FiveKennys: Update: CBM Food Security Project (NEP, Kenya)

Garissa District, North Eastern Province

"Give us this day our daily bread"

The words of the Lord's Prayer take on new meaning when one lives through drought and famine. Over the past four years, the Canadian Baptist Ministries' team, serving in Kenya's North Eastern Province, has been focused on helping vulnerable communities become food secure through conservation agriculture approaches along the Tana River. It is an answer to prayer to see these beneficiaries growing their own food.

Our friend and colleague William Wako has been working in these communities and in cooperation with Red Cross and the Farming God's Way group in Kenya. In his most recent report, he shares about the wonderful transformation that is taking place in the lives of twenty farmers who embraced conservation farming this past year.

We are so thankful for the support of individuals and Canadian Baptist Churches that make these ministries possible.

Village in anticipation of of bumper harvest

Report from William Wako, CBM NEP Food Security Project Officer

For the families in the Northern region of Kenya, food security has never been a reality because of the unreliable rainfall, poor soil and prolonged drought. Garissa is one of the main towns in North Eastern Province and it is within Garissa County that we have been engaging with local communities of Somali and Waliwana to practices conservational agriculture along River Tana.

In our attempt to improve food security, last year we undertook various training among our local target communities living mainly along River Tana. Among the many activities we undertook with over 20 farmers of Bakuyu, Dollowyne and Bula Pamoja was Conservational Agriculture training, certified seed distribution, and distribution of irrigation pumps and pipes to our model farmers. All the trainings and farming implements were geared towards equipping and motivating local famers to embrace farming practices to produce their own food and promote long term care for soil.

Beyond the intensive training workshops, we embarked upon a routine of regular farm visitation and mentorship. One year later, we are so encouraged particular by the progress and effort of Waliwana farmers in Bula Pamoja community.

Bula Pamoja village is situated on the eastern part of Garissa town about 23 KM along Garissa – Korakora road. The village is resident of both Somali and Waliwana communities, who now co-exist peacefully, this wasn't always the case. The Somali’s are pastoralist, they keep goats, cows and camel, and these animals are their source of livelihoods. Whereas, the Waliwana depend on causal labor and burning of charcoal as source of income, besides doing rain fed agriculture along the bark of the river.

Following our different agricultural trainings, weekly mentorship and distribution of supportive farming implements the Waliwana farmers from Bula Pamoja did extremely well -- beyond others target farmers. Their effort and zeal could be seen in the huge maize plantation along the bank of the river. We are so encouraged to see excited farmers inviting us to walk through their maize plantations and appreciate their hard work. It is joyous to see farmers practicing the skills and technologies taught in the trainings we offered.

Several of the farmers not only planted maize but they intercropped maize with various legumes crops that cover the soil and also add nutrients to the soil. Walking through two month old maize plantation is not easy but even cover crops planted with it made it more difficult. However, we are confident that irrigational farming has improved food production in Bula Pamoja.

Talking to one of the farmer about the harvest his expecting towards the end of this month he said in his own words:

“Alhamdulillah! (Thankfully) we do not have hunger now, we have plenty of food’’

Although we did not achieve much, the words of this farmer gave us satisfaction and assurance that we have not invest in vain. On the other hand, seeing the effort and zeal they put in with our small support, left us wondering what they can do with big bumps and over head pipes and working as farm groups.

In conclusion, successful agriculture is dependent on water and, while you can't control the weather, you can make it rain whenever necessary through irrigation. Thus, irrigation agriculture has proven to be viable with Bula Pamoja community and farmers are expecting more bumper harvest to come!