From The Land to the Rock

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.

Video - Lets use it for development

Video As the importance of dissemination and impact becomes increasingly recognized. Most people are using ever more innovative methods especially when integrating video and blogging.

Kyuso Maarifa centre take video as the best way to reach a desired target audiences. Most people especially in Ukambani don't have time for other modes of dissemination but when its come to video they will allocate sometime for it. The field officer conducted a survey that accommodated the community their levels of interest, and levels of understanding

The question that led the officer to come into a conclusion that video will suit best in this area are as follow:
What is their availability in terms of time?, the community level of interest?, Would people come in seminars or meetings? Could one reach the community through an article?, are there organization that could help in information dissemination?

The Maarifa centre do video screening in the centre, during field days and also using ipod technology.
As the technology improvement takes place, Kyuso community is not left behind. Kyuso Maarifa Centre  is situated in Kyuso district, Kitui County. Kyuso is located approximately 60 kilometers from Mwingi town.
The Ipod technology hit the communities around the district in 2009, unleashing both technology and information on livelihoods and climate change. 

The gadget was highly received with curiosity and enthusiasm by the community members. Nobody had ever seen such a gadget in the area

ipod contents.
Different videos and pictures on climate change and livelihoods awareness, adaptation and perceptions were synched into the gadget. These videos and audio programs can be watched and as well listened to through the ear phones by the user. The ipod can be connected to the computer and use the I tune soft ware for wider viewing and listening.
The I pod have other contents like music, photos, pod casts, Games, calendars, clocks and alarms
This is as well attracting most young people to the centre. Young people are normally very much curious to learning new technologies.

Farming With Passion

The video tell a story of a disabled person who has engaged him self in sustainable agriculture as a result of effects of climate change . His farming started as a way of respecting doctors advice (Exercises ).

Conservation of maize stovers

Maize is the third most produced grain after wheat and rice but leads in crop fodder production both globally and in Africa. Annual maize fodder yields have been estimated to be 1816 and 340 million tonnes in the world and Africa, respectively. Maize is largely grown and left to dry to less than 20% grain moisture content before harvesting. The dry grain is a widely used staple in tropical regions. In Africa, many communities differently prepare 'porridge' and 'cakes' from maize meal e.g. 'Ugali', 'Fofo', 'Kita' and 'Pap' which are popular in East, West, North and South Africa, respectively.

Tips for good maize stalk conservation

1. The leaf is the most nutritious component of maize stalk hence it is important to prevent loss of leaves in the process of conservation.  
2. Maize stalk can be conserved in the field in pyramidal heaps that reduce chances of penetration by rain water and direct sun heat. 
3.   There are high chances of pest, especially insects attack on stored maize stalks. Thus there should be regular inspection of the stored stalks and corrective measurements undertaken in case of such damages.
4. The bulkiness of maize stalks limits intake. Processing the stalks by grinding enhances the intake and prevents losses due to pests.
5. Chopped/grinded stalks should be stored safely with regular inspection to monitor any spoilage e.g. mould growth or rotting. 

Drip Irrigation: Grow more vegetables with less water

Drip irrigation is a method of watering plants with single drops of water at a time. The set up consists of tapes with very small outlets that let out water one drop at a time wetting the soil around the plants roots. The technology was developed in the USA and Israel for growing crops in dry climates where water is limited.
The technology is efficient in use of water - no water is wasted as runoff or lost by moving down through the soil too quickly for the roots to absorb it. The technology has been further simplified and requires low water pressure to operate. The tapes are very flexible and can be modified to suit different lengths of rows or plot sizes.

'WE HAVE FAITH WITH ALIN'

It is quite clear that the community  ALIN serve appreciates the services offered at different Maarifa centres.All categories of users appreciates the efforts ALIN through its Maarifa centres to disseminate practical and useful information in their community.

During the recent open day in Kyuso the above was clear. Every body who had a chance to speak to the particpants had a reason to thank Kyuso Maarifa centre for. The District Commissioners Kyuso Mr. Peter maina said during his speech that he has related very well with ALIN and more so Kyuso Maarifa centre. He added that every government department represented in Kyuso has benefitted through one way or another.  he said numerous people are able to access information that they couldn't.

More over he said most of his officers have been trained on ICT skills in the centre. He said that the free training have helped many people including farmer, NGO/CBO , Students and government officers. He said among the officers trained is the District Crimainal Investigation Officer (DCIO)- Kyuso. What the DC found interesting is that even the old are getting trained on this skills. He was happy to award certificate graduates of over 60yrs.

