After dam tragedy, Solai farmers moving on seedling by seedling

Stephen Njuguna had been a small scale farmer for many years. On his one acre farm in Solai, Nakuru County, he planted maize, sukuma wiki and tomatoes.

From the proceeds of his farm, he fed his young family and sold whatever remained. He was a happy farmer.

“From the harvest, I was able to feed and educate my family,” he says.

But his peaceful life as a farmer was tragically interrupted in May this year when the Solai Dam burst its banks causing untold loss of life and property, farms included.

Not only did Njuguna lose three children in the tragedy, his one acre farm was swept away by the angry waters.

Now that the dust has settled, the local who are farmers are slowly trying to pick up the pieces.

“I have been trying to put up a farm like the previous one I had, but its been a tall order because I lack resources,” Njuguna says.

To help in this rebuilding process, a nursery propagating seedlings company in Naivasha, Plantech Kenya Ltd, donated seedlings to the locals. The company donated 150,000 seedlings of various crops such as butternut, sukuma wiki, cabbage, tomatoes, pumpkin, kales, spinach and onions.

Njuguna is one of the 400 locals who received the seedlings. Another beneficiary Sarah George says the project has given them new lease of life: “This is a sustainable venture. After three months, we will start harvesting. We will consume some of the produce and sell the surplus,” says Sarah, a community leader who received spinach seedlings.

Solai location chief Simon Murage confirms that 400 locals from Maji Tamu, Chemasis and Solai received seedlings of various crops.

“Most of the residents here who initially were involved in farming activities lost their crops. Receiving these free seedlings will enable them rebuild their lives,” he says.

Idan Salvy of Plantech Kenya Ltd, says the programme also entailed capacity building.

“We did not just distribute the seedlings, but also took residents through various farming and crop management lessons,” he says.

Elad Bouton, Managing Director says this is part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility projects.

“Donating propagated seedlings was a good start to providing food for the community and chance for the farmers to start afresh and restore some of what they lost. Not only does a quality foundation provide a quality start to their crop, but minimise losses incurred to the farmers,” Bouton says..

Peter Karinga, Rongai sub-county Agricultural Officer says there are places that soil was completely swept away and in such areas farming is virtually impossible. In such areas, the county had to step in.

“The county government has plans to rehabilitate areas that were flooded and washed away to have them fit for farming activities.”

Karinga says they will walk with the farmers the journey to ensure the crops grow well.