Laisamis Sub-County Food & Nutrition Security And Resilience

Enhancement Project (FONSAREP)

FY 16

WORLD VISION KENYA

Mrs Sajilo Mirgichan (Chairlady of Salmate Women Group) transplanting kales in her kitchen

garden

Implemented by

Report on Kitchen gardening in Laisamis area

Authors:

This report was written by Ministry of Agriculture Marsabit County & Laisamis Sub-county and

World Vision Kenya, with team members as below:

MoALF

John Murungi -MoALF Laisamis Sub-county

Ali Shama- MoALF Laisamis Sub-county

Roba Bante – MoALF North Horr Sub County

World Vision Kenya – Laisamis ADP

Kamadi Victor- P.O Food Security

Introduction

Laisamis Sub-County Food & Nutrition Security And Resilience Enhancement Project

(FONSAREP), is working with communities in the pastoral setup on interventions targeting

food and nutrition security. In line with SDG 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved

nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture, and aligning with SO1: Improved livelihood and

resilience for youth, households and communities for enhanced child well-being. Women

groups were earlier on given an opportunity to identify the diversified crops they would want

to establish. Among the crops identified were kales, spinach, butternut, Jews Mallow (mrenda),

amaranthus (terere), cowpeas. Moringa incorporation (a nutritious tree food) is also, in

progress, being the project design idea.

Kitchen garden demonstration and training started on 11th April 2016 to 13th May, 2016.The

training aim at setting the Laisamis traditional vegetable crops production on the growth path.

Training emphasized on crop production technique, kitchen Gardening and Multi-storey garden

(MSG) crop production as means of improving nutrition status, eradicating poverty and

achieving food security. The training identified kitchen gardening as the leading productive

sector for nutritional recovery. In addition, the session recognized that involvement of kitchen

garden production operation and investment in agricultural promotion and extension were

critical and essential for sustainable agricultural growth. The training was the launching pad for

revitalizing the kitchen garden productivity in Laisamis. Training identified key areas for actions

necessary to spur the recovery of the area productivity based on strengthening group

management;

Farmers were sensitized on the development of multi storey garden and aspect of high value

traditional vegetable crop production to meet the objective of alternative and diversification of

livelihoods, these was due to high stress periods, the natural resource base (water, pasture)

becomes insufficient to support and sustain livelihoods.

This coupled with lack of any appreciable harvesting of food crops in this arid county leads to

food shortages, malnutrition and poor health of people during drought. Recovery from drought

is a significant challenge because the impact of drought leaves household assets critically

depleted. Hence, the need exists for a strategic long-term, pro-active approach for food

production to increase the resilience levels of communities in the target areas and to promote

best production in order to minimize the losses of household assets.

To demonstrate actions that can be taken on the ground to increase resiliency in the ASALs of

Laisamis, a project was launched in the sub-County of Laisamis, The project seeks to demonstrate how an integrated approach that brings together to improved knowledge of

agronomic practices, greater access to traditional vegetable seeds, livelihood diversification can

strengthen the capacity of rural community to cope with drought today and in the future to

improve nutritional standard. It is driven by a participatory process through which the women

of Laisamis have identified their priority concerns and desired responses, and linked with

technical knowledge and support provided through the World Vision and County government.

By bringing these groups together, the project aims to demonstrate measures at the field level

that can be taken to reduce the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to climate variability and

climate change. It also aims to feed this knowledge to practices at each household.

Background information

Laisamis Ward is characterized by sunny and sandy and rocky soil, the water is saline and have

adequate water source shallow wells scattered around the village. Communities are pure

pastoralist, the need to diversify livelihood means to increase food security, build resilience and

improve nutrition status of the children and elderly. The potential of the area in sack gardening

is good due to availability of fertile soil around the foot slope of the hills and plenty of farm manure. The communities buys their vegetable from town centers which comes from Meru. The

potential of the production in the area will create opportunities in creating income and reduce

vulnerability of the climate change, the lowland pastoral areas are situated in the Laisamis Sub-

County. These are the Laisamis ward; Laisamis, Lontolio and Merille; the Logologo ward;

Logologo and Kamboe, and Korr –Ngurinit Ward; Lependera, Ngurunit and Korr respectively.

