By Panagri Media Correspondent, January 23,2022, Farmers from Bukhayo west, Matayos sub county in Busia County have been challenged to embrace water harvesting skills in a bid to help them practice climate smart agriculture.
The farmers who received water harvesting machines from a Non- governmental organization were sensitized on the need of adapting to climate change and shifting gears to the practice of smart climate agriculture to ensure adequate food production and help achieve food security.
The organization says the move of offering the farmers with water catchment machines was inspired by the need to cushion them from changes in climatic conditions that has caused unpredictable farming patterns.
The organization by the name Baridi kwa baridi, women community-based organization reiterated that it aims at empowering women to be independent in the society.
So far, 86 tanks have been given out to women in efforts to increase food production in the county that is already struggling from a high poverty index that enables women to harvest rain water which they use for irrigation in their kitchen gardens, considering they are also given tissue culture bananas to boost their food security.
The executive director of the organization Maureen Ayodi said that the programme has really empowered women with plans of offering them capital to boost their businesses in progress.
The move was received positively by beneficiaries of the donation who termed the initiative as key in accounting for over 60 percent of the country’s trade providing 80 percent of employment and means of livelihoods in the rural areas.
The World Bank statistics had indicated that investments in Agriculture have twice as much power in rural poverty reduction which is one of agricultural key focus areas, as compared to any other sector.
Meanwhile, farmers from Malaeni in Igembe north sub-county in Meru county now want the government to offer a permanent solution regarding human wildlife conflict which has rocked the area since time immemorial.
This comes after furious farmers in the region staged complaints after a herd of elephants invaded their farms destroying their food crops.
According to the residents, hopes of having a good harvest were high following a season that was rocked by insufficient rain, drought and the climate change.
Igembe North Mp Julius Taitumu speaking while touring affected farms said, it was very unfortunate that Kenya Wildlife Service; KWS in Meru National park have failed in managing wild animals resulting to destruction of food crops in the farms.
