The Standard Wednesday Life Magazine
Date: 06.01.2016
Page 3
Article size: 638 cm2
ColumnCM: 141.77
AVE: 0.0
Why Nyalani is Kwale's new breadbasket
Adam was built, pipes
laid to make irrigation
possible which has
converted the region
into afood­rich zone
Nyalani lies somewhere, lost in society," he says.
Each farmer has eight rows in
the vast Kwale County and its
name may not elicit any in­ their quarter acre piece of land. Pro­
terest at face value.
duce from six rows are sold through
However, Nyalani has become the cooperative while two rows are
one of Kwale's breadbaskets thanks
reserved for the farmer's personal
to an old water catchment that does
use. The cooperative retains 20 per
not dry up and that has been trans­ cent of what it sells and gives the
formed, thanks to the devolved sys­ farmer the rest.
tem of government. Today, a visitor
Work on the catchment area be­
to the region is met by heaps of on­ gun after the county government
ions, water melons and butternut all
purchased equipment and got into a
harvested from the previously un­ partnership with theKenya Red
used patch of land.
Cross and Safaricom Foundation.
There are 417 farmers in the area, According to Agriculture Chief Offi­
each farming on a quarter acre of cer, Dr Hamisi Dzila, these efforts are
land. This is the first time they have intended to boost the region's food
such a bumper harvest after a dam security.
was built to help trap the water and
He says creation of the coopera­
pipes laid. This has made it possible tives is intended to improve the
for them to irrigate their land.
farmer's earnings by eliminating
and the county government has
opened up previously impassable
feeder roads to connect Nyalani and
other parts of the county.
The county is also embarking on
reviving farming in crops like cashew
nuts, coconuts and sugarcane which
were previously lucrative ventures
for residents of Kwale.
According to Dr Dzila, Nyalani is
now an example of how investment
in agriculture can change the lives of
locals. The dam at Nyalani does offer
more than just water for agriculture
since locals also fetch water for do­
mestic use. Some also fish in the wa­
ter while others use it for livestock.
What was initially just a normal
seasonal routine has now been
turned around to become a produc­
tive zone for residents and increase
food security in a county associated
with poverty.
"We want to go beyond subsis­
crops, which were adversely affected tence farming and increase farmers'
Before these
during the dry season. This is, how­ income from what they produce.
ever, now a thing of the past. We now Last year there was a lot of wastage
have water to irrigate," Bati Mwatela,
due to lack of markets," he says.
one of the farmers, says.
In the new arrangement, the
Now assured of a bountiful har­
vest, the farmers' new challenge is county government provides seeds
finding ready market for their pro­ and fertilizer to improve crop yield
and the farmer uses drip irrigation.
duce.
Harrison Mwadingo, another Water from the dam is pumped from
farmer, says in order to solve this the dam to the farms where farmers
marketing problem they have have valve controlled pipes at the en­
trance of each farm.
formed cooperatives.
The produce is sold in Kwale,
"We pay Shi,500 to become reg­
­Bati Mwatela, a farmer
istered members of the cooperative Kinango, Samburu and Mombasa
"Before these works were done,
middlemen.
we would depend on rain for our
" " works were done,
we would depend on
rain forour crops. This is
however, now a thing of
the past.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The Standard Wednesday Life Magazine
Date: 06.01.2016
Page 3
Article size: 638 cm2
ColumnCM: 141.77
AVE: 0.0
Some of the boutiful harvest that farmers in the region can now enjoy. [PHOTOS: JECKONIA OTIENO/STANDARD]
A farmer tends his now productive land.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya
The Standard Wednesday Life Magazine
Date: 06.01.2016
Page 3
Article size: 638 cm2
ColumnCM: 141.77
AVE: 0.0
One of the farms under irrigation courtesy of the water works.
Part of the dam that has been put up at Nyalani.
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya