ICT Training Testimonies

Kyuso Maarifa centre has been offering free computer training to the community of Ukambani since 2005. This time round the Maarifa centre has been conducting mass ICT training to all interested member of the community without discrimination. Before the training the trainee are oriented and having every trainee give their preferred time of training. The Training are distributed into a session of 2hrs each and therefore 4session a day. So far we have managed to train 172 trainees (70 Male 102 Female ). Enjoy listening at their testimonies

WATER HARVESTING FOR ASAL MAIZE PRODUCTION USING MODIFIED ZAI PITS

MAIZE PRODUCTION USING MODIFIED ZAI PITS

Women digging Modified Zai pit holes in Mivukoni, Kyuso, Kenya

Introduction

Maize is one of the most popular crops in agro ecological zone LM4 in Kyuso district. Kyuso district experiences an average annual rain fall ranging 300 to 600 millimeters in two seasons per year. Due to the erratic nature of the rains, there is a crop failure for 3 in every 5 consecutive seasons. This calls for water harvesting as an intervention to address the moisture shortage that causes the inherent crop failure. 

Modified Zai pits 
Zai pits as a water harvesting technology integrates a variety of factors to avail moisture to the growing crop to attain physi­ological maturity as follows:

• Cultivated (cropped) area: The soil condition of the cropped area must be well prepared to reduce any soil related limita­tions for optimum crop establishment and growth

• Catchment area: This must be sufficient to generate the extra moisture required in the form of runoff. A Catchment cropped area ratio of 3:1 has been found appropriate.

• Catchment characteristics: As much as possible the catch­ment should be modified to minimize infiltration. This may be achieved through increasing the catchment gradient towards the cropped area and compaction.

• Efficiency: In order to optimize the crop yield, both the normal rains and the runoff that collects at the cropped area must be used efficiently by the crop. All moisture losses must be minimized. The right crop variety with vigour must be planted early enough to gain from all the moisture experienced at the cropped area. It is advantageous to plant with Phosphorus containing fertilizers for early crop root establishment. Top dressing with Nitrogen and use of farm yard manure for provision of extra nutrients and moisture retention is necessary. Since weeds will compete for mois­ture and nutrients, weed control will be of necessity. Use of mulch will reduce evaporation losses. In addition since a health crop will use the soil resources efficiently, it will be necessary to protect the crop against pests and diseases.  Read More>>

Kyuso Maarifa Centre a marketing bridge

Due to the linkage we have with our farmers institution international and national have started using the Centre to disseminate market information to farming communities.

Below is a institution requesting for market of some farm produce through Kyuso maarifa centre>

 Dear Sir/Madam,

We are an environmental company based in Uganda. Our activities
include jointly working with grass-root (peasant) farmers in project
that we believe benefit farmers financially, socially as well as the
environment.

Currently, we are poised to start production of gadam Beer with the
goal of supplying the East African breweries especially now that the
East African Federation is moving into full swing.

We therefore, desire to have Kenyan produced gadam Seeds (Grains- NOT
SEEDS) of 2011 crop.
Please do let us know if you can supply our company with 36mts  of the
Gadam Sorghum packed in 90kg bags. Price should be based on
Ex-Nairobi, KENYA..

We wait for your fast response.

CHARLES OBUA

If you have this produce respond to:

Legend Evangel [greennovateuganda@gmail.com]

and copy to : Kyusomaarifa@alin.net

WATER SCARCITY/SALINITY A CHALLENGE IN ARID LANDS COMMUNITIES

It is said that you cannot know the challenges or the problems facing a certain community without staying with them. Kyuso Maarifa centre was started in 2005 and since then the officer in chance has been interacting with the community to disseminate information.

The research carried by the John Njue, field officer Kyuso Maarifa centre found out that it is wise to gather the background information of the community, consider the cultural background of the area amongst other factors before moving in to implement a project or providing information.

During the Adaptation to Climate Change in Arid Lands (KACCAL) workshop held a Mwingi,Kenya, which was meant to validate the baseline survey carried by their consultant, there was a controversial issue whether the community of Ukambani (Kyuso and Mumoni) should be advised to keep camel as a climate adaptation strategy. The residents said that the culture of the place do not allow such animals to be kept while the professional especially those from ministry of livestock development and Drought management thought keeping camel in the area will bring destruction than construction.

