right to Food. We hope to work with all schools in Siaya County as the project expands,” Odongo said.
Other than Haki Nawiri Afrika, there is no other organisation implementing agro-ecology projects in Siaya.
Odongo said they are also re-greening schools through afforestation. They engage children in planting trees, both indigenous and food trees through ‘a child, adopt a tree model.'
The organisation has established demonstration farms in all the schools where it has a presence. Among the crops in the farms are vegetables which Odongo said encourage children to share knowledge and skills acquired with their parents and guardians at home with an intent of replicating the same to communities they hail from.
She said they had trained trainers of trainers to help educate communities on the same for sustainability.
“The aspect of food insecurity is negatively impacting everybody whether young, old, and poor or rich in the country, we all consume food. So, we come in as an organisation to address this. We have seen the negative impacts of climate change.
"Farmers can no longer predict when it’s going to rain, the seasons are changing and dry seasons are becoming longer. When it rains, it does either too much or too little that it isn’t beneficial and that’s why we are coming with different agroecological practices that can sustain communities in case of adverse effects of climate change,” Odongo explained.
“We aren’t only bringing the knowledge and practical skills, but also aspects of food producers; not only farmers but also indigenous people to this conversation."
Kariobangi Social Justice Centre representative Habib Omar said the training in agroecology was helping grow resilient communities in the country.
KSJC works with Haki Nawiri Afrika on the project.
“Climate change is real, it’s with us here. We have seen the impacts and effects of climate change on the livelihoods of families, and how it has affected their food production and day-to-day life," Omar said.
"As a country, we are faced with high cost of living and over taxation which at the end of the day, not many families are able to afford three meals in a day, some go without a meal.
“So, when we talk about Right to Food, we have to speak about food sovereignty. If we are able to sustain and make farmers self-reliable, then we will be able to achieve food sovereignty.
“Agroecology is the way to go and it’s time for us to focus on food sovereignty. There is a need to continue empowering rural farmers to be able to embrace modern ways of farming that are sustainable,” Omar said.