Professionals promote sustainable agriculture to boost production in Laikipia

Rose Wairimu’s farm, where she embarked on irrigation farming following the effects of climatic change in Nginyii village, Umande Ward in Laikipia County, on July 31, 2021. [File, Standard]

Professionals in Laikipia are promoting sustainable agriculture with a proposal to establish small to medium dams and boreholes across the villages to support irrigation systems.

Through various interactive sessions across the county, the agriculture experts propose that the small dams would replace the erratic rain experienced in less than 100 days in a year in the locality and support farming.

In a forum in Nanyuki and Nyahururu towns, Ndirangu Kuria, a local leader, says the dams would accommodate the rain runoff previously blamed for the destruction of roads.

The stored water would be used during the dry period. 

The forums observed that most of the produce from Laikipia, especially maize, is transported to other counties for processing and value addition owing to a lack of storage and drying mechanisms locally.

“Laikipia, being a drier part of the lee ward side, gets rain only four months in a year, we need to support the community through the establishment of water reservoirs to support our farming,” said Kuria.

He was optimistic that the provision of certified seeds would increase food production, ending the season of recycled seeds in the villages, thus creating more employment opportunities and resources.

Kuria said livestock farmers should be encouraged to abandon open herding and instead adopt zero grazing and quality animal breeds for maximum production of milk and meat.

Jane Mwai, a resident of Umande, called on leaders to focus on zoning of the county based on livestock and crop farming to boost production.

She said that through soil testing, the professionals would recommend the type of crops to be planted, focusing on the market.

“Through effective capacity building, the locals will be educated on the effective farming eyeing to produce the best in the market,” said Mwai.