Due to insufficient of funds farmers have failed to adopt
the modern farming technology. This is because most of the farming technologies
being promoted by different stakeholders have very expensive inputs. The
rainfall is no longer reliable and therefore farmers would be risking if they decide
to take a loan from banks and other micro finance institution since they may
end up making losses
Most farmers especially from the arid land communities have decide
to come up with their own farm innovation to fight food insecurity in the area.
Mr. Peter Muithya Mulonzya from Twimyua Location, Kyuso Division
of Kyuso District Kitui County has decided to move from the land and cultivate
on the rocks as his innovation of coping with increasing lowering of water table.
“Decided to start cultivating on the rock when I realized
that the water is percolating at a very high rate bearing in mind that the rainfall
is not reliable here” says Mr. Muthya.
The innovation involves identifying a flat rock, put a
mixture of soil and manure, and enclosed the plot with a wall made of clay soil
to prevent the water from flowing out of the plot. The rock underneath will retain the water to
sustain the germination and grow of the crop planted/propagated. This method
ensures that no water sips into the ground but used by the growing plant.
Mr. Muithya has been supplying Kyuso and Tseikuru Market and
some other small towns such as Mivukoni, Twimyua and Kalambani in Kyuso
district with tomatoes grown in his farm with the help of two workers.
He urges other farmers to come up with climate change coping
strategies that are sustainable and the area will be food secure within no
time.
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