I
read today that there is a looming food crisis- again. Good news is that there
is a way to curb food shortage in Kenya! And it is practical too.
Farmers
in western Kenya are celebrating a bumper harvest thanks to efforts by the
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).
So
what exactly are these farmers doing?
Can it be replicated throughout the
country? I believe they can.
These farmers in Western Kenya have been taught how to combine timely and appropriate fertilizer use together
with the application of manure to increase their maize yields.
Now
they have tripled their harvest, for the first time ever. I believe that if a
farmer is willing to learn, he too can increase their yield significantly.
An increased harvest no doubt causes a ripple effect. It means lower food prices, and that means that food will
become more affordable to all. More
affordability means more money for the farmer. This also means that farmers are
economically independent and become entrepreneurs. The rest of us have money
left to take care of our other economic needs. In the end, our country’s
economy will grow significantly.
Maize
is our staple food, served in a variety of ways from Ugali to Githeri to
Mukimo. Now, if more farmers can copy this new way of farming throughout the
country, I think we are looking at sustainable
food security.
Look at photos
of the recently harvested maize. Notice how healthy and
enormous they are.
Now, compare how the farm on the left has healthier and taller maize than the one on the far right. The farm on the left used
the ‘intergarated soil management
system’ while the one on the right did not. What this simply means is a
combination of fertilizer use, weeding, manure application and thinning.
The maize plants are almost 3 times the height of this man
and has twice the number of maize cobs as ordinary maize plant!
Now, the maize has been harvested. Follow me next week Monday 20th
and find out how much the farmers harvested and what they think about the
project!
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