Blog: Agriculture & Food Security

Friday, December 23, 2016 - 03:12 by Allan Wekesa

Pastoralist community embraces farming in Samburu

In a community where sheep, goats and cattle are highly valued and often, considered the only source of income, nutrition and symbol of wealth, health and status, cultivating land for the Samburu community is a huge departure, from tradition.

Evidence available from research shows, that there is a gradual decline in communal grazing lands in arid and semi-arid lands such as in Samburu County. The decline has necessitated need for pastoral communities to find alternate...

Forests - Supermarkets of the poor

Driving to southern in the Humbo region of Ethiopia takes about six hours from Addis Ababa. Many centuries ago, Ethiopia was a green country. Today, many regions are completely dried up. We are shocked how degraded the land is. Often we see deep trenches three meters deep and more have eaten into the ground through rain and the floods. Here and there are individual trees dotting grey fields, parched by the sun. Cattle and goats huddle in the shade and the...

The Day I Became a Farmer

I never dreamed of being a farmer. I know that farming is not an easy job. It is even more difficult if farming does not run in the family or if no land has been passed on to you as an inheritance.

But I’m fortunate to know Ngaw, a farmer in Bo Thong sub-district, Thong Saen Khan district who was willing to teach me how to grow organic rice.

The mild morning sunlight glittered on the crystal clear water of a slow-moving stream that runs parallel to the lush green...

The Bird’s Announcement – Change is on the Way

Five mothers walk side by side, laughing and talking as they reach the gate. Today, they’re celebrating – a new centre is about to open.

The mothers are wearing their best clothes, sleeveless dresses of blue, red and black cotton and have carefully tucked their long hair behind their ears. These women, and the other residents I meet, are smiling widely with anticipation – it’s almost a carnival feeling.

But there are no acrobats or magicians in this...