Elgeyo Marakwet, KALRO in partnership to boost county health through agriculture

James Mutuol, one of the OFSP contracted farmers demonstrating his success story to project partners. [Kennedy Ouma, FarmKenya]

The Elgeyo Marakwet county government has inked a deal with several partners to boost community health through agriculture. 

The Sh50 million project dubbed Enrich, is a consortium of Harvestplus, World Vision Kenya and Nutrition International together with the county Health and Agriculture departments.

The project is funded by the Canadian Government's Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

Speaking during a field visit and monitoring of Enrich Harvest Plus activities in Elgeyo Marakwet County by KALRO and other project partners on October 1, Agriculture chief officer Edwin Seronei said, “In Elgeyo Marakwet County, malnutrition is on the rise especially for the reproductive age groups, including pregnant and lactating women, infants and young children.”

The target groups have prevalent iron deficiencies that threaten normal growth and reproduction.

The project aims to reach 30,000 farm households with biofortified foods, including high iron and zinc rich beans and orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) rich in Vitamin A.

HarvestPlus is working with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to improve food security and nutrition through promotion of high iron bean varieties and OFSP. 

KALRO Deputy Director General Dr. Felister Makini said, “Since the project inception in 2018, KALRO has been responsible for bulking seed beans, training bean seed multipliers and producing early generation seed. Two varieties of popular bean seed – Punda and Saitoti have been entered into NPT for possible release.”  

In 2019, KALRO introduced high quality (basic) Vitamin A rich sweet potato through targeted on-farm vine seed nurseries, which will provide vines for neighboring farmers.

According to Dr. Joyce Malinga, Director KALRO Food Crops Research Institute Kitale, KALRO has trained OFSP seed multipliers and established 32 on-farm seed nurseries in 20 acres to produce high quality OFSP seed. 

The ENRICH Project has distributed 65 tonnes of HIB seed to plant 3,250 acres of beans within Elgeyo Marakwet county. This seed was distributed by World Vision to approximately 20,000 beneficiaries distributed throughout the county. 

Harvest Plus Progamme Manager Dr. Penina Muoki said the beneficiaries include women, lactating mothers, and households with toddlers below two years.

Approximately nine million OFSP vines have also been given to each beneficiary through lead farmers, Muoki added.

Dr Malinga added that KALRO has trained and contracted 200 seed multipliers to produce bean seed. 

Fifteen agricultural extension officers and 67 farmer TOTs were trained on Farmer Field school (FFS) methodology to facilitate 67 field schools. 

These field schools, with a membership of 1000 farmers, will train the members on good agronomic practices in high iron bean grain and OFSP tuber production. 

Seronei said special topics on nutrition and maternal health will be offered by the department of Health through the community health workers (CHEW) recruited through ENRICH Project.

Approximately 260 lead farmers have been identified who are involved in distribution of the high iron bean, OFSP, indigenous vegetable seeds and improved chicken that will further enhance nutrition. The lead farmers also train beneficiary farmers on good agricultural practices. 

Sustainability of interventions

To ensure sustainability of the biofortified crops and improved nutrition in the county, five tonnes of certified Nyota bean seed was availed to five agrovets in Elgeyo Marakwet during the April–August 2020 season.

Anchor OFSP seed nurseries are issued to the county government to help farmers in marketing the vines. Farmers neighbouring the seed multipliers have also been encouraged to purchase vines to produce tubers.

KALRO's Corporate Communications director Virginia Wangari said awareness creation on the high iron bean and OFSP production and health benefits using the media – radio shows, TV interviews, field days - will create demand for the grain and tubers. 

The production of early generation seed is ongoing at KALRO to ensure the availability of high status seed in the county.

The farmers trained on high iron bean seed production will continue with contractual engagements with KALRO to bulk more seed.


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