Recurring drought cycles and changing weather patterns that have led to livestock deaths and crop failure in Kajiado County underscore the urgent need for climate-smart agriculture, resilient food systems, and sustainable land use practices.
To address these challenges, the Kajiado County Department of Agriculture, in partnership with World Vision Kenya, held a farmer field day at Maparasha in Kajiado Central under the KSEED project, with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
The project, implemented jointly with county technical officers, has established demonstration farms in Kajiado Central and Kajiado West to equip farmers with practical knowledge and skills in climate-smart agriculture.
During the field day, farmers, extension officers, and development partners shared experiences and explored innovative practices aimed at improving resilience to climate change.
Demonstrations included drought-tolerant crop production, pasture establishment and conservation, rainwater harvesting, beekeeping, kitchen gardening, and agroforestry.
Speaking during the field day, County Director of Agriculture Victoria Nthenya urged farmers to adopt drought-tolerant and early-maturing crops such as sorghum, millet, green grams, cowpeas, and pigeon peas to reduce the risk of crop failure and improve household food security.
She also encouraged farmers to embrace conservation agriculture practices such as mulching, minimum tillage, and fertility terraces to improve soil health and moisture retention.
Nthenya noted that the department is further promoting fruit tree planting as part of agroforestry to diversify food sources, improve nutrition, and enhance environmental conservation.
The director said farmer-led innovation is key to helping communities adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns while building more resilient livelihoods.
By Diana Meneto
