Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC) successfully hosted the NgareNdare Agriculture Expo 2025 at Ngarendare in Meru County drawing together hundreds of farmers, agricultural experts, stakeholders, and community members surrounding the conservancy and beyond.
The event was part of LWC’s ongoing commitment to promoting sustainable agriculture and climate change adaptation among surrounding communities.
During the Expo, the conservancy facilitated exchange of knowledge and showcased innovative, climate-smart agricultural practices designed to enhance resilience and sustainable land management.
Speaking during the Expo, Chief Programmes and Partnerships Officer Mr John Kinoti said the event attracted about 2000 farmers from Buuri in Meru, Laikipia and Isiolo.
Counties were aimed at imparting farmers with knowledge that will enable them to carry out sustainable farming and ways to go about it, especially during the current times of climate change.
“Climate change is here with us; we have inadequate water, among other challenges and this is the reason we want to teach our people how well they can carry out modern farming in order to have sufficient food,” said Mr Kinoti.
He said the conservancy decided to train the farmers considering the importance of having neighbours who have enough food and this will enhance peaceful coexistence with the animals.
He also called on the farmers to practice what they learnt on their farms including prudent use of rainwater as well as that which the conservancy has provided through drilling of boreholes.
“We are committed to bringing farmers together and having them learn about modern farming following the changes we are experiencing. They should know the types of crops to plant and how to do it for them to realise food sufficiency,” said Mr Kinoti.
According to the conservancy’s head of community programs Mr Lawrence Riungu, the Agricultural Expo stands as a testament to Lewa’s vision of integrating conservation and community development to build a climate-resilient future.
He added that the expo was one of the many ways of ensuring that their neighbours enjoy the benefits of conservation so they can move forward together.
The Expo featured a dynamic demonstration farm in partnership with alliance of Diversity International and CIAT, Meru County Government and key industry stakeholders, highlighting a wide range of sustainable technologies and best practices which included conservation agriculture, soil health and water management, water harvesting and drip irrigation technology, use of quality organic and inorganic fertilizers and adoption of hybrid and certified seeds, and drought-tolerant varieties.
Others included integrated pest management, forestry and agroforestry systems, nutritious fodder production and fodder conservation (silage making), animal health management, renewable energy solutions (solar and biogas technologies), post-harvest handling innovations (hermetic storage bags) and market linkages to strengthen agricultural value chains.
Soil scientist Mr Boaz Waswa said, “Through our partnership with LEWA and other stakeholders we have been able to bring climate-smart agricultural solutions directly to farmers, empowering them with the knowledge and tools to build resilience and improve their livelihoods.
“Farmers attending the event extended their gratitude to LWC and all participating industry partners for their engagement and commitment to building a more resilient.
By Dickson Mwiti