He said i quote "with what ALIN has done for us, i will be willing to help them according to my ability  " said DC " who ever will try to separate me with ALIN and Kyuso Maarifa centre will face the consequences "

He also complimented the work done  by Kyuso Maarifa centre field officer Mr. John Njue. He asked whether everybody who uses Maarifa centre services knows John. He was amazed to find even the Farmers who had attended the open day knew the field officer.

He advices the community to utilize the centre and advised the youth to use social sites positively.

Kyuso Open Day

Introduction

An  open day is an exhibition organized so that companies, organizations, Government departments and community self help group can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent trends and opportunities. It is open to the public, while others can only be attended by company representatives (members of the trade) and members of the press.

Kyuso is an ASAL area found in lower Eastern Province, it covers a total of Three division which are Kamuwongo, Ngomeni and Kyuso.  Although the area is quite dry most times in the year the economic potential is quite high and cuts across all the sectors. This includes ventures in agricultural activities and business trading in a quite number of goods and services.

                                                                                                                                 

The climate of the district is generally hot and dry for the greater part of the year. The maximum mean annual temperature ranges between 26⁰ C and 34⁰ C whereas the minimum mean annual temperature ranges between 14⁰ C and 22⁰ C. This translates into an average annual temperature of 24⁰ C. The district experiences a long stretches of dry, hot seasons between the months of August and September and again in the months of January and February.

The Kyuso Maarifa  centre together with stakeholders has been offering servivecs enhancing information delivery and utilization so as to ensure that the community is food secure, increase in literacy level and also increasing the income level.

This year the maarifa centre through outreach programme has been conducting 3 outreaches and 1 open day in a month.

July open day was very wonderful since it involved almost all the stakeholders in the district. The following stakeholders participated:

1.       ALIN HQ

2.       Drought Management Officer

3.       Kenya Adaptation to Climate Change in Arid Land

4.       Catholic Diocese Of Kenya 

5.       ACTION AID

6.       POLYTECHNIC

7.       MUKY ORDAP - CBO

8.       WEMHIS

9.       ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Every stakeholder played a different role e.g.

1.       ALIN played overall responsibilities

2.       DAO will be exhibiting dry land farming techniques

3.       KACCAL have a project on site on climate change adaptation

4.       DMO will be distributing leveling boards, badge and T - Shirt to the graduated farmers in terracing

5.       CDK is the sponsor of the polytechnic

6.       Muky to exhibit value addition of the local food

7.       Action Aid for community mobilization

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 [JJ1] NUMBER OF DIVISION

Upcoming Open day

This is to inform all the followers that Kyuso Maarifa centre will be holding a wonderful open day which will bring together all the stakeholders in Kyuso and the lines ministries. The open day will involves farmers coming to learn various climate change coping mechanism from others, techniques to ensure there is food security in Kyuso. The participants will also be sensitized on the integration of ICT in other fields.   The theme of the day will be: Promoting information technology for food security and climate change. The expected chief Guest will be the Provincial Director of Agriculture (PDA) and the host guest will be The DC- Kyuso.

Other contributors will be:

1.       ALIN HQ

2.       Drought Management Officer

3.       Kenya Adaptation to Climate Change in Arid Land

4.       Catholic Diocese Of Kenya 

5.       ACTION AID

6.       POLYTECHNIC

7.       MUKY ORDAP - CBO

8.       WEMHIS

9.       ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Kyuso Maarifa Centre organise a motivation day

Kyuso Maarifa centre has been offering advisory services to the arid lands communities of Ukambani since 2005 . Most of the advices has been on agricultural , climate change  and marketing information to the farming community in the area. A broad survey carried out by the Field officer Mr. John Njue shows that the youth has not been embracing Agricultural activities since after competing their secondary eduction level they migrate to urban centre. Most of the youth especially Young boys of this area end up in Garissa, Nairobi and Mombasa and less are left to venture in economic activities in the area.

Kyuso Maarifa Centre has decided to be organizing motivational days twice a month especially to the ICT trainees in the centre so that they may embrace development activities such as agribusiness, value addition and self employment.

This month the centre held one where 60 participants (15 Male 45 Female ) participated. The trainees were briefed on the importance of career development since most of the youth thought computer training at ALIN was enough to drive them into employment. What came out of the meeting is that computer skills is a support to a course that one will take.

The trainees were motivated a were told to be aggressive, determined and courage in live. The field officer used a quote by Churchill to put this through: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." – Churchill 

The meeting was coordinated by the ICT trainer Mr. Julius Matei and an Intern Miss Joyce Nafula Wasike.