From Struggles to Surplus: How Sarah Mugo Transformed Her Farm
Sarah Mugo, a dedicated small-scale farmer from Mukothima Ward, Tharaka Nithi County, has become a shining example of resilience and innovation in the face of climate change. Through training in Conservation Agriculture (CA) by NCCK, Sarah embraced sustainable farming methods that have not only transformed her yields but also secured her family’s food supply year-round.
Conservation Agriculture emphasizes three core principles: minimum soil disturbance (no tillage), permanent soil cover, and crop diversification. Inspired by these techniques, Sarah decided to test them on her 0.34-acre piece of land during the recent short rainy season. She planted maize using planting basins enriched with manure, a method renowned for capturing and retaining water while maintaining soil moisture. Alongside her maize, she introduced an alley of pigeon peas, a legume that enriches the soil with nitrogen and provides additional harvests.
The results were nothing short of remarkable. On land where she previously harvested only 90 kilograms of maize using conventional methods, Sarah is now set to reap an astounding 900 kilograms! This ninefold increase in yield has elevated her family to 12 months of adequate food provisioning—an indicator of a food-secure household.
But Sarah didn’t stop at maize and pigeon peas. With her husband’s unwavering support, she diversified her farm with an impressive array of crops, including millet, green grams, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, cassava, bananas, and sugarcane. She even ventured into livestock farming with dairy goats and Improved Kienyeji chicken. Supporting all these efforts is a farm pond, established with assistance from NCCK, which provides water for her crops and livestock, ensuring consistent productivity even during dry spells.
Sarah’s story is a testament to the power of climate-resilient practices and the impact of community-based support. Her determination, coupled with the knowledge she gained through training, has turned her farm into a thriving, diversified enterprise.
“I never thought I could achieve this level of success on such a small piece of land,” Sarah reflects. “Conservation Agriculture has changed everything for me and my family. Now we have enough food, and I’m even exploring markets for surplus produce.”
Her story inspires countless other farmers to adopt sustainable practices and shows that with the right tools, training, and support, farmers can overcome the challenges of climate change and build thriving livelihoods.
