Cassava takes root in arid counties

Amani Wajane Women Group from Mande village in Vitengeni within Kilifi County display cassava roots after uprooting it from the ground in one of their demonstration farm.

(PHOTO: GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD)

A cassava revolution is taking over in coastal counties that have for decades been left to the mercy of perennial dry weather conditions, hunger and dependence on relief food.

An Italian NGO, Centro Per Un Appropriato Sviluppo Technologico (Italian for Appropriate Technology Development Centre) has initiated a project to develop a high yielding fast maturing cassava in Ganze, Kilifi County.

“Cassava was chosen because it is a drought-resistant crop. The aim of the project is to help increase its primary production,’’ said Fillipo De Monte, the project manager.

Two cassava varieties researched and developed by the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organisation (KALRO), namely Shibe and Tajirika, are the commonly planted types in the region.

De Monte says emphasis was put on the cassava’s vast nutritional benefits are retained to improve its appeal to consumers. Today, flour from the cassava is being used to prepare ugali, bake cakes, doughnuts, cookies, mahamri and to make porridge.

The project, which is funded by the European Union under the Kenya Rural Development Programme (KRDP) and through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), was started in 2013 in Vitengeni and Bamba divisions of Ganze sub-county.

“A high section of the population in these areas were fully dependent on relief food and would line up all day at the local provincial administration offices awaiting government rations,’’ says Cast Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Susan Juma.

Value addition

Ms Juma says the organisation conducted research on the potential of drought resistant crops in the area. Cassava was picked because it grows abundantly in the area.

Only three groups of farmers took up the project when it was introduced, but the number has since grown to 23, with almost 1,000 cassava farmers.

“While focus has mainly been on cassava value addition chain that consists of production at farm levels, processing and marketing, we are opening up our engagements to work with more groups in the entire county as we collaborate with other agricultural agencies to harmonise the market,’’ said De Monte.

The most striking aspect of the project is that value addition is done by individual farmers, allowing them to reap more from their crops.

To make the project sustainable and reach a bigger population, Cast has reached out to other partners, including the Kilifi County Government, Kalro and the Kenya National Farmers Federation (Kennaf).

“The main target for the cassava project are farmers groups, 4K clubs in primary schools and local administration,’’ De Monte said.

Women make up 80 per cent of the farmers involved in the project. One such group is  Amani Wajane in Madamani village that comprises mostly of widows.

Amani Wajane Chairlady Rael Mwenda Charo is all praise for the project which has enabled her to provide for her family. “We can now afford three meals a day unlike before when most households had only one meal,’’ she said.

Charo said members of the group are trained on proper book keeping and how to make savings from the profits they make from selling cakes, mahamri and kachiri, all made from cassava.

“We have been empowered and now undertake rearing of goats for both milk and meat,’’ she said.

Relief food

Janet Katana, another group member and a mother of six, is full of praise for the project which she says has freed her from depending on government relief food.

“Our area lacks adequate rains. We are used to relief food, but with this cassava project, we have found an alternative source of livelihood,’’ she said.

Sokoke Farmers Association has acquired a mill that makes flour out of cassava. The Cast project will conclude in June 2015. It is the resident’s hope that another donor will help them sustain the project.