“This was one of the heaviest floods experienced in the history of our country,”
Evance, the head of SANGO-Kenya’s agriculture department.
Crops Lost, Homes Damaged
As in much of Kenya, most of the farmers working with SANGO-Kenya have lost crops, some of their houses have been damaged, and some have even had to move out of their homes.
In a survey we conducted among our 52 Lead Farmers, who live across the entire area where SANGO-Kenya works, over 90% reported that they had experienced moderate to severe flooding, with over 40% reporting that much or all of their crops were washed away. And nearly 58% of the farmers reported that they had mild to severe flooding in their homes.
The SANGO-Kenya team has been in the field constantly with the farmers, advising them and helping them salvage what they can. We went together this week to meet several of the farmers to follow up on the suggestions our team had given them and discuss more ways to help.
The farmers are facing tremendous challenges. One had to move out of her home with her three children because the severe flooding caused one side of her house to sink, making it unsafe and unlivable. She and her children have been living with her mother-in-law since March. She is, of course, grateful, but it is difficult being uncertain when she can return to her own house. Other farmers described losing the majority of their crops.
SANGO-Kenya and Farmers Face Adversity Together
Even as they face such difficult circumstances, the farmers all said that being in SANGO-Kenya is helping even now. They are terracing their land: Digging trenches around their houses and farms so the water can run off. The SANGO-Kenya agriculture team — Evance, Peter, and Franck — not only trained the farmers how to dig the terraces, they also went to farmers’ houses to assist them.
“In addition to being very good teachers, the SANGO-Kenya team is always here to help, we know they are always here,” one of the farmers said. The trust and appreciation the farmers have for our team is so evident. There is never a meeting in which they don’t talk about their gratitude for all they do. And they are always so happy to see them.
Although it is a challenging time for our farmers, the frequent visits, advice and support from SANGO-Kenya help encourage our farmers to replant as soon as possible with rapidly growing crops like cow peas [like our black-eyed peas], to dig terraces and raise their farms, and build more multi-story gardens
Evance
One farmer, who has two, says she harvests the vegetables from them frequently, giving her enough vegetables to not only feed her family, but also to have surplus to sell. The additional cash helps pay school fees and buy other food and household items. She says she wants to make more multi-story gardens so she has more land for other crops.
Farmers Supporting other Farmers
“It was very impressive — and moving — to listen to the farmers describe how they are working together. They provide not only help with work, but also social support, which is especially important in times such as these.”.
Evance
We can’t change the impact of climate change. But what we can do is help give the farmers of SANGO-Kenya knowledge and skills to help manage their farms even in the face of such shocks — and support so they never lose hope.
We couldn’t do any of this without you and your support.
Please consider making a generous donation to SANGO-Kenya today.
Erokamano! Thank you! With much gratitude,
The SANGO-Kenya farmers, households, Winnie, Evance, Peter, Franck, Connie, and Kit
Please like us on Facebook:
SANGO-Kenya
And follow us on Instagram:
SANGOKENYA
Write me! I love hearing from you! kit@SANGO-Kenya.org