Beacon of hope

By Anderson Ojwang

From a starving community to one that feeds the nation, that is the revolution Mt Elgon district has gone in the past nine months after the Government crashed the the Sabaot Land Defense Force that had terrorised residents for two years.

While other parts of the country are reeling from the effects of unpredictable rainfall and crop failure, Mt Elgon is a beacon of hope to the country with a bumper harvest in onions, vegetables, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes.

The maize harvest that will be in late September promises to be bumper.

It is not only about food crops that perform well in the region but also coffee which they either sell in Uganda or to the local coffee factories in the district.

For the last six months donkeys, heavy commercial vehicles and tractors have been transporting tonnes of maize, carrots, onions and tomatoes to markets not only in Western, Nyanza but as far as Nairobi and Mombasa.

The transition from dependency to independence has been fast and rapid that residents who for last two years relied heavily on relief food, now ‘export’ food to other parts of the country.

According to the Western Provincial Director of Agriculture John Cheruyoit, the district will record 70 per cent harvest and with short rains pounding the region, additional harvest is expected December.

He says most of the land that had been lying fallow for the past two years have been tilled and would produce food capable of feeding other regions of the country.

"Agricultural activity in Mt Elgon is back on its feet and we expect to see the region feed Western and Nyanza provinces and also Mombasa and Nairobi," he says.

"We recorded high production in carrots, tomatoes, cabbages and onions that have helped in reducing prices of the commodities in some parts of the country," he said.

According to Mr Eliud Kiptalam of Changoye location, one of the area that was affected by the clashes, most of the land that had remain bare for the last two years have been ploughed and was productive.

"For the last two years during the clashes there were economic activities in the area but now we are back to farming and other businesses are booming," he says.

He says after realisation of peace locals planted fast maturing crops such as potatoes, vegetables, onions and carrots that helped reduce famine and reliance on relief food.

The economic reawakening of Mt Elgon stirred business activities in the neighbouring districts and has precipitated constant flow of traders into the region for food crops.

In Cheptais division where harvesting of maize has been concluded, farmers have now ploughed the land and planted beans, onions, tomatoes and carrots that take three months to mature.

Ms Mary Chepkwony a member of Rural Women Peace link and a farmer of maize and tea says with the return of peace, the region has witnessed steady progress in agriculture and business activities.

"We are assuming our position of not only feeding Nyanza and Western province but the entire country with onions, tomatoes and carrots that are produced abundantly in the area," she says.

Cheruyoit expressed optimism that famine in Mt Elgon would be a thing of the past and it would produce in feeding the nation that is currently reeling from food insecurity occasioned by unpredictable rainfall.

Traders told Financial Journal that they have been recording good business with the return of peace. Already some constructions are coming up in the area.

Similarly, the cross border trade with Uganda has picked up enabling the locals to make good profits from the exercise.

 

 

Read all about: Drought Hunger SLDF Sabaot Land Defence Force

 

 

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