They said due to the camel movement from one area to another they will cause soil erosion, end up causing livestock-human conflict since the land is owned and not community land tenure. They continued saying that region terrain does not support camel production since such production like flat land. More over the officer said that the camel multiplies every slowly and therefore it is not a sustainable animal to rear in the place.

Incase one was promoting camel production in such areas, then he/she will be wrong. According to the statistics collected by the Field Officer - Kyuso in 3 groups, it found that the most challenging things in arid lands especially in Kyuso is water scarcity/water salinity. “Was it not for water salinity in the area , the group should be doing kitchen gardening with the water we use in our kitchen” said Mrs. Josephine Mwonga, a secretary –Upenyo women group 

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New sorghum variety gives hope to farmers

Gadam sorghum was introduced to semi-arid regions of eastern Kenya as a way for farmers to improve their food security and earn some income from marginal land. The hardy, high-yielding sorghum variety has not only thrived in harsh conditions, it has won a place in the hearts – and plates – of local farmers.

The Government launched the sale of newly introduced Gadam Sorghum in the larger Mwingi district to East African Breweries Limited (EABL)

The six districts hived from the larger Mwingi district,(Mwingi central, Mwingi West, Tseikuru, Kyuso, Mwingi East and Migwani) which experienced food deficits in the last three seasons, last season the farmers in Kyuso in particular had bumper harvest and hence the Gadam sorghum buyers (Smart Logistics) have increased the buying price from Ksh 17 to Kshs 22 per Kilogram

To experience this Kyuso Maarifa attended a Field Day which was organized in Mr. Muthui Kanyili’s farm from Ndatani Sub-location, Kamusiliu location, Ngomeni division of Kyuso District. The field day was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture –Kyuso. The Field officer encouraged the farmers to grow drought resistance crops such as Gadam. He also encouraged people to share information whenever its available.

Mr. Muthui is a very successful farmer. Due to his effort Smart logistics company promised to deliver the sorghum threshing machine to his farm for sorghum threshing. Enjoy the picture of his effort.

How does construction affect disaster risk reduction?

 Photo by Musembi Nzengu

A lot of research have been carried to examines the ways in which construction practitioners might adapt or affect the built environment. 
Most of the report notes that everyone interacts with, and is affected by, the built environment. However, the impacts of the construction either of roads or any public infrasture is considered a disasters  by the locals since it can be so profound as to wipe out years of development and investment.

In Mwingi District which is in Mwingi North constituency of Kitui county . The local are counting losses after the construction of Mwingi –Tseikuru road was started. The pot-holed Mwingi-Kyuso-Tseikuru road which was the subject of a strike by both bus and matatu crew early 2011 tarmacing has started by Chinenese company. Apart from being a development by the area Mp honourable Kalonzo Musyoka most of the farmers were forced to uproot their Mango planataion for the road expansion.

Other affected parties are business men/women who had bult along the road. There has also been reported that many resident have lost livestock and pets such as dogs and cats due to being knocked out by the road construction machinery and vehicles.This thereat is very serious expecially when there is increasing global population , urbanization , climate change and terrostist threat in area.  economic and process-related barriers to achieving built-in resilience. 

It provides the following guiding principles: 

Non-chemical Pest Management

The song is composed by Kimbithi Kya muthanga farmers field school meaning secret in the soil. This is was one of the group that benefited form Online information service on non- chemical pest managemnet in the tropics (OISAT) The project was innitiated by Arid lands information Network (ALIN) 2011 ATLA Award winner and Facilitated by Pelum-Kenya. The song explained how the training carried out by ALIN has bennefited the group and the community in general as well as sharing some few Non- chemical pest control especially using Neem leaves The project aim was to eliminate the use of hazardous pesticides, reduce overall use, risk and dependence of pesticides, and increase support for community-based control over a sustainable produced food supply. Info online: http://www.oisat.org/

Important Disemination Tool

Many people have tried different ways of disseminating information, One group in Ukamba (Kyuso district) Kenya known as Kimbithi Kya Muthanga meaning Secret in the soil have adopted using a song and poem for dissemination. The song talks about farming, soil conservation,non-chemical pest management