Many a time, torrential rains come pounding the country. This is what has happened over the last few weeks. Sadly, a great volume of this water finds its way to the ocean or lakes.
The Vice-Chancellor, Laikipia University, Prof Francis Lelo, is concerned, ‘the country is not even harvesting an eighth of the potential water.”
He adds, “The amount of water that comes to this country is enough to feed us, make us even produce and export to feed other parts of the world.”
Some of the worst affected regions are along the coastal region of Kenya. Prof Lelo wishes, “If we could find a way of retaining just 1/8 or 1/16 of that water so that it does not flow into the ocean or lakes, households can have their own kitchen gardens.” This may be possible, he says, if families dig their own reliable water pans.
Many young farmers are waking up to the realities of climate change. They are heeding Prof Lelo’s plea. These farmers recognise that to survive, they must adapt appropriately. One of them is Gift Mshila, 30.
Mshila has dug a water pan that hasn’t dried for six months; since December to May 27, 2015 at the time of visiting his farm. Lots of rain in May certainly increased the volume of water in his pan.
He’s dug trenches that trap run-off water from nearby paths and marshy areas into his more than 12-foot water pan.
This pan was once shallow and due to the heat, water would evaporate fast and his crops would wither. Not any more, after he deepened it.
He was motivated to have his own water pan after seeing what one of his friends had achieved as a result of it. He’s planted some trees around one side of his pan, to reduce evaporation.
Mshila is married with two children. His four-acre farm in Mariakani, along the Mariakani-Kaloleni Road, Kilifi County, sustains them adequately. “It pays,” he says about farming.
Many young people despise agriculture. “Even my friends wonder why I ventured into this. But when they visit me, they are amazed.”
One company in Mombasa once employed this young farmer, in 2010. He quit in order to try his hand at farming. “I was brought up through farming so I wanted to engage in it.” It’s now three years since he began serious farming.
He started with a manually operated pump (money maker), which cost him Sh12,000. He obtained a motorised one in 2014 at a cost of Sh25,000.
Using the motorised pump, he waters his crops every morning and evening whenever the heavens dry up. These times ensure low evaporation rates in this relatively hot region. He grows a variety of vegetables. Some are awaiting transplanting elsewhere.
He’s laid some long pipes to irrigate his vegetables and fruit trees. He acknowledges though, that he isn’t growing enough fruits yet. At the moment, he only has paw paws and passion fruits.
Mshila’s tract of land is on a slope. He’s planted vetiva grass (Vetiveria zizanoides) as a soil conservation measure. This is a densely tufted hardy grass that keeps soil erosion in check.
It helps in moisture conservation as the water soaks into the soil instead of being washed away.
His six head of cattle benefit from the napier grass he’s planted.
Mshila doesn’t live here. The land is reserved for food crop farming. Together with his wife and farm caretaker Hassan Mwalimu, they exert themselves to feed the people around them.
“Coriander (dhania) is a source of quick money,” Mshila says. “It takes between three-four weeks and it doesn’t require a large portion. Yet one earns a lot.” He also grows capsicum. He is trying tomatoes for the first time.
His biggest market, he says, is in Mazeras, about 20 kilometres from Mariakani towards Mombasa.
“I wish it could be a policy that every iron-roofed house should budget for a water tank for harvesting water. There is no clear position on this,” Prof. Lelo says, adding, “We need to become serious about water harvesting.”
When water is tapped, it can help families to uplift themselves, reduce poverty and fight food insecurity, the professor believes.
The uses of such trapped water cannot be underestimated.
“We have fish, but we haven’t started harvesting because that area is very deep,” Mshilla explains. He’s still exploring how best to start fishing. He is considering perhaps draining that water elsewhere to create some ease.
He loves cassava because it is drought resistant. He doesn’t worry about it as he doesn’t have to water it.
Mshila is also trying to rear poultry—chicken and guinea fowl. Even though his three beehives are only three months old, they have already attracted bees. It may be just a matter of time before honeycombs bring him some more fortune.
The Mariakani ward Agricultural officer, Kaloleni Sub-county, Neville Gari Kai notices that Mshila’s farm qualifies to serve as a demonstration plot for farmers in this region. Mshila is open to this suggestion.
Kai says there are now 96 communal and six individual water pans in Kaloleni sub-county.
– KNA
