The perception of county as a vast wasteland hostile to crop farming is changing thanks to tried-and-tested drip irrigation used in Israel’s Negev desert.
Mention Turkana County and what spring to mind are images of a vast barren land where the only surviving vegetation is the drought-tolerant acacia trees.
Many would consider it crazy for anyone to suggest that they want to head to this semi-arid region to farm. After all, it is always the first centre of focus by the media anytime drought sets in.
And currently, the county has not been spared by the drought that is ravaging many parts of the country, which the government has even declared a national disaster. However, something great is beginning to happen in this expansive county that covers about 13 per cent of the country’s entire territorial surface. Beneath those heartbreaking images of famine-stricken elderly men and women in parts of the county, is a cradle of hope. A new narrative is that of colourful fresh produce that is bringing hope of a bountiful harvest; and goodbye to hunger. The green field of lush vegetables ranging from watermelons, kales, spinach, sweet melons, beans, and maize to tomatoes, among others, stands like an oasis in this ‘forsaken’ part of the country.
It is a tale of what irrigation technology can do to change the fortunes, and how through drip irrigation, residents with the help of some organisations, are transforming the area.
Residents of the area are enjoying the fruits of a project dubbed, “Furrows in the Desert”, a partnership of like-minded organisations keen on changing the pastoralist culture of relying on meat, milk and blood, as the only food. This common objective brought together. The Arava Institute, MCSPA (Catholic Mission Saint Paul), KKL and Britolam.
And Amiran Kenya came in as the input supplier. Today, most local residents are using Amiran’s Family Drip System, an all-embracing gravity-based drip irrigation system that uses low-volume drip-irrigation technology.
It drips precise quantities of water and nutrients right at the root zone. This results in a highly-effective distribution of water, and leads to improved crop quality and increased year-round yields.
“For an area with limited rainfall for crop growth, drip irrigation together with customised modern farming techniques, are the best proven ways to make Turkana, bloom,” says Mr Or Algazi, the project’s operation manager.
Introduced by Amiran Kenya, this form of irrigation is designed to allow precious and scarce water to be used at extreme limits to grow crops. Invented by Netafim Israel in the 1960s, drip irrigation has played a major role in ‘greening the desert’. The Negev Desert, which covers over 60 per cent of Israel, has shrunk in size over the past century as sand has been turned sand into green fields.
Furrows in the desert
Introduced by Amiran Kenya, this form of irrigation is designed to allow precious and scarce water to be used at extreme limits to grow crops. Invented by Netafim Israel in the 1960s, drip irrigation has played a major role in ‘greening the desert’. The Negev Desert, which covers over 60 per cent of Israel, has shrunk in size over the past century as sand has been turned sand into green fields.
“Furrows in the Desert” is working with a group of more than 120 farmers between the ages of 18 and 55 years. The farmers undergo a six-month training in agriculture and are then encouraged to begin their own farms on plots measuring 500 square metres.
The trainings carried out at the project demo farm touch on land preparation, dealing with clay or sandy soil, drip irrigation installation and effective use, seeds, crop protection and nutrition.
Graduates return home and are expected to transfer the knowledge to their communities. Mr Algazi and his team then provide them with the Amiran Family Drip System, seeds and crop protection products to begin their farming.
“Furrows in the Desert” is working with a group of more than 120 farmers between the ages of 18 and 55 years. The farmers undergo a six-month training in agriculture and are then encouraged to begin their own farms on plots measuring 500 square metres.
The trainings carried out at the project demo farm touch on land preparation, dealing with clay or sandy soil, drip irrigation installation and effective use, seeds, crop protection and nutrition.
Graduates return home and are expected to transfer the knowledge to their communities. Mr Algazi and his team then provide them with the Amiran Family Drip System, seeds and crop protection products to begin their farming.
Now on its eighth course with more than 19 trainees, graduates and their families are now including cereal and vegetables in their meals instead of the traditional meal of only livestock products.
The agro-support team brings agro-knowledge to the farm level and walks with the farmer throughout the entire season, carrying out field visits at least once every two weeks to give a helping hand. Why has “Furrows in the Desert” project recorded immense success among the conservative pastoralists?
“In addition to improved farming methods, we have learnt through experience that you must feed the mind and the soul collectively. This means that as we train our new farmers, we forge a friendly relationship with them. Most organisations have tried setting up agro-projects in this community, but sadly, most do not do well.
“This is because organisations do not take time to understand the community; their traditions and way of living. This way, the community does not take up the ‘new’ as they deem it ‘not for them’ and that it does not intermarry well with their beliefs. Our approach has been to live with the people, understand their likes and wants and later package a model of development that suites them,” Mr Algazi says.
Now five years old, the “Furrows in the Desert” project is still in its pilot phase and recognises the great possibilities for Turkana County. The project believes that with more focused partnerships, the county can attain its full potential, turning what most consider as bare, dry land into a great agribusiness.
It is a project that can be emulated by other counties, as well as across other African nations. As the late American superstar of the 1960s Marilyn Monroe once put it clearly, “the sky is not the limit, your mind is”.
Flooded roads breathe life into farms
In these times of drought and climate change, with water scarcity becoming prevalent, it is imperative that we harvest and save whatever little water we can find. There are various ways of going about it.
However, one very interesting innovation that has received little attention is road water harvesting. Yes, you can harvest the water that runs off the road on to its sides before disappearing somewhere. Sometimes it forms puddles, or deep gulleys or flows into your shamba, wreaking havoc on your crops.
You can stop the damage and turn this destructive force to your own good, especially if you live in a semi-arid area where lack of rain causes a lot of pain. There are farmers already using this method and reaping the benefits of a free alternative water source and this is also making them more resilient to climate change impact and water scarcity.
Harvesting runoff water from roads harnesses what would otherwise go to waste. It also leads to higher water availability, increased production, the safeguarding of roads and landscapes and improvement of the livelihoods of the communities bordering roads; while recharging the ground water levels.
There are many types of fruit trees and crops on this three-and-a-half acre piece of land that is also graced by a tall healthy coconut tree in the middle
Roads often cause floods and water logging, while the runoff from culverts causes erosion and sedimentation. However, these same roads present a great potential that can be harnessed for the development of reservoirs for increased resilience. Smart Farmer set out to discover more about this from farmers already tapping into this unusual resource. The sun blazed up in the sky as we drove to Kitui County. It was a very hot and dry day, especially at this time of the year. Kilometre upon kilometre, we travelled across the semi-arid landscape, until we arrived at our destination, which turned out to be a huge surprise. Etched out of a dry and unforgiving environment, the greenery and the cool breeze that ushered us into the farm was amazing. The Smart Farmer team had come all the way from Nairobi, driving almost 190km, to see Mr Edward Kiema Ndolo, a retired police officer, who is defying all odds by harvesting from the road to turn his farm into a green haven.
Immediately we stepped out of the car, we could feel the change in environment from hot and dry to a cool breeze that gently caressed the face. Mr Ndolo has been using road run-off for the last 20 years and this has seen his yields double. All around this farm are huge trees with rustling leaves that completely engulf it, giving it that look of an oasis.
Harvesting runoff water from roads harnesses what would otherwise go to waste. It also leads to higher water availability, increased production, the safeguarding of roads and landscapes and improvement of the livelihoods of the communities bordering roads; while recharging the ground water levels
There are many types of fruit trees and crops on this three-and-a-half acre piece of land that is also graced by a tall healthy coconut tree in the middle. And even more impressive is the moistness of the soil underfoot. It is a rich soil, full of biomass that holds promise of a rich harvest.