How Yala swamp farmers are adapting to climate change

Sophy Odhiambo (in white) an extension officer from Yimbo West Sub-County during a visit to youth farmers in Kanyibok village in Siaya County. [Caroline Chebet, Standard] When grounds are bare and boreholes are dry in Kanyibok village in Bondo, Siaya County, patches of floating green indigenous vegetables dot several farms. The patches of greens- a mix of black nightshade (managu), cowpeas (kunde) and amaranthus (terere) sit on a blend of dry grass and maize stalks, a practice that is replicated across over 25 villages bordering the Yala swamp. "When rains take long, we have to look for ways for the crops have to survive because we have to eat," says Wilson Seda, a member of the Kanyibok Farmers Group. As has become the norm in Kanyibok and surrounding villages, almost everyone is in the race to adopt approaches that make farming easy and more productive during unpredictable seasons. "We can no longer farm how we used to and expect returns. Right now, everyone is embracing innovations and that is why almost every farmer here is practicing mulching on their farms. We try to learn new ways to use what we have to improve our harvests," Seda adds. Twice a month, Sophy Odhiambo, an extension officer from Yimbo West Sub-County, goes around the villages, interacting with farmers and seeing how they are adopting innovations in the face of climate change. "The rains are becoming more erratic, and that is why farmers need to know how to produce. Farmers have to know how to conserve water, make organic manure to save on costs and even learn how to prevent pests," Ms Odhiambo said. She said that abnormally heavy rains have resulted in soil erosion, effects that further intensify crop failures and losses. "And now there is a need for farmers to learn ways of avoiding further erosion. The reason we emphasise mulching is that whenever farmers irrigate, topsoil is usually washed off but through such simple innovations, they can help boost the health of the soils," she said. Climate farmers in Kanyibok are part of the 165 farmers practising climate-smart initiatives, activities that are slowly changing the face of the Yala ecosystem. The farmers are also part of the 290 farmers who are exploring alternative opportunities like beekeeping, fish farming and poultry farming in an initiative seeking to ease pressure on the country's largest freshwater wetland. Under the Afrievolve project, farmers across fragile ecosystems in six countries in West and East Africa-Kenya, including farmers are targeted to transform ways of farming to address the current challenges of food security and climate change jointly. Charles Ombere, a farmer practicing climate-smart agriculture in Yimbo, Siaya County. [Caroline Chebet, Standard] In Kenya, the project is being implemented by Nature Kenya, a conservation organisation. And now farmers living around Yala are part of those drawn from delicate ecosystems, currently facing different pressures. While the swamp is the largest papyrus wetland, which is a lifeline to Lake Victoria, by acting as a filter for rivers flowing into it, it is also an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) for birds and species restricted to papyrus swamps. Yet large swathes of the Yala swamp have undergone reclamation for unsustainable agricultural activities. According to Emily Mateche, a Policy and advocacy manager at Nature Kenya, the Yala swamp is a delicate ecosystem that is facing pressures from reclamation for unsustainable agriculture activities. "There is a need to protect Yala swamp from the current threats. Through enabling farmers living around and within access to the latest innovations and technologies to improve farming, part of the pressures will have been solved," Mateche said. And just like in Kanyibok where greenery in the field still thrives with the little rains, in Ndhiha village in East Gem Sub-county, a mix of crops too, thrives even when rain turns to drizzles. Here, the farmers have also learnt the art of wading through the already existing impacts of climate change by using homemade manure from locally available materials. Ahead of planting season, farmers in Ndhiha come together to make their manure in bulk, manure they share for use in their farms. "We realized that crops were no longer doing well here because of the soils, but agricultural extension officers have been taking us through climate-smart agriculture trainings, and now we can make our compost manure that helps the soil," Samson Ogenga, a member of Olalo Self-help group. Ogenga is part of the farmers who have learnt the art of making compost manure using available materials like twigs, cow dung, ashes, maize stalks and other available materials. The farmers have mastered the art of checking temperatures to know when compost is ready and when it is ready for use on the farm. "When we make our manure, we cut on costs. Unlike before, the soils were becoming less productive, but there has since been a great improvement," Ogenga said. According to Yala ecosystem liaison officer, Moses Nyawasa, the initiative currently brings together bee-keepers, small-scale farmers, fish farmers and poultry farmers across Busia and Siaya Counties. "Through the initiative, experts are linked to farmers, and exchange visits are facilitated so that farmers learn from how other farmers are adapting to the changes," Nyawasa said. David Okinda, an agricultural extension officer from East Gem sub-county, said impacts of climate change have resulted in low productivity and also affected the health of the soils in the region. Coupled with the overuse of chemical fertilizers by farmers, he said the challenge has further impacted the soil. "The big problem across many areas lies in the soil. They are highly degraded, and something has to be done to reverse the trends. Through the adoption of climate-smart agriculture techniques where farmers practice mulching, crop rotation and also making their compost manure is what we are advocating for," Mr Okinda says. Climate-smart agriculture initiatives, Okinda says, are part of climate adaptation initiatives that enable farmers to adapt and be productive even in unpredictableseasons. cchebet@standardmedia.co.ke

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