In the lowlands, where pastoral management system is practiced, livestock is the principal source

of subsistence providing milk and cash income to cover family expenses for food grains and other

essential consumer goods. Further, these lowland pastoral areas have been the traditional source

of livelihood due to surplus output and preference of the livestock in the area. To earn substantial

benefit from this resource, the World vision Laisamis APA have been undertaking various

diversification of livelihood development projects to increase productivity and enhance the well-

being of the community. The most important of these is kitchen garden development. The rising

population in Laisamis areas is a boost to vegetable farmers. However, as the demand rises,

community don’t have knowledge on vegetable production due to their nature in pastoral lifestyle

and aridity of the area. This compounds the food insecurity problem and malnutrition.

Appropriate technologies for growing of vegetables like kale in Water scarce area, therefore,

should be adopted. One such technology is bag culture, also referred to as sack gardening, multi-

storey or vertical farming. Bag culture improves nutrition status, food security and incomes of

the Laisamis community. It facilitates growing of vegetables in areas without suitable soils or

adequate water, promotes efficient and effective utilization of available water and nutrients and

provides fresh, safe and clean vegetables.

People of Laisamis have long experienced drought due to unreliable and poorly-distributed

rains.

However, the rains have become more unpredictable. This pattern is consistent with projections that Kenya’s vulnerable ASALs will experience an increase in the frequency and

severity of droughts and significant declines in rainfall due to climate change resulting in a

growing level of household food insecurity due to a combination of poor or non-existent

harvests and higher food prices. Community vulnerability to disease increases as their nutrition

declines. Yet the current vulnerability of rural Community to climate change stems not just

from increasingly uncertain rainfall patterns. Rather, climate change is an additional stress that

compounds persistent development challenges such as a swelling population, land

fragmentation, the migration of people into sparser and drier lowlands areas, and inadequate

infrastructure and provision of social services. These factors combine to contribute to the

region’s considerable vulnerability to food insecurity and malnutrition. As such, efforts to

increase the capacity of Women group to cope with and adapt to a greater prevalence of food

insecurity requires a holistic approach that addresses their need for information, access to

technology, capacity building and new livelihood opportunities.

Objective of the kitchen gardening training and demonstration

1. To improve the nutrition status of the family involve in the crops production

activities

2. To supply the growing population of the community with increasing quantities

of food

3. To provide a satisfactory income for the farmer and his family.

4. To increase cultivation of High value crops

5. To impart farmers with production technology

6. Establish practical sack garden

7. Establish coherent farmers group

8. To enable farmers to acquire knowledge on principles of crop production

9. The diversification of livelihoods through promoting and using traditional vegetable

crops, training in small-scale farm management

10. The distribution of a diversified mix of locally appropriate, traditional vegetable seeds

at the community level.

11. Introduction of small agricultural equipment

The project aims to achieve following goals:

Establish the central role of women in agriculture Enhance technical knowledge of women as practitioners of agriculture

Enhance Productivity and improve Nutrition

Establish farming as a profitable and sustainable livelihood

Mother Support Groups Trained

The Trained Women group cluster within Laisamis, loglogo and Korr/Ngurnit ward, the groups

were;

Laisamis centre; Salmate, Silapani, Sigargaro, Lchoro, Beersheba,

Merille; Usafi, Umoja, Naningo, Lekiji Ndikir, Rapunye Ntumo women groups

Lontolio; Narapuate, Nkinapnap Lpusi, Naningo Kitachoni, Nalepu, Napanu

women groups

Logologo; Ngarmat Marti, Urgut Attrim, Namayana, Odhola and Nkibaricho

Kamboe; Namayana and Naretukon

Ngurunit; Ndoto, Ndiakache, Saigor and Naingetu

Lependera; Mengeti and mengetu groups

Schedule of Activities carried out

Date Area Topic Topic discussed

11-14/04/2016

and

3/5/2016

Laisamis Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

18-21/04 2016

Loglogo Kitchen gardening Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

4/5/2016 Lontolio Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

5/5/2016 Kamatonyi Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

6/5/2016 Merille Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

7/5/2016 Lontolio Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

9/5/2016 Kamboe Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

10/5/2016 Kamboe Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of crop in nursery and

sack.

