Busia: Busia county government, through the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program, has continued to empower farmers with skills and expertise to conduct climate smart agriculture as a means of tackling climate change and boosting food security. This initiative, aimed at supporting small-scale farmers, has centered on the development of a 30-acre climate-resilient horticultural park at Benga village in Nambale sub-county, where a selected group of 120 farmers were each allocated a quarter of an acre to carry out agriculture.
According to Kenya News Agency, farmers received seeds to grow various crops such as capsicum, kales, butter nuts, and watermelons. Speaking to the press, farmers praised the initiative, describing it as a transformative measure for many families, as it serves as their main source of income, with most earning an average of Sh 2,000 per week. Agnes Anyango, a farmer from Nambale, expressed gratitude, stating, “I want to sincerely thank the county government and FLLoCA progr
am for empowering us with smart ways of doing agriculture. I used to depend on my neighbors for food and other necessities but now I grow capsicum and kales which generates roughly Sh2,500 on a weekly basis thus helping me to become independent as well as supporting my family.”
The initiative enables farmers to produce food crops throughout all seasons, even during harsh climatic conditions such as drought, due to the adoption of irrigation-based farming, which protects them from losses and prevents crops from withering. However, farmers face challenges such as perennial rains and hailstones, which damage crops and result in significant losses. They have urged FLLoCA to introduce greenhouses to protect delicate crops like capsicum and kales. Michael Barasa, a farmer from Nambale, stated, “Busia County is often faced by the challenge of perennial rainfalls and flooding. This poses a big risk to our crops and it will affect our income if not addressed. I urge FLLoCA to consider constructing greenhouses which w
ill protect our crops and our pockets.”
Busia County has emerged as an agricultural hub due to the adoption of climate smart agriculture, which has significantly improved the livelihoods of its residents and combated the adversities of climate change. The initiative aligns with the government’s Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) program, which aims to stimulate economic growth and livelihoods from the grassroots level. Busia CECM agriculture Dr. Symplisius Mukok praised the Benga irrigation scheme project, noting its immense transformation of locals through smart agripreneurship. “Being implemented by the local community, the project features key infrastructure including an intake weir, a raised steel water storage tank, and solar-powered systems for irrigation, as well as vegetable drying and cooling. Eight acres are under drip irrigation while 22 acres are under sprinkler irrigation system,” said Dr. Mukok. “Here farmers will soon be harvesting a variety of vegetables, including African leafy
vegetables, which are well-suited to changing climate conditions and offer both nutritional and economic value,” he added.
The locals have hailed the initiative as a model for sustainable, locally led climate adaptation, and it is expected to significantly improve livelihoods and food availability in the region.