Kajiado residents embracing farming

Kajiado,

Thursday April 20, 2023

K.N.A. - By Rop Janet

Pastoralists have been challenged to embrace alternative sources of livelihood so as to cushion themselves from heavy losses incurred during periods of prolonged drought.

According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), the drought ravaging most parts of the country following five consecutive failed rain seasons has devastated livelihoods.

In Kajiado County, over 1 million livestock have succumbed to the drought with 500,000 families in dire need of food aid.

Moses Kosira, a resident of Il bissil in Kajiado Central decided to venture into agriculture after losing over 50 heads of cattle to the drought last year.

Kosira said he started preparing his farm for planting in February this year and when the rains started in March, he planted beans, spinach, kales and maize which are currently doing very well as the rains have been consistent.

The 65-year-old man who has practiced pastoralism all his life revealed that the devastating loss of livestock to the drought jolted him to embrace farming to be able to fend for his family.

“I decided to embrace farming after losing all my livestock to the drought. It is high time all pastoralists embraced agriculture as an alternative means of livelihood as our land is very productive,” he said.

Kosira revealed that the soil in Kajiado County is very fertile thus suitable for farming but the major challenge faced is lack of water as the area is semi-arid.

He challenged locals to invest in water harvesting at their homes adding that he has constructed a small dam which collects rain water for watering his crops during the dry season.

Kosira further called on the national and county governments to sink boreholes in the area so as to encourage pastoralists to embrace irrigation farming.

Kosira’ s wife, Ann Kosira said she no longer goes to the market to buy vegetables to feed her family as she picks them directly from her farm.

She revealed that she is able to feed her family with fresh vegetables and even sells some to her neighbors thereby making some money which she saves for school fees.

“The farm produces a lot of green vegetables. I no longer have to source for them in the market. I am even selling them to my neighbors and I am able to save the proceeds,” she said.

Ann urged women to put up kitchen gardens in their homes during this rainy season so as to feed their families with fresh food and to save money.  

She added that agriculture was the way to go in ensuring food security as diminished land sizes and erratic weather patterns have made pastoralism untenable.

COURTESY: K.N.A.

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