11/5/2016 Lependera Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

12/5/2016 Ngurnit Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

13/5/2016 Ngurnit Kitchen gardening -Introduction of

kitchen gardening

-How to make

nursery.

-Nursery

management

-How to make sack

garden.

-Demonstration of

field establishment

-Management of

crop in nursery and

sack.

Dynamics of each Mother Support Group

1. Laisamis area

In sambamba area, the cohesiveness of the women group was perfectly good, they participated

in all activities during the training and demonstration, they have good attitude towards farming,

and have good knowledge of the crops trained on due to their proximity to town centre.

These group carried the soil from the foot slope near there manyatta, they have enough

manure in there homestead. Water source is not far from the farm site the distance is within

the reach.

These group were exposed with hands skills on how to establish nursery, management of

nursery and establishment of Multi-storey garden. The plot in which group established the

garden is well fence and well protected against livestock and poultry.

2. Lontolio area

The group members’ participation turnout was good, the attitude toward alternative livelihood

is generally fair, and the group require close monitoring due to their first involvement in crop

production activities. The group don’t have knowledge on the crops production techniques

trained on, some of the members have never seen vegetable grown in the garden. Their

participation is good during training and demonstration. The soil around the homestead is

sandy, the group collected the loam soil from the hill near the area, and the manure is abundant

in the area due to their involvement in livestock production.

3. Merille area

Usafi, Umoja, Naningo, Rapunye Ntumo and Lekiji Ndikir

The group trained have the basic knowledge of the vegetable trained on, they consist of literate

and semi-illiterate, The participation turnout during training is good, the two groups have one

common land to practice production techniques, their major problem is water for production

purpose, but if they utilizes the kitchen water use efficiently on the multi-storey garden at the

household level following the knowledge obtained during training on how to establish sack

garden (MSG), the production will be good, the soil in the area is sandy, the groups collected

the loam soil across the road not far from the site. Manure was collected from the nearby

village.

Naningo women group

The group consist of illiterate women group, the members have zeal in vegetable production, it

is their first time to have training on vegetable production, due to their nature the groups

require close monitoring for the successful adoption of the alternative livelihood, turnout

during training was not good due to the nature of their pastoral activities, some members were

absent. Members’ present participation was good, the soil condition in the village is good for

crops production and the area have sufficient manure. The training cut across all the element of

crop production; nursery production, nursery management and establishment of multi-storey

garden for vegetable production.

4. Ngurnit area

Adiakche e

Saigor

Naingetu

Ndooto

The group consist of active members, the group member’s participation was good.

Ndooto group established their nursery in a well fenced plot, the water is plenty and the soil is

good when mixed with manure. Sack garden was established at the site, nursery established

with spinach and kales respectively, the field under shed net was planted with cow peas and

butter nut.

Saigor and Naingetu women group participation was quite impressive the group members have

knowledge of some crops trained on, the establishment of sack garden and nursery in a well

fenced plot, cow peas and butter nut was also demonstrated on the site. The group promised

to replicate the technology in their homestead. Soil in the area is arable when mixed well with

manure.

5. Lependera

Mengatu

Nengetu

The group consist of very cohesive women group, they lack knowledge on crop production,

and hence the group require constant monitoring and capacity building. The site location is

good near the water source constructed by World Vision, the water will boost production in

the area thus improving the nutrition status of the community. The site where nursery was

established is well fenced. Crop established is butter nut, cow peas on the field and kales and

spinach on nursery, the group will replicate the technology trained on at household level.

Crops established for all groups trained

Spinach

Kales

Managu (night shade)

Cowpeas

Butter nut

Watermelon

Mrenda (jews mallow)

The methodology of the training and demonstration

Participatory discussions, observation and demonstrations were employed and the training was

made as simple as could be understood by the participants.

Principles of kitchen garden practices:

Consider factors of production- land, capital management etc.

Also consider: - what to produce, when to produce, where to produce, how to grow,

producing for whom.

Agronomic practices to follow: land preparation, propagation [direct seeding and

nursery establishment], transplanting, fertilizer and manures [nutrition], irrigation/water

application, crop protection, maturity, harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing.

