Lead farmers helping increase Conservation Agriculture (CA) awareness in laikipia, Kenya

Lead farmer training fellow farmers during a farmers event

African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) has been implementing Conservation agriculture for Food security and profitability (CA4FS) project in Laikipia in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and livestock research Organization (KALRO) and the Ministry of Agriculture. The project is funded by the Alliance for Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA). The goal of the project is to improve food and income security by building the resilience of smallholder farmers in Laikipia county of Kenya through enhancing the adoption of conservation agriculture practices.  Conservation agriculture helps achieve sustainable and profitable agriculture and subsequently improve livelihoods of farmers through the application of the three CA principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. One such method of increasing awareness of conservation agriculture among smallholder farmers is the use of lead farmers (LFs. This approach has helped facilitate the spread of information on CA to many farmers. LFs are referred by different names by different communities in Kenya.  They may be named as farmer promoters, farmer teachers/trainers or community extension workers in different areas. LFs are farmers who are taken through a process of training and experimentation by ACT so as to increase their knowledge and skills which they share with others within their farmer groups and the community. CA4FS project is dealing with 100 groups which are assigned 113 lead farmers in Laikipia County. On average each group is composed of 15–20 farmers. Each group has at least one LF. The LFs were selected through a participatory process involving the members in conjunction with the extension staff. The selection criteria included:

	Ability to read and write (Capable of collecting farm data)
	Ability to interpret CA training material to farmers
	Having the willingness, interest, and ability to disseminate new innovations and knowledge to others without pay
	Being a member of a farmer group and a resident in the community
	Being willing to set aside land for setting up Conservation agriculture (CA) demonstrations plots (13 are research managed and 100 are LF managed).

As part of the CA4FS Project, LFs have been receiving training and inputs for setting up demonstration plots every season since the inception of the project on July 2013. They were supported to set up demonstration plots composing of control (Conventional practice) and CA treatments (with different aspects of CA).  These demonstration plots are used as field schools for learning and for conducting research studies. LFs are trained by the Field Officer (CA field facilitator) on CA principles which include covering soil, Integration of cover crops, CA tools and implements, good agricultural practices (GAPs), post harvest handling techniques and market linkages. The training activities are interactive and often involve practical sessions. The Field Officer normally visit the LFs from time to time to get feedback on experiential learning and improve their knowledge and skills on aspects they do not understand. LFs train their group members at the village level through forums such as group meetings and during agricultural events such as field days, world food day celebrations and exchange visits. During major farmers events organized by ACT in conjunction with the ministry of Agriculture, LFs are often given the opportunity to take part as CA trainers during which they share their CA knowledge to other farmers. The LFs approach is a highly effective tool as it; allows easy passage of CA technology skills using farmer friendly pedagogies & techniques; is highly sustainable and can reach wider farmer audience with minimum resources. As it currently stands, 85% of the LFs are now practicing CA at least on a half of an acre land with each having at least influenced 3 farmers in their respective groups to adopt CA.

 

Figure 2&3: Lead Farmers (Left; Simon Githaiga of Kuga Na Gwika SHG and Right; Susan Wangari of Kalalu Agricultural group training their group member on CA during different events.

Figure 4: Field Officer, Laikipia County training lead farmers at Matanya Location in laikipia East

RESIDUE RETENTION HELPING TO CONTROL MILLIPEDES MENACE

Farmers in Laikipia have been decrying over increased number of millipedes which have been wrecking havoc in their farms. The pests have been invading myriads of farms feeding on all types of crops during germination. This problem has existed since the year 2009. Their continued crop damage has forced farmers to shun producing crops such as Irish potatoes, Sweet potatoes and Carrots which are worst affected. Consequently, acreage under crop production have also been reducing in an attempt to avert loses occasioned by millipede menace.   Areas that have been worst affected are  Muhonia,  Endana and Matanya Locations in Laikipia East Sub-County.
Millipedes are brownish, elongated, and cylindrical to slightly flattened creatures with two (more common) or four pairs of tiny legs per body segment. They normally live in and feed on rotting leaves, rotting wood, and other kinds of moist, decaying plant matter. Generally, their role is a beneficial one in helping to break down dead plant matter. However, when they become numerous, they tend to damage sprouting seeds, seedlings, stem tubers and fruits in contact with the ground.

Crop residues act as a favorable habitat for millipedes and tend to feed on it. On a farm covered with mulch materials, Millipedes concentrate on feeding on them and leave the crops to grow. In conservation agriculture, Soil cover through residue retention forms an integral principle.

During the inception of the AGRA funded CA4FS project in Laikipia county, farmers were very skeptical about leaving mulch in their farms fearing that it will aggravate the millipedes menace. However, Contrary to their view, residue left has come in handy as Millipedes have been “opting” feeding on the residues to the crops in the farm. Presence of mulch gives the crop the opportunity to germinate and grow “unharmed” by millipedes at the seedling stage. This has resulted to higher plant population where residue is being retained and ultimate good harvest. Farmers also use mulch to attract millipedes so that they can control them at one point using chemical bait. Once the millipedes gather under the residue, farmers then apply the chemical bait so that they can feed on it and die. The chemical bait is a composite of maize germ mixed with a pesticide.

In farms with no residue retained, millipedes tend to hide under the soil to avoid strong sunlight and embark on eating the crop seedlings during the night since they lack “alternative food” (mulch material)

Most of the farmers who are retaining mulch have started to record low millipede population in their farms and homes. This has helped increase the crop yield and alley the farmers’ fear of millipedes damage on crops.

Farm with residue depicting high plant population after germination (Left) and a farm with scattered maize seedlings as a result of millipede’s damage.

Millipedes under the mulch material die after ingesting the bait