Kenyans Turn to Ecological Farming
Increasing numbers of Kenyan farmers are venturing into ecological farming. They say the benefits are much better than conventional farming.
This is a partnership with the farmers and Greenpeace Kenya and several other organizations.
“Ecological farming brings me more income per acre as compared to the normal type of farming. For instance, I harvest about seven to eight bags of maize, green grams, and and beans combined as i do intercropping. Each bag is 90 kilograms”, says Samuel Wathome, a farmer from Matungulu in Machakos County in Eastern Kenya located an hour’s drive from the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
Wathome says that with ecological farming. Use of organic fertilizers is common.
“Crop damage is minimal. For instance, use of compost manure derived from farm waste does not have any side effects.
“Conventional pesticides do damage the crop but this one you do not use any pesticides. Incase of disease in fot instance the green grams, it will not affect the other crops”, Wathome added.
Alex Wynter/KRCS-Climate Centre