Due to inadequate rainfall in the country from August in Kakamega, Busia and Bungoma, farmers who cultivated maize have been affected greatly as their crops have been damaged by severe drought.
This has led to a bigger loss since the growth of these plants depends on labour, fertilizer, buying of the seeds among other expenses.
It's the right time that the farmers need to be trained on good agricultural practices like checking the quality of seeds while trying other farming activities like planting drought-resistant crops which will enable them to curb hunger in the next coming years.
Replacing maize farming with drought-resistant crops like sorghum, millet, green grams, pigeon peas and cowpeas will help the farmers.
They will overcome challenges like inadequate rainfall, severe drought and its damaging impact on maize planting since these crops have been bred through breeding techniques and biotechnology that makes them continue growing even when there is no rainfall.
It is high time for the agricultural institutions and organizations to enhance the training of farmers planting these crops to prevent a prolonged period of hunger that may affect more than 1.6 million people in the country and also hinder food insecurity.
These kinds of plants take a longer time to be harvested, farmers should take this challenge as an advantage of planting earlier to sore on time.
These crops not only increase the farmer’s yield but also last for a long time, making farmers able to sustain their families by selling the commodities once they get ready for harvesting.
They are healthy hence preventing lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes among other diseases.
Farmers are encouraged to consider other agricultural factors like soil fertility and practice mulching to keep soil moisture effective for cultivation.
For farmers to overcome the challenge of low crop yields which has caused food insecurity and famine, the government should implement other measures like irrigation and providing more funds in the agricultural sector to support the cultivation of drought-resistant crops.
Student, Maasai Mara University
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
