Farmers tipped on sustainable agriculture

Farmers in Nakuru have been urged to adopt alternative farming methods as a means to sustain food security in the county.

According to Deputy Governor David Kones, methods like agroecology—sustainable farming that integrates modern science and traditional knowledge—will foster an environment that supports sustainable development.

Speaking at the recent Nakuru County Agroecology Policy 2025 launch at ATC Soilo, Kones clarified that the policy aims to improve community resilience and speed up the transformation of food systems.

“This serves as a guide and a pillar of our plan for an inclusive, sustainable, and regenerative food system,” he stated.

“This initiative comes at a time when the problems facing our food systems are both evident and urgent.”

According to Kones, the county is dedicated to fostering the conditions that agroecology needs to thrive.

He said agroecology was no longer a distant ideal but an urgent necessity for securing a healthy and just future for the communities, environment, and economy.

Nakuru Director of Seed Savers Network Daniel Wanjama said the launching of the policy was an assurance of food safety in the county.

Through their network, he said, farmers get drought-resistant and highly nutritious crops, for which they use organic manure and rely on natural pest control.

He also noted that the use of agroecology leads to a reduction in disease.

“Unfortunately, we import chemicals, but once they are used, they affect the market, and the same country that we get them from ends up not buying our foodstuff,” added Wanjama.

The policy, he explained, will open markets for farmers globally, as their produce will meet the market standards.

“Our soil has been destroyed; it doesn’t have organic matter, because we have overused fertilisers, meaning we are farming in a way that is not sustainable,” Wanjama added.

But with agroecology, he added, there is soil improvement and food security.

Research by the Seed Saver Network, Wanjama said, showed over 30 seeds have become extinct over the last 20 years.

The policy, he explained, will preserve biodiversity.

Wanjama urged the government to come up with policies to control the use of harmful pesticides. 

Samson Ngugi from Slow Food Kenya said the agroecology policy would involve farmers in producing food that has higher nutritional value and is free from toxins.

He regretted that the production of healthy crops was at risk due to the degradation of soil quality caused by excessive chemical use.

“The production and nutritional value of crops have been impacted by a problem with the soil,” he stated. 

According to Ngugi, farmers can now grow a wide range of crops thanks to agroecology.

Biodiversity will lower risk and help farmers produce high-quality produce, he continued.

He mentioned the positive aspects of agroecology and agroforestry, which aid in combating climate change.