By Jeckonia Otieno
Some farmers in the country are taking up genetically modified farming fast as its returns are quicker and richer. But some farmers in Molo, Nakuru County, have decided to stick to growing organic food not only for healthy living but also to improve their economic status.
At 60, Mama Jane Muthoni is still going strong. Apart from eating healthy organic foods, she is also selling her naturally grown food for some good money.
A few years ago, Muthoni and other women started a women’s group which grew vegetables, potatoes, beans and nappier grass but as the group grew, the 40 women started to rear the indigenous Molo wool sheep.
Each member was able to purchase the first sheep through a loan of Sh5,000 advanced by the group.
And things were looking up. Then suddenly, following the disputed 2007 elections and the chaos that followed, the group was thrown into disarray as many members quit. Those who remained had to start all over again.
They started growing nettle, which is widely used in the preparation of mukimo (mashed potatoes mixed with maize).
Then the women discovered nettle had more uses than just making mukimo. The vegetable, whose name literally means ‘I burn’, is rich in potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, iodine, silicon, sodium and sulphur, among other minerals. Nettle is also used as medicine for respiratory tract problems as well as medicine for people with asthma, chronic coughs, flu, common cold, bronchitis and pneumonia.
It is in light of these that the women dry the nettle leaves and grind them. This is then mixed with flour to make porridge. Muthoni, in her wisdom, says the vegetable is also good for the “cleaning of blood of toxic substances”.
Many people around Kirigiti, where Muthoni comes from, mix the ground leaves with water and drink it.
Peace for prosperity
“The leaves take only one month to mature after planting, which makes it easy for the plant to be managed.
Currently, the group’s rich market captures residents of Elburgon, Molo, Njoro and Mau Summit. The women hope to increase their market with only one wish, that there is peace in next year’s elections.
Because of their determination to succeed, the women have been trained by Network for Ecofarming in Africa, and they are certain their farming prospects can only grow.
Samuel Muhunyu, the network director says food security among locals people is important as it will give them courage to go for other ventures.
“Indigenous food is the best for the body; people should not just eat because there is food but by being sure that what they eat adds value,” states Muhunyu.
Apart from nettles, other groups around Molo now grow indigenous pumpkins.
Leah Wanjiku from Lare Nishi near Njoro says she and other women in her area are now on their way to ensuring food security unlike in the past when the vagaries of weather affected their crops and subjected them to perpetual food shortage during certain times of the year.
Sporadic droughts
Says Wanjiku: “Initially we only relied on food crops which would never do well bearing in mind that the part of Njoro where I live suffers sporadic droughts.”
Along with other women, they formed a group of 30 and were trained on how to care for pumpkins using sacks. They used minimal water to ensure the plants gave maximum produce.
In 2010, the group rented a piece of land where each member was given quarter of an acre to grow pumpkins.
Each week they would just use one jerry can of water per sack and by the first harvest, there was so much pumpkin that their local market was not sufficient and they had to look farther afield for a wide market.
Since pumpkins are perishable, the group learnt how to reap maximum by using pumpkins for other products.
One of them is where the pumpkin is grated, dried and then ground after which it can be mixed with other cereal products such as wheat for a healthy meal.
The group now has a posho mill for grinding the pumpkin. They also sell the seeds.
Wanjiku says after being told that the seeds are good for managing cancer, the market for the seeds suddenly exploded.
Research has shown that pumpkin seeds have an ingredient that may help prevent prostate and ovarian cancers. Wanjiku says many people are now taking pumpkin as a staple food.
“The leaves take only one month to mature — and that means quick money,” says Wanjiku, a smile spreading across her face. Indeed these women have shown the way to healthy food security.