In all the group site the format of the training and demonstration is the same, groups were

trained on;

1. Sack garden (Multi-storey garden production techniques).

2. Nursery establishment and management.

3. Field establishment

1. Sack garden (Multi-storey garden production techniques).

Farmers group were trained on layout and design for demonstration of the sack garden (Multi-

storey garden).Multi-storey gardening is a simple farming technology, which is aimed at

producing vegetables to supplement the food basket for micronutrient provision.

Tools and Equipment

1. Jembe – used to dig the soil that will be mixed with other components for constructing the

garden.

2. Forkjembe – used to dig the soil in hard ground areas.

3. Spade –used in collection and mixing the soil components.

4. Knive – used to cut the top and bottom part of the tin completely

5. Wheelbarrow – used to measure and transport the various soil parts to the recommended

ratio.

Equipment for MSG

1. Hollow tins.

2. Sacks.

3. Gravel.

4. Soil (main Part).

5. Manure.

6. Seeds.

7. Water. Purpose of various equipment

1. Hollow tins

To pass water through to the soil component

To hold the gravel in the sack

Filters dirty water 2. Sacks

Hold the soil.

To act as a planting base. 3. Gravel

To water garden through it.

To filter dirty water.

To divert the flow of waterside ways

4. Loam soil

Collect the topsoil for better crop development

Main soil part of the garden. 5. Manure

Provides nutrient to the soil for good plants growth.

Should be well rotten manure.

Construction of a bag garden

The procedure of the sack garden training and demonstration for all the women groups was the

same for the purpose of the replication of the technology to all the household of the targeted

women groups for kitchen garden production, the farmers groups were trained on the procedure

as follow;

A woman, fetching farmyard manure to prepare a garden (Lchoro Women Group-Laisamis)

The gunny bag is filled with the mixture of top soil and growing media. The cylindrical hollow can

is placed in the middle of the growing media and filled with the gravel. The area around the can

is filled with the growing media up to the brim and the can is gently pulled up, dropping the gravels

in the middle. The can is then placed on top of the gravel in the centre of the growing media,

refilled with more gravel and the area around it filled with the growing media as described above.

The refilling of the can and filling its surrounding area with the growing media is repeated until

the bag is filled. This process creates a continuous core of gravel in the centre of the bag mainly

for purposes of drainage and infiltration of water during irrigation. Once the bag is filled with the

growing media, planting holes are prepared by making T-cuts on the sides of the sack at a regular

spacing (at least 30cm apart). The kale/spinach seedlings are then transplanted by inserting a

seedling into each planting hole starting from the lower portion. More kale seedlings are finally

planted in open top area of the bag. Transplanting is followed by thorough watering of the bag.

Water is applied on top of the gravel forming a column or core in the centre of the bag. The

plants are watered daily if possible or on alternate days. The vegetable will be ready for harvesting

when the leaves are fully expanded. To avoid over-harvesting, at least three fully expanded leaves

should be left at the top. The harvested leaves should be maintained under cool conditions until

they reach the consumer.

Mixing of the manure and soil to make a mixture for the gunny bag garden (inset, one ready gunny bag

garden, Mr. Murungi, (MoA) training the women)

2. Nursery establishment and management.

Bed preparation

Bed preparation facilitates the ease in the cultivation operations like sowing and transplanting

and later in the intercultural operations. The width of a bed should not be more than 120 cm

and the length 150 cm or more. This width facilitates weeding and watering without trampling the bed. The bed is kept raised about 15 cm high so as to provide proper drainage of excess

water and the level of the bed surface is also made slightly raised in the centre with a little

slope on the two sides.

In all the groups trained, demonstration on how to establish nursery were the same, the

purpose of the nursery is a feeder for the sack garden developed by the group’s members at

household level during transplanting. The nursery should be watered by all the group’s

members in the morning and evening until the crop is ready for transplanting. Nursery

management and other cultural practices should be done by all the members. Crops established

in nursery include kales, spinach.

Namayana and Naretukon women group in Kamboe, clearing a piece of land to set up a nursery

and seed bed

Importance/Advantages of nursery raising in vegetable production

1: It is convenient to look after the tender seedlings.

2: Eliminates the problem of emergence in difficult soils.

