By Arnold Ageta, DevReporter, Nyamira County
It is early in the morning in the village of Engoto in Nyamira County. Many farmers are busy tilling their farms. Jane Nyairo is humming her favourite song as she weeds her vegetable farm.
Jane was a zealous maize farmer for many years before shifting to indigenous vegetable farming. She grows black night shade, spider flower and kales, vegetables locally known as rinagu, chinsanga and sukumawiki respectively.
Causes Of The Shift
Jane has been growing indigenous vegetables for the last eight years and does not regret the decision to grow them.
‘‘I have grown these types of vegetables for eight years and I can now confidently say that it is paying off,’’ says Jane.
She adds that maize was hit by Maize Lethal Necrosis disease that swept across the counties of Nyamira, Kisii, Bomet and Kericho between 2011 and 2018. She says the disease ‘‘forced me to think of an alternative source of food and income for my family’’.
According to her, maize was the primary food crop and source of income in the area, but the outbreak of the maize disease left them poor and devastated.
‘‘The Maize Lethal Necrosis ravaged the maize field that had been my main investment for many years,’’ she said.
John Achira, her neighbour, is another indigenous vegetable farmer. At his home, John is found tending to his vegetables together with his wife and two children. His vegetable farm is filled with black night shade, spider flower and kales.
‘‘Vegetable farming is a good investment especially for those farmers with small pieces of land,’’ says John.
Benefits Of Vegetable Farming
Vegetable farming has changed the lives of many in this village. According to John ‘‘vegetable farming has really saved us. We are able to pay for our children’s school fees’’.
Jane advises small-scale farmers to try vegetable farming as an alternative source of income and improve their financial status.
Trainings And Assistance For Farmers
Farmers have received some training on vegetable farming form the county government of Nyamira. Jane says that small-scale farmers were trained by county agricultural officers on the best practices in vegetable farming.
The county government has also started to provide solar driers to the farmers for drying their vegetables in order to preserve them since they are perishable.
Johnson Nyagemi, a county agricultural officer in Nyamira County, says the county government is committed towards supporting the farmers. He said that the county government has started trainings activities for the farmers as well as buying value addition equipment for them through the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project, which is funded by World Bank.
‘‘We were given this solar drier by the county government to use in drying our vegetables. Officers from the Ministry of Agriculture at both the county and the division always visits us,’’ John Achira said.
