This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
Kenya: How This Turkana Community Group Became Crop Farmers ¶
Published on July 2, 2020
Natiira Ateni Self Help Group, a community in Turkana County, Kenya, has made a remarkable transition from pastoralism to crop farming. The group, formed in August 2014, was initially a savings group for former pastoralists who had lost their livelihoods due to frequent cattle rustling raids by the Toposas of South Sudan.
Wycliffe Juma, the monitoring and evaluation officer at CEZAM, has overseen the development and rollout of the project since 2017. In an interview with allAfrica's Nancy Onyango, Juma explained that the group's transition to crop farming was a deliberate decision to diversify their sources of income and reduce their reliance on livestock.
The group's members, who range in age from 25 to 68, with 80% being women, have been impacted by new skills and knowledge in using drip irrigation and growing crops as a new source of livelihood. The community has seen significant improvements in nutrition, income, and overall well-being.
With the support of the USADF and CEZAM, the group has been able to drill and equip a borehole, set up a drip irrigation system, and expand their farming activities. The project has also brought peace and calm to the community, which was frequently attacked by cattle rustlers.
Looking to the future, the group hopes to expand their operations, engage more community members, and increase the area under cultivation from two acres to more than ten acres.
