Murang’a farmers lose as floods sweep crops
Two men erecting nets in the flooded section of Rurie village in Murang'a as they took advantage of the flooding to make extra coins. Photo Jesse Mwangi
Hundred of farmers in Murang’a County are counting losses after floods swept away their crops. Yesterday more than 20,000 acres of maize plantation in Kiharu were destroyed by the floods following heavy rains which have been pounding the area.
The rains have continued to cause havoc in the area. Waters from River Sagana have overflowed making residents living near the river to panic. Murang'a East DC George Natembeya who toured the area yesterday, said more than 1,500 families have been affected by the floods and have been evacuated to safer grounds.
"The crops have been destroyed by the water but we are hoping the situation will be contained as soon as possible," said the DC. He said the government has started the evacuating residents from the sloppy areas to avert more disasters.
Natembeya said the government cannot do much to control the flooding as the area is flat and the water cannot be drained. The DC however expressed fear that the farmers might have total crop failure in their farms since their farms have been submerged.
“I am afraid if the rains continue nothing would be salvaged in the farms and the locals risk starvation,“ he added. He said the government will assist the locals in digging tunnels on their farm and building a water collecting dam to control flooding during the rainy seasons. “Digging tunnels to control the farms from flooding was the only solution to ease the farmer’s agony over crop destruction,” he added.
At the same time the area residents appealed to the government to provide a long lasting solution to their problem claiming that every time there are heavy rains the flooding sweeps away their crops.
A farmer Justus Gacoka, said they have been counting huge looses after the rains wash away all the crops and the investment they had put in the farms is drained.
Gacoka said they rely on the produce from their farms to earn a living by selling them to the market since they don't have any other cash crop to rely on. "This area is very productive but at times we are compelled to rely on relief food when such calamities occur" he said.