CHANGING THE FORTUNES

OF FARMERS AND FAMILIES

IN MURANG’A COUNTY, KENYA

The Organic Agriculture Centre of Kenya (OACK) saw that by providing

the right skills, information and support, they could help small-scale
farmers move away from subsistence farming and into thriving
livelihoods that improve their local communities and the landscapes
they live in.
Kangari village in Murang’a county, Kenya, has In reality, what started as a quick fix has ended
practiced mono-cropping for many years. Nearly in a long-term decrease in yields. Agrochemical
80% of the land and the time spent farming use causes environmental degradation and soil
focuses on tea crops, which are planted purely erosion. What’s more, unforeseen circumstances
for income but hold little additional value as such as disease or adverse weather can ruin a
sustenance to local farmers and their families. harvest causing devastation to a farm that yields
only a single crop.
Understandably, many smallholder farmers have
turned to non-sustainable practices with the hope Worse still, Murang’a farmers are often knowingly
of increasing the yield and therefore their profit. targeted by banks who offer them high-interest
They invest in chemical fertilisers and pesticides loans taken out against prospective annual
that claim to boost growth, and they focus solely incomes. When crops fail to meet anticipated
on cash crops, neglecting the produce that could levels of production, farmers are unable to repay
also feed their families. these loans and are forced into debt.

Over-reliance on a single crop has Knowing that agroecology and organic farming
practices are vital to the solution, OACK works
proven detrimental to soil fertility and with smallholder farmers in Murang’a. Since 2006,
food security time and time again, and they have equipped farmers with agroecological
the consequences in Kangari are no practices that improve long-term soil fertility,
tackle food insecurity and open up multiple
less dangerous. sources of income to smallholder farmers.

Samuel’s Story
Samuel comes from a long line of farmers. He owns two acres of farmland, 75% of which is dedicated
to farming tea. On the remaining half-acre, he grows other crops and keeps some cattle and a beehive.
Eager to generate as much profit as possible from his tea crop and to protect it from harm, Samuel
has moved from one chemical pesticide to another. He noticed that pests soon became immune
and he was forced to buy stronger chemicals. It was a growing financial burden as well as having a
terrible impact on his soil.
Seeking a better solution ‘I have a book and a pen which is
the soil and my working tools. The
On meeting a farm educator from OACK, Samuel
was curious to learn more about organic farming
knowledge I have is practical and
and joined a five-day introductory course with must be applied and shared with
25 other smallholder farmers. He learnt several other farmers and friends for a better
practical skills, such as how to make sustainable
future.’ - Simon, Eshiruli village.
bio-fertilisers and studied the benefits of crop
diversification and how to implement it.

Turning away from chemical fertilisers, Samuel

began incorporating manure from his cattle into
a compost fertiliser and fermenting their urine
with onion and sappy plants to create organic
pesticides. They proved effective both for pest
control and in restoring the soil fertility which
had been stripped by the synthetic fertilisers. As
time went on and he experimented with different
techniques, Samuel found a substantial 40%
increase in his tea leaf harvest. Samuel at the composting area next to the cowshed

Working with, not against, nature

With his soil health back on track, Samuel started His kitchen garden, intended to provide his
growing vegetables using deep dug beds and family with a cheap, reliable source of nutritional
planting natural pest deterrents such as Mexican food, was soon abundant with a rich diversity of
marigold and onions – aromatic plants that repel indigenous and exotic fruits, vegetables, and root
pests away from the primary crops. crops. Through the year, the garden yields staples
and superfoods: amaranth, kale, cabbages,
Samuel’s kitchen garden saves his carrots, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins,
family 700 shillings a week on food capsicums, coriander, gourds, beans, onions,
purchases, and provides a surplus maise, gooseberries, passionfruit and avocados.
to sell, earning him a further 3500
“My farming life suddenly changed as
shillings a week.
I understood how to use cattle manure
Partnering with OACK, the Upper Tana Nairobi and weeds to make my own fertilisers
Water Fund (UTNWF) gave Samuel and his and pesticides. I’m convinced that
peers training on agroforestry and seedlings of the soil on my farm is better, going by
Calliandra Calothyrsus which are not only great
for soil enrichment but created quick and easy
what I now harvest.” - Samuel
fodder for Samuel’s cattle.

