Kenyan farmers combatting drought thanks to cash assistance project

More than 138,000 people affected by drought in Kenya have been assisted with cash based programming. More than $1 million US was distributed, thanks to a partnership with World Food Programme. 

Jacintha Oichoe, a design, monitoring and evaluation officer at World Vision Kenya, recently visited one of the areas benefitting from a cash assistance programme. She describes what she witnessed: 

Located in Taita Taveta County, the Mkamenyi area had witnessed several seasons of crop failure. All efforts by the community were frequently rendered useless from season to season.

However, by adopting rainwater harvesting technologies promoted by the Taita Taveta Cash for Asset programme, the story in Mkamenyi has changed.

As I brought my motorbike to a halt, I was met with loud cheers and ululation from men and women full of excitement.

Having embraced the use of zai pit rainwater harvesting technology, thanks to the cash for asset programme, these community members are now able to produce good harvests. Zai pits are rain water harvesting technologies for crop production commonly practised in the Sahel region of West Africa.

I felt warmth in my heart. Although the weather was a bit chilly that morning, the faces of the farmers were radiant and spoke volumes of what they were experiencing.

There is a proverb in my community which says “Ghwaighu ghwadadukwa nighwanandenyi”. This simply means “The body is carried by a full stomach”.

It was interesting to see the farmers, after finishing their day’s work, were now seated at their cash for asset farm site, ready to be taken through their financial report and discuss the way forward.

“We have managed to realise a total of Ksh. 7,227 (US$70) out of the sale of vegetables this season,” explains the group’s treasurer. "The next bold step is to open up a farm [of] two to five acres of arable land and grow green grams as our value chain crop.”

A financial guru once stated, “You do not have to be great to start, but you only need to start to be great”.

Through the use of modern and simple rainwater harvesting technologies, these farmers are headed to greater heights in addressing food security."