Restoring Land, Empowering Families: Mirriam Mepukori's FMNR Journey in Kajiado

In Oloirimirimi village, Kajiado County, a piece of land once dry and bare is slowly coming back to life. Small green shoots are pushing through the soil, and trees are returning. For Mirriam Mepukori, this land is more than a farm. It is a sign of hope and change for her family.

Mirriam, a young mother of two, is a lead farmer practicing the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) approach. She was trained through World Vision's Greater Regeneration for Evergreen Environment (GREEN) Project. Before the training, her land was degraded and produced no income, which put strain on the family.

“Before FMNR, our land was dry, our livestock were dying from lack of pasture, and I had no income. After the training, my income, livestock, and household all improved,” Mirriam says proudly.

With limited resources and mounting pressure at home, Mirriam knew something had to change. After attending the FMNR training, she began applying what she learned on her land. Instead of cutting down naturally growing tree shoots, she began protecting and managing them.

This simple, low-cost method began to transform her farm.

“In less than a year, I saw a big difference. Grass came back, trees started growing, and my livestock became stronger,” she explains.

Today, her land is not only greener but also more productive. The regenerated trees provide shade, improve soil fertility, and help retain moisture, all of which are especially important in this drought-prone area. Some trees also produce indigenous fruits, such as ximenias and wild berries, which are well suited to Kajiado's dry conditions.

These fruits boost the family's immunity and provide an additional source of income. Any surplus is sold at the local market. The trees also supply firewood, fodder for livestock, and protection against soil erosion. What was once barren now sustains both the environment and the family.

As the pasture improved, Mirriam's livestock became healthier and began producing more milk. She now collects seven liters of milk per day, which she sells at KES 30 per liter.

“I was getting only two litres of milk per day, but today I am able to collect seven litres. I sell at KES 30, which gives me KES 210 per day and KES 6,300 a month,” Mirriam says, smiling.

With this steady income, she is able to send her children to school, save alongside other lead farmers, and meet personal needs she once relied on others to cover. She also earns from the sale of fruits, particularly during harvest seasons, further strengthening household income.

But the change did not stop on the farm.

Through the Gender Transformative Approach (GTA) and Savings for Transformation (S4T), Mirriam and her husband began to change how they work together as a family. They learned the importance of communication, shared decision-making, and planning for the future.

At first, her husband Mepukori Silamoi did not fully understand the changes Mirriam was making.

“Before, I did not understand what Mirriam was doing. But when I saw the changes on our land, I decided to support her and become her replicator. Now we sit together, plan our income, and make decisions as a family. This has brought peace to our home,” he shares.

Today, Mirriam's farm continues to grow greener, and her family is more united than ever. As a lead farmer, she shares her knowledge with other women in her village, encouraging them to adopt FMNR and improve their livelihoods.

Her story shows that restoring land is not only about planting trees. It is about restoring hope, strengthening families, and building a better future. In Oloirimirimi, change is happening one tree, one family, and one decision at a time.

The GREEN Project, funded by the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), aims to restore 225,000 hectares of degraded land across Kajiado, Narok and Makueni counties in Kenya by 2028. Through this initiative, 55,000 agro-pastoral farming households trained on FMNR will become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

By Teresia Mwaura, Communications Officer, World Vision Kenya