Samuel in his kitchen garden planted with amaranth Samuel shows his newly established Calliadra hedge
Creating a buzz “Bees are good and advantageous
because they collect nectar from
Samuel found yet another stream of revenue flowers in neighbouring farms
from commercial bee-keeping. What started as
a hobby many years before has developed with and bring to me in the form of honey,
the help of UTNWP into a profitable business. without anyone taking offence.”
He expanded his beehives and now harvests, Samuel
packages and sells the honey locally bringing in
20,000 shillings a year. He also makes hives for
other local farmers, charging between 3,500-
4,000 shillings each and providing bee-keeping
training.

Bee-keeping is not the only thing that brought

these farmers together. Samuel belongs to a
collective of local farmers and has convinced
many to follow him into organic farming. Their
success has led to a chance to avoid commercial
loans and create friendly, low-interest loans to
Samuel beside a Tithonia diversifolia hedge along
one another instead.
one of the bounders

Proof that diversification is key

With a loan from his neighbours, Samuel was able In the ten years since switching to organic
to buy a dairy cow which produces manure for farming, Samuel has seen a dramatic turnaround
his farm, milk for his family and surplus to sell. His in the livelihood of his farm and his family. With
investment was worthwhile as he makes 400-500 the profits from the farm, he has been able to
shillings a day from the 18 litres his cow provides. provide his family with a healthy, nutritious diet
and a stable income - enough to send his children
Never one to settle, Samuel’s newest enterprise to school.
is seed bulking. He has focused on cultivating
varieties of indigenous crops that are more “The money I get as a result of
compatible with local soil and the needs of the organic farming has helped me
community. In turn, he has been selling these to
educate my three sons and a
other farmers, boosting his income by 20,000
shillings last year, and forcing corporate seed daughter without a hard struggle.” -
distributors out of the loop. Samuel
By making their own fertilisers Indeed, there are still some challenges, including
and pesticides, buying and selling periods of prolonged droughts. However, ever
seeds locally, and providing one optimistic, Samuel has tackled these head-on.
another with low-interest loans, the With the assistance of UTNWP, he began water
harvesting on his farm, building large storage
small-scale farmers of Murang’a tanks to catch rainwater. They have been integral
are boosting their economy and in combating the dry seasons and protecting his
stepping away from the iron grip crops.
of self-interested commercial
corporations.
 From Tea-Farmer to
Entrepreneur
Samuel’s ability to adapt organic farming
processes to the needs of his farm, combined
with his ambition and creativity shows that it is
possible to reduce much of the risk that comes
with farming in Kangari. He shows that there is a
great benefit to commercial diversification and
a conscious understanding of our dependence
on nature.

Samuel is just one of nearly 16,000 farmers

assisted by the OACK project. They are living
proof that the move away from chemical-
dependent degenerative agriculture and into
agroecological practices enables farmers to
become self-sufficient as well as responsible
custodians of the land.

What next?
OACK is keen to raise awareness of the negative
impact of industrial agriculture on Kenya’s farmland
and the roles that farmers and consumers play in
restoring its sustainability.

Samuel proves that smallholder farmers hold both

great potential and a strong desire to move from
subsistence farming to prosperous livelihoods
that support the local agriculture and economy.
Combining indigenous knowledge with the right
training, farmers and their families can contribute
and thrive on the landscapes they entirely depend
upon.

Now agroecology actors and proponents must

come together to drive this transformation. By
working with farmers, community leaders and
policymakers, it is possible to develop farmer
centred policies that turn away from chemical
dependant agriculture to sustainable practices
that foster resilience, independence and dignity
to farmers across the continent.
Samuel selling spinach to one of his local customers

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS WHO IS AFSA?

Author: Duncan Ndirangu Kariuki, AFSA brings small-scale farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, indigenous
Community Facilitator, Organic peoples, faith groups, consumers, youth and activists from across the
Agriculture Centre of Kenya (OACK) continent of Africa to create a united and louder voice for food sovereignty. For more information
Email: AFSA encourages the use and reproduction of this case study for and more African
ndirangungari2@yahoo.co.uk non-commercial use provided that appropriate acknowledgment of the case studies see
source is given. our website
www.afsafrica.org