At least 200 farmers in Nakuru have benefited from a training program on climate-smart agricultural practices (CSA) aimed at addressing climate change adaptation and enhancing sustainable land management.
The farmers drawn from across the 11 sub-counties were educated on various climate-smart agriculture technologies, including conservation agriculture, soil health management, and soil and water conservation and management.
Through the initiative conducted at the Agricultural Society Grounds by the County Government of Nakuru in partnership with the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) and industry stakeholders and partners, the participants were taken through water harvesting, drip technology, use of quality inorganic and organic fertilizers and hybrid seeds and drought-tolerant varieties, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
According to County Chief Officer for Agriculture Engineer Margaret Kinyanjui, the venture was part of efforts aimed at achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal number 2 of ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
She said the program was designed to increase the technical know-how of farmers on climate-smart agriculture approaches, unlock market-driven value chains for youth and women, improve their capacity to participate in productive land and water management, and increase the women in agribusiness’ access to finance.
The chief officer said through such partnerships, the devolved unit was facilitating knowledge exchange, enhancing resilience, and promoting sustainable development by leveraging extensive networks and expertise.
The comprehensive training programme, she added, was designed to strengthen agricultural productivity through the adoption of modern farming technologies and best practices ahead of the South Rift Region Agricultural Trade Fair scheduled for July 1 to July 6 this year.
The training program brought together government officials, veterinarians, researchers, private sector actors, and farmer representatives.
The training featured expert presentations on both crop and livestock production, providing participants with practical knowledge to address challenges affecting farm performance. Other areas farmers were trained on included agroforestry, nutritious fodder, fodder conservation, and uses of renewable energy sources.
While acknowledging that the current food production systems face an enormous challenge, the official said the county was scaling up climate-smart agriculture (CSA), an approach to food production that can improve productivity, increase resilience to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Agroforestry will also protect the crops from strong winds and pests.
These beneficial roles of trees will help increase crop yields,” the chief officer indicated.
In his presentation, Extension and Crop Protection Officer Mr. Samuel Matika guided farmers on soil fertility replenishment strategy based on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices, which advocate the use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers for balanced nutrient fertilization.
“This calls for precise and prescriptive fertilizer recommendations at the farm level which are based on precise soil testing to ensure increased, sustainable, and profitable crop production. Adoption of innovative soil sampling and testing techniques that are rapid with a high output will help increase sustainable food production and hence food security,” Mr Matika explained
He noted that with soil testing and the right fertilizer, farmers can witness an increase in yields by between 50 and 150 percent. He advised them to have their soils tested regularly to determine the fertility levels, preferably every three years.
He said collecting and conducting soil tests each year serves as a report card for the soil, where soil test reports help in determining soil organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, and levels of important macro- (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) and micronutrients (boron, zinc, among others).
Moving forward, he added, farmers should apply tailor-made or recommended fertilizer that has been informed by soil testing and that “addresses the uniqueness of their soils given that the one-size-fits-all approach has greatly contributed to acidifying and deterioration of soils and, with it, decline in farmer yields.”
Mr. Matika observed that Kenya faces mounting challenges in food security due to deteriorating soil health. He added that factors such as continuous cultivation without proper nutrient replenishment, increased population pressure leading to intensive farming, and inappropriate fertilizer application have significantly degraded soil health.
Farmers were introduced to various soil conservation techniques that help reduce land degradation, improve water retention, and sustain crop yields over time.
They further received training on soil sampling and analysis and learning the correct procedures for collecting representative soil samples for laboratory testing.
He informed the participants that the training initiative’s implications for Kenya’s food security were significant. By providing farmers with accurate soil fertility training, he stated they aim to optimize agricultural inputs and improve crop yields.
According to the official, this scientific approach to farming could help reverse the trend of declining soil fertility and enhance food production across the country.
Recent studies by KALRO scientists have exposed disturbing trends in soil degradation across Kenya’s agricultural regions. In 2024, researchers found that acidity levels in medium- and high-rainfall regions had reached a critical 63 per cent, significantly impacting farmers’ ability to maintain productive yields. This deterioration in soil health threatens the country’s food security and agricultural sustainability.
Multiple factors have contributed to this soil crisis. Continuous cropping without adequate nutrient replenishment, population pressure leading to intensive farming, and improper fertilizer application have all played significant roles in depleting soil fertility.
Furthermore, farmers’ limited access to soil testing services has resulted in uninformed farming practices, often exacerbating the problem.
Mr. Matika explained that soil health was the foundation of agricultural development, adding that there is no way the problem of food security can be addressed without touching on the deteriorating condition of Kenyan soils.
“Soil is the key factor in agricultural production and the largest reservoir of terrestrial carbon, vital to mitigation of the effects of climate change. Poor farming practices result in heavy soil compaction, loss of biodiversity and fertility, nutrient leaching, and erosion. Long-term effects of such land degradation include landslides, desertification, and invasion of invasive species,” he observed.
The Extension and Crop Protection Officer stated that healthy soils protect biodiversity and contribute to healthy food, free of harmful chemicals, which are detrimental to human, animal, and plant health. He added that healthy soils also mean healthy water systems, as no chemicals are discharged into rivers and other water sources.
He advised the farmers to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to cut chemical reliance, boost yields, and meet strict international food safety standards.
Mr. Matika elaborated that those studies have shown that farmers adopting IPM techniques—such as natural predators and crop scouting—can increase yields by up to 18 percent while simultaneously reducing pesticide use by 35 percent.
Livestock Production and Dairy Officer Mr. James Kamau, in his presentation on disease control and management, said the menace significantly disrupts Kenya’s agricultural sector by reducing milk and meat yields, triggering quarantines that restrict trade, and causing multi-billion-shilling losses in lucrative export markets.
Mr. Kamau observed that farmers can help control livestock diseases by taking their animals for routine vaccinations, enforcing strict farm biosecurity (such as restricting visitors and disinfecting vehicles), isolating new or sick animals, and ensuring feeds and water sources are free from contamination.
He noted that while livestock diseases are inevitable, timely diagnosis can play a critical role in preventing losses and averting deaths.
By Esther Mwangi and Carol Nyakio
