How new model of farming is supplementing CBC learning in Bungoma Schools

Bungoma county has embraced a new model of farming known as Permaculture, to improve food security.

The farming model is also helping schools provide practical lessons for the Agriculture subject.

Permaculture farming is a new model of farming that involves the growth of agricultural ecosystems in a self-sufficient and sustainable way.

It is based on using natural components of the ecosystem and decomposing the waste into useful organic matter and manure for farming purposes.

Schools and communities in Western region have adopted the farming model as a strategy to ensure food security in the region.

The farming model has provided schools with practical sites for  the Competency Based Curriculum lessons.

Xavier Emodo, a teacher at St Dennis Libolina School for the Physically Challenged in Bumula constituency, said the school uses some of the products from the farms to make food for the pupils.

He told the Star that a good number of pupils at the school come from humble backgrounds.

Emodo said the farming idea was initiated by the Regional Schools and Colleges Permaculture after identifying the need of establishing a food garden within the school.

He said his school was among those selected in the region to run a Permaculture programme by the organisation.

He said the model, which has helped the school to become sustainable in food production, has been transferred to the neighboring schools.

“The introduction of the Permaculture farming in the region has created an environment for CBC learning. Whatever we do at the food gardens is incorporated in classes giving us an improvement in Agriculture as a subject ” Emodo said.

He said parents and teachers, who have emulated permaculture farming in their homes now produce plenty of vegetables on their farms.

“This mode of farming is however growing at a low pace at home because labour is limited. At school we use pupils to provide labour,” Emodo said.

He said each learner is given the responsibility of catering for food gardens which are in front of every classroom.

Emodo said before ReSCOPE introduced Permaculture in the region, many people practiced monocropping, which had low yields.

He said the Permaculture is cost effective because it cuts the expenditure on purchases of pesticides and vegetable supplies.

The school's head teacher, Gladys Orlendo has praised ReSCOPE for the programme, which she says has ended challenges of insufficient food.

“We have been having challenges to feed learners for many years. We are now producing our own food which is sufficient for both learners and students, surplus is sold to neighboring schools,” she said.

“Currently we do not have a supplier of both vegetables and grains because we produce our own products which have improved the livelihoods of the learners."

St Dennis Libolina School for the Physically Challenged, previously served as a home for both physically and mentally challenged learners, before it was transferred into a public primary school.

Orlendo said most of the learners from the school faced stigma and rejection by their communities.

She said some learners are taken to the school by relatives and good Samaritans.

“We have parents here at St. Dennis Libolina who are not supporting the learners. They bring the children here and go away. The school has become a home for many of them,” Orlendo said.

She has appealed to well wishers to help the school drill boreholes to support the project during drought.

Orlendo said Permaculture programme has played a pivotal role in climate change mitigation by increasing the school's tree cover.

“We are also working in line with the President's call to plant 15 billion trees in the next 10 years. Through this project, we have been able to increase forest cover in the school,” she said.

She said enough food has seen 100 per cent attendance and improved the school's performance.

“Before the school started Permaculture farming we recorded huge numbers of absenteeism. The turn-out is now 100 per cent and has made us introduce a boarding programme for some learners,” Orlendo said.

She said schools from the neighbouring Busia, Vihiga, Siaya and Kisumu counties are visiting the school to learn about Permaculture farming.

Orlendo said the local education stakeholders led by the Subcounty education boss have also embraced the project.

ReSCOPE Regional Advocacy Coordinator Karen Nekesa, said that the project is currently active in five African countries namely, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

She said they are focussed on working with young learners to establish food forests in schools.

Nekesa said the programme was initiated in Western region to ensure food security and to mitigate effects of climate change.

Nekesa said Lubunda Primary School in Bungoma, Amena Primary School in Kimilili, Eshiruli and Elinuni Primary Schools in Vihiga, Ugolwe Primary School in Siaya, Konim Primary School, Ebenezer Orphanage and Pawten’g Primary School in Kisumu are some of the schools with the project.