Implementing Techniques from SAWBO Animations: Highlights From the Matawa Demonstration Farm in Kenya

 

By Gabriel Ingubu

 

Livingstone Okhasia 

 About agriculture in Lureko, Mumias Kenya

 

Even before 1800, Mumias town was known as Lureko. Lureko comes from a Luhya word Okhureka which means to trap. The Wanga kingdom, where Mumias is situated, is historically known to a center of trade where goods and services were exchanged with neighboring communities and those living in the coastal regions of Kenya. The ruler of the kingdom, King Mumia, enacted his headquarters in Lureko, where he ruled the kingdom, carried out economic activities, and interacted with religious leaders. Those who visited the headquarters indicated they stated, “I am going to Mumia’s.” Hence the birth of the name.

 The warm and wet climate, arable soil, and hardworking people of Mumias are a good fit for agriculture as the main economic activity. The town that once marveled courtesy of Mumias sugar milling factory is now struggling to maintain its name. Commercial sugar cane farmers are now turning to subsistence farming because the factory is no longer operating. According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) 2022 Report, Mumias area grew 21,538 ha of sugar cane in 2017 this has reduced to just 274 ha in 2021.

Caught unaware, many farmers have been forced to utilize their farms for cereals, vegetables, and other food crops, but due to a lack of knowledge on good agricultural practices, they can`t meet the demands of the town.

Since the introduction Scientific Animation Without Borders (SAWBO) content into Lureko, what was just a thought is now turning into a reality, with more farmers taking notes from the videos and applying them to their farms. Based in the United States of America, and at Purdue University, SAWBO dispenses its videos on social platforms such as, television and WhatsApp, at workshops, community events, etc in local languages. Anyone can download and use SAWBO’s content “as is” – you can copy it, share it with others, and use it as you would like to learn from it or help others in your community.  In order to accelerate sharing of the content, SAWBO has created partnerships with likeminded organizations and individuals to help disseminate the content wild and wide to the deepest villages where internet friendly equipment and platforms are considered a luxury

About five kilometers from Mumias town, exists Matawa Demonstration Farm. Here, some of the strategies found in the video animations are implemented.  This is supported through efforts of Global Youth Groove (GYG), a SAWBO collaborator.  Situated on nine acres of land, this farm has turned into a community learning center for sustainable agriculture. “We collect all the waste from animals and plants, turn it into manure, and then use it for crop production,’’ Said Paul Lutomia, farm supervisor.

 

The farm is expected to harvest about eight tones of compost manure that they have prepared with the use of biodegradable materials collected on the farm mixed with animal waste. “After watching the SAWBO video on preparing compost survival gardening, we realized that we have more than enough materials on this farm already,” said Livingstone Okhasia, who also manages the farm. Livingstone and Paul and other farm employees are determined in making sure that the farm maximizes all the resources available to produce healthy food.

 

The raised bed planting SAWBO video has also been impactful. Vegetable production is like water to fish for Paul, who has over 35 years of experience as a vegetable farmer. On the farm, he has embraced a raised bed land preparation system where most African leafy vegetables are grown besides exotic ones. “The raised bed system is the best approach in preparing land for better yields, especially for vegetables.” He then showed me the bed he had made, ready to plant.

 

The 10 plots of 2 X 9 meter beds combined, have the capability of producing 100 kilograms of food per week[BP1] [B2] . “We raise the fine soil up to one and a half feet high for water retention and separate a bed from each other by a trench, which also serves as a walkway,” explains Paul. “You are not supposed to step on the bed but can bend to half, then cross over the other side to finish the other half. That is why we do two meters width.”

 Generally, the demand for vegetables in Mumias town is very high, especially during the low rain season that picks up from November to March. “Most farmers here depend on rain, but on this farm, we have gone an extra mile to drill a borehole for irrigation,” says Paul. Demarcating the farm plots with arrow roots is the highest level of land utilization. Around the vegetable area, is a fence of 2500 stems that have the ability to fetch up to KShs. 250000 (about $2500 USD) when all other factors are kept constant. By practicing climate smart agriculture as shown on SAWBO videos, the farm can withstand the adverse challenges of weather and maintain its peak organic food production.

 

Survival Gardening: Raised Planting Beds

 

Farming with raised planting beds is a great way to keep your crop safe and increase your yields. This agricultural technique reduces soil compaction and improves the quality of the soil. It protects your plants during times of excess rainfall. This animation, SAWBO Raised Planting Beds, describes how to implement this technique and how to maintain your new raised planting beds.

Paul Lutomia and Livingstone Okhasia working on raised beds. Photo by Gabriel Ingubu

 

 

Pastor Camulus Amukoa inspecting cowpea on raised beds. Photo by Gabriel Ingubu

 

Science doesn't lie! The raised bed faming method is proving to be the right way of doing vegetable farming. On the Matawa demo farm, Pastor Camulus Amukoa is putting information from SAWBO videos into practice, and everything is doing fantastic! In the picture above you can see that cowpea has formed canopies on two beds. The vegetables are pure organic.