A farmer in Yatta (beneficiary of CIM water harvesting project) takes participants through a session on how he uses the water he harvests on his silanga to farm commercial crops such tomatoes and onions. He had just transplanted onions to these beds as can be seen in the photograph.
As part of her endeavors to build capacities of communities for self-reliance and economic empowerment, NCCK facilitated a training for farmers and clergy from both Upper and Lower Eastern regions, which was conducted at Christian Impact Mission (CIM) in Yatta. In this workshop, 24 clergy (Including County Coordinating Committee Members) 22 farmers and 4 staff participated in a 3-day training that focused on water harvesting and micro-irrigation, biblical and empowered world views and family governance.
Traditional worldview that makes people see themselves as poor thus essentially relying on donations while engaging in animism and witch craft was noted as the main impediment to individuals, families and communities development. This mindset keeps people in a box, thus limiting their ability to see the resources and opportunities that surround them, like the Jesus’ disciples who ‘..had eyes but could not see, and ears but could not hear..(Mark 8:16). Through ‘boxing’ the devil holds people into captivity. This makes people think they can only grow crops when it rains, without thinking that rain water can be harvested and stored for farming.
The participants were trained on various technologies that can be applied in dry land farming. These technologies included; moist garden/ wet beds (used to support vegetables for household use with little water) Zai pit farming (conserves rain water in the pit where crops are grown) ecosystem farming (where we have plants, animals and man interacting with each other in a symbiotic manner).
One of the CIM staff, Eunice (in yellow dress), takes participants through a session of Zai pit farming as a water conserving method of farming.
In addition, participants benefitted from training in agronomy of high value crops and encouraged to engage in market-led agriculture. To be able to provide the market with the required volumes, farmers were encouraged to form groups, that shall enable them come up with high quality produce, aggregate and sell together to satisfy the local and international markets. Ultimately, the farmer groups grow into agricultural commercial and industrial villages.
“I am now empowered to help my people unlock their potential. I have realized how much evil dependency syndrome has affected us and we are in a big box that will take prayers and mentorship to come out of,” observed Rev Kimbo, one of the participants from Tharaka Nithi County.
A group of Tharaka Nithi CA farmers discuss their locally available resources, those which have been utilized well and those that have not been utilized well
“This trainings focused on mindset transformation, because we belief that change begins in the minds,” explained Paul Mwirigi, the NCCK Upper Eastern Regional Coordinator. He added that: “NCCK, like CIM believes that ‘Kuleta maendeleo ni kubadilisha mtizamo.’’
