The Mountain Journal
Owing to the perennial hardship in the lower Machakos County, farmers have been impacted by agroecology knowledge to match that of their Murang’a counterparts.
Youth Action for Rural Development (YARD) launched organic farming training in Ndithi-ini location of Machakos County, after it emerged that many of the residents were crossing over to Ithanga location in Murang’a for knowledge acquisition.
Located in semi-arid areas and receiving little rain, Ndithi ini are classified as drought- and hunger-stricken; thus, the YARD leadership planned the training to assist the locals in embarking on meaningful farming.
Mburu Kimani, a YARD official, says the agroecological practices project will touch more than 1,000 households with an estimated 5,000 people, through programmes that include organic farming, financial literacy, among others.
“ The project will be realized through mobilising community groups, training on water harvesting by building water tanks, beekeeping, and empowering them to grow organic foods,” said Mburu.
He said organic crops are free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, which will help to boost the community’s health through consuming healthy produce to protect them from diseases, as well as market their produce.
A resident, Joseph Mutuku embraced the organic farming concept, saying that the majority of the youth from the locality had shown interest in the agricultural projects.
“ The new farming concept was promising based on it being drought-resistant, as the locals have been growing food crops like cassava,” said Mutuku.
Other farmers Kasoni Mianyani, Mary Njoki and Joseph Wambua from Ithanga recount how the agroecology had changed their living standard since the concept was introduced.
“In Ithanga we live in modern ways after 75 percent of the farmers embraced organic farming, as we also live in the locality that gets little rain like Ndithi ini in the neighbouring Machakos County,” said Wambua.
