The initial encounters I have had when going to some groups have been very special. They have greeted us with singing and dancing which we all join in with - a great ice breaker if there ever was one.
Our meetings usually opened up with a prayer before we all made our introductions and explained why we were there. The group leaders would then make a short presentation before the floor was open to any questions from myself. Once I had been shown their plots we then closed with a prayer before being given a vibrant send off with more dancing and singing.
You can see that the farmers are very happy with what SMART have done and are very positive about the future. The farmer’s work very much as a team benefitting not only from the suatainable approach but also from the high nutritional content of the crops they produce (apparently people have a greater life expectancy from eating these local foods) as well as the positive environmental impact using sustainable techniques - this negates the need to use fertilsers and pesticides.
They also help train other farmers in the nearby area spreading SMART’s initiative. It seems that it is catching on as more and more people want to be part of SMART’s programme. However, SMART is restricted by its available funding so can not help as many people as it would like.
The sustainable farming introduced covers a number of techniques including crop rotation as well as using indigenous crops that are more suited to the local environment. They also use natural techniques to keep the soil fertile and pests at bay. For the latter they use indigenous flowers which they mix with chillies and soak in water overnight. They then spray this on their crops and it seems to be a very effective technique. Rotating their crops also reduces the risk of pests settling. They also use old tape from cassettes which are tied between two sticks to scare away the birds. However, they still have issues with other animals such as porcupines and need more funding so they can buy wire meshing to enclose their plots.
One of my first visits was to the Cheptikit woman’s group who wore fabulously bright clothes and greeted me with welcoming song, clapping and dancing. They presented me with a mango tree to plant which was a great honour before we carried on singing and dancing to and around their plot.
One of my final visits was to the Stayan group, west of Makutano. I was given a very lively welcome by a group of women who were singing and dancing as I arrived. We joined in while we were led up a grassy track only to be met half way by three men with spears and shields snaking their way towards us. As we met they gave me a spear and we continued dancing and singing to an opening gathering where they formally met their guests. Our dancing evolved into jumping on the spot – the men facing the women as the sound got louder and dancing more animated. It was a wonderful welcome although I had to catch my breath before we sat down for some chai. They gave me the name Stayan before I left so I felt very much part of the group!
I must have seen over 10 farming groups in the last two days. They have been quite intensive days but it has really given me a good understanding what SMART does and how I can use this in helping them build their financial capacity. They have a real focus and the benefits can be seen through the people I have met. Sustainable agriculture has contributed to better health and a cleaner environment. It is only through the hard work and vision of those working at SMART that they have managed to achieve this. However,there is still a long way to go.
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