Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya in collaboration with CBM Global Disability Inclusion are engaged in an intervention aimed at ensuring that people with disabilities in Kilifi County are achieving entrepreneurial and vocational skills and engaging in new business opportunities and earning a living. This is being achieved through organizing climate change awareness and eco-friendly business workshop programs for Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) on various climate friendly vocational skills such as climate-smart agriculture. This is being done through the Kilifi County Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Blue Economy.
Chiro Nying’e, a representative from the Kilifi County Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Blue Economy conducts a training session on climate-smart agriculture for leaders of OPD groups drawn from Kaloleni, Magarini and Ganze Sub Counties, Kilifi County. Photo by BNBR
Chiro is happy to share his perspective on the training:
I would first and foremost like to express my appreciation to Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya and CBM Global for recognizing the importance of educating the community on climate-smart agriculture practices. Climate change has been a growing concern, especially its far-reaching effects, not only in Kilifi but across the entire country.
The effects of climate change are undeniable and affect everyone, therefore there is need to stress on the importance of inclusive training programs that address the challenges posed by climate change, ensuring that even individuals with disabilities are included in the agricultural education process. We must therefore adopt sustainable farming practices that will help communities adapt to these changing conditions.
To achieve this, we are typically guided by the Three Pillars of Climate-Smart Agriculture listed below, which were the focus of this training.
- Increasing production. This entails training farmers on strategies to boost agricultural output while adapting to changing environmental conditions.
- Resilience. This entails training farmers on how to implement farming practices that are able to withstand the unpredictable effects of climate change.
- Avoidance. This entails training farmers on how to identify methods that can help them avoid losses caused by climate change, such as extreme weather events.
It is noteworthy that before receiving training, many farmers lacked knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices. A case in point, it is surprising how most didn’t realize the harm of deforestation, such as cutting down trees, or the importance of using manure in their farming.
Climate-smart agriculture still faces challenges
A member of an OPD group makes a presentation during a training session on climate-smart agriculture for leaders of OPD groups in Kilifi County. Photo by BNBR
It is important to note that in as much as climate-smart agriculture has a lot of potential, there are several challenges that hinder its adoption by small scale farmers. Of particularly note is the lack of finance.
This is why it is important for farmers to embrace models such as Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) as a way to overcome financial barriers. The access to pooled funds through this approach will enable them to invest in better farming practices.
Immediate positive results from the training
Following the training, I believe that farmers now recognize the importance of protecting trees and have expressed a commitment to reducing deforestation. They also demonstrated an understanding on the benefits of using the right manure, selecting appropriate farm inputs, and preparing their land early. The training has also encouraged farmers to shift from planting traditional crops like beans to more climate-resilient varieties such as cowpeas and green grams, which perform better in the coastal agro-ecological zones.
Prior to the training, many farmers viewed the impacts of climate change as a normal part of life. However, after gaining knowledge through the training, they now fully embrace climate-smart agriculture practices and are committed to applying what they’ve learned to improve their farming practices and adapt to the changing climate.
You can check out Chiro’s interview here on our YouTube channel.
