Conservation Agriculture (CA) involves growing crops withpermanent or semi-permanent cover crops using technologies that ensure minimumsoil disturbance. Minimum or zero tillage, direct seeding and crop rotation areimportant elements of CA. The main focus of the project was to conserve soiland water; and planting the drought tolerant maize seed (appropriate seed)conducive for the area’s agro-ecological conditions. Where necessary; herbicidemay be used for weed management. Soil cover is attained by using cover cropsacceptable to the communities. High density furrows are dug and then organicmanure applied. Then certified drought tolerant maize seed is planted asrecommended. Contact or systemic herbicide is sprayed appropriately. This helpssave time and labor, minimizes soil disturbance and is cost effective.

Farmer groups and community based organisations were used forscaling up. Many families in the community are reached faster and at lower cost.Hence the group multiplier effect produces greater impact and sustainability.Only a critical mass of three farmers’ groups in Kigumo and Murang’a southdistricts in Kenya accessed the innovation/technologies. Each district hasseveral divisions and each division has several farmer groups that should beinvolved in the up-scaling efforts. However, not all target groups were trainedand only a critical mass was trained as ToTs. More farmer groups should betargeted in up-scaling for wider impact. Farmer groups targeted need to be followedup with technical backstopping and through this it’s expected that more farmerscan be reached.

This technology package involves minimal labor and combinesminimal tillage, cover crops and drought-tolerant varieties which makes itappealing to end-users. It also has potential to reduce workload of women, asminimum tillage and cover crops reduce need for weeding, while droughttolerance overcomes need for irrigation. The technology helps farmers overcomeeffects of climate change such as long dry spells and excessive rain waterrun-off. Improved crop yields lead to better nutrition and health in farminghouseholds. The technology package is important for soil fertility managementespecially in countries where the rate of inorganic fertilizer application isstill very low. 

The TIMP is gender sensitive, although womenare not always readily available for training in some farmer groups. Also dueto social stratification in local communities, some people are not accessedequally. Thus, it’s vital to include farmer group sensitisation workshops inthe program during the up-scaling of the technologies.

Hottensiah Mwangi;

Agronomist/ weed scientist, KALRO-Kabete;

P. O. Box 14733 00800;

Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel: +254-4444144; +254-725746681

Fax: +254 204444144

Mob: + 254 725746681

Success stories on soil water management and drought tolerant maizeadaptation were shared by farmers during a field day held at Muthithi Location,Kigumo District in Kenya. Kigumo District is classified into threeagro-ecological zones, namely, UH1, LH1, UM1 and UM2. The main soil type in thedistrict is loam, but there are areas with sandy and black cotton soils.

The average annual rainfall is 1500mm. The main crops include:tea, coffee, beans, maize, vegetables, fruits and potatoes. More farmers arenow growing maize for food security. In addition, more areas are becomingdrought prone unlike in the past when excess rain was normal and hence the needto conserve soil moisture.

The field day was conducted in Faith Wambui’s farm. The host wasone of the participants who underwent the SWMT & DT Training of Trainers(TOT) at Kenyatta Agricultural Training Center (KATC).

The field day was organized as a platform to sensitize and educatemore farmers in Kigumo district about soil and water management technologiesfor maize productivity. ToTs from the Ministry of Agriculture (extensionworkers) visited and interacted with the farmers. This was followed by on-sitevisits by the farmers for participatory assessments and evaluations of thedemonstration plots to gain practical knowledge. During the successful farmerfield day held, 166 farmers from 4 locations in Kigumo district (Muthithi,Kigumo, Gachocho and Ichagaki) were also trained on SWMT and DT.

Figure 1: Increased maizeproductivity	1.           Figure 2: Maize crop under minimum tillage

Figure 3: Maize in store	Figure 4: Food Security andincome generation