3: Weed control easy

4: Can achieve close to 100% plant population

5: Shorter cropping cycle therefore can get earlier planting and harvest

6: Reduced field management costs

7: More uniform crop possible

8: Higher yield possible

Namayana and Naretukon women group involved in nursery set up (spinach and kales)

Factors to be considered for raising nursery

1: Location of the nursery

2: Near the farm house

3: Well exposed to the sun but protected against severe heat

4: Well protected against animal damage, strong winds.

Water

1: Near the water source

2: Continuous supply of good water

3: The seed bed should be kept moist not continually wet.

Soil

1: Soil should have a large quantity of organic matter

2: Soil texture should be neither too coarse nor too fine

3: Sufficiently porous and is adequately aerated

4: Has a fair degree of water holding capacity

5: Normally rich in all the necessary elements, but can be further improved by the normal

cultivation and with addition of manure

A spinach nursery in Kamboe, prepared by the women group

3. Field establishment

Under field establishment farmers group were trained on the; land preparation, planting depth

of each crops planted, spacing of the crops, planting density of each crops, watering and cultural

practices involved during production. Farmers were given seeds to practice production at their

household level. Seeds distributed were; cowpeas, water melon, butternut, night shade

(managu), jews mallow and amaranthus (terere).

Cowpeas growing, done by Beersheba group, Laisamsi; multistorey bag nursery for spinarch

Challenges and opportunities

Challenges

Poor soil

Inadequate crop production knowledge

Absentees of some group members during training

Distance from water source

Communal land hence Lack land for demonstration due to dynamics

Problem of handling farm tools

Wildlife/rodents/pests menace( squirrel, birds and monkeys)

Rocky farm site

Cultural beliefs/practices on crop production

Opportunities

Have adequate manure

Ready market for fresh agricultural goods

Land for expansion

Good road infrastructure for transportation

Development partners in activities related to livelihood

Plenty of water for drip irrigation in some areas e.g. Lependera, Kamboe, Loglogo, Ngurnit

Development of vegetable value chain

Way forward

The farmers’ groups’ attitude and participation in vegetable production in fact demonstrates the

need for a significant scale-up of efforts to construct additional and more diversified production

system, as the number of farmers’ interest is increasing. The training and demonstration will

continually strive to enhance women groups’ kitchen garden production and reduce poverty

and improve nutritional status of the communities through livelihood diversification. ToTs

within the groups, are going to act as change agents, to cascade the skills to the members of the

groups. In doing so, it will increase capacity to adapt to the kitchen garden production

techniques. By improving access to downscaled capacity building in kitchen garden

development, high value crops seeds, the project require strengthening and the coping capacity

of community members to embrace and adopt the crop production as alternative means of

livelihood.

The project introduced seeds from traditional vegetable crops. Farmers have been trained in

appropriate methods for sowing seeds, weeding, mulching. Beginning with group consist of each

20 farmers of whom were women group), household demonstration sites were established.

Through farmer-to-farmer learning, good percentage of the households in Laisamis will adopt

the practices promoted. Continuous and close monitoring as well as extension, will be done to

ensure kitchen garden adoption within households is achieved.

Various ways to improve crop farming suggested by the farmers during training:

Soil and water management: kitchen garden production (Sack garden production).

Water harvesting and storage: tanks, reservoirs.

Fertility management: manuring, mulching.

Drought-tolerant and early maturing crop varieties (traditional vegetable varieties,

cassava).

Production of high-value crops under drip irrigation: vegetables.

Recommendation

Farmers were trained on the production technology which utilizes minimal water due to

inadequate water source, farmers were taught on the means to increase nutritional status and

food security in the area which is sustainable in the future. Majority of groups were first

introduced to the alternative means of livelihood during this training and very few have basic

technique in crop production, since they are new to the production system, they need constant

monitoring and capacity building until they appreciate the crops production system.

The farmers showed a lot of interest in farming, their zeal and willingness in adopting farming as

alternative means of livelihood is evident in the area. The nursery established in all the groups’

farm site needs monitoring to check the growth, management of the nursery and possibly guiding

them on how to establish during transplanting.

Report written by:

Victor Kamadi Bill

Project Officer-Food Security

Laisamis ADP-Marsabit Cluster

World Vision Kenya