|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Shaban Makokha
Kitui—For decades, farming in Kenya’s Lower Eastern region has been a gamble. In the semi-arid counties of Machakos, Kitui, and Makueni, erratic rainfall, prolonged drought, and recurring crop failure have made agriculture a constant struggle. But amid the harsh realities of climate change, a quiet revolution is taking root.
Across this dry landscape, thousands of women are transforming small plots into productive vegetable and legume farms. Armed with drought-tolerant seeds, modern farming techniques, and the power of collective action through cooperatives, they are proving that agriculture can thrive even in Kenya’s driest regions—boosting household incomes and strengthening food security.
“Initially, we relied on crops like potatoes and mangoes to feed our families,” said Joyce Kitonyi, a group facilitator with the Machakos Cooperative Union, speaking at the 2026 World Farmers’ Organization Summit in Nairobi. “But changing weather patterns forced us to rethink our farming systems and adopt crops that can withstand drought.”
Today, fields once struggling with traditional staples now flourish with climate-resilient legumes and vegetables—cowpeas, green grams, pigeon peas, beans, and Bambara groundnuts. These varieties require less water, mature faster, and perform well in poor soils, making them ideal for regions with unreliable rainfall.
This shift has been driven by climate pressures, rising living costs, and growing market demand for nutritious produce. For many women, farming is no longer just about feeding their families—it has become a source of income and financial independence.
Ms. Kitonyi is an early beneficiary of training programs offered through the Lower Eastern Women Cooperative Society, which promotes market-oriented agriculture. In partnership with organizations like We Effect Global, a Swedish cooperative movement, women receive training in modern farming, financial management, leadership, and governance.
“We Effect has empowered us through grants and capacity-building programs focused on gender inclusion, financial literacy, governance, and food security,” Ms. Kitonyi said. The programs cover seed selection, pest control, water-efficient techniques, and agribusiness development.
Women farmers also collaborate with agricultural experts and researchers from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). “They guide us on weather patterns, provide seed samples, and advise on what to plant each season. This has greatly improved our yields,” she explained.
Recognizing the limitations of farming individually, women across the region have organized into cooperatives and self-help groups to strengthen bargaining power and improve market access. Ms. Kitonyi noted that over 30 women-led groups are now engaged in integrated farming activities across the Lower Eastern region.
“These groups have become vital support networks. Women share knowledge, pool resources, and negotiate better prices,” she said. The cooperative model has reduced exploitation by middlemen and enabled farmers to aggregate produce and access larger markets. Beyond economic gains, the groups are nurturing a new generation of women skilled in climate-smart farming, entrepreneurship, and conservation.
Despite this progress, significant barriers remain. The most critical is limited access to land ownership. Many women cultivate land they do not own, forcing them to lease plots seasonally—a costly arrangement that discourages long-term investments like irrigation infrastructure, greenhouses, or soil improvement.
“Yes, we have the knowledge and energy to produce vegetables, but most of us do not own land,” Ms. Kitonyi said. “If we had title deeds, we would expand and invest in technologies like greenhouse farming.”
Climate change has made the need for land security and sustainable production more urgent. Margaret Kilo of the Thome Women Group said some farmers are experimenting with water harvesting and drip irrigation to cushion against dry spells. However, high installation costs put these technologies out of reach for many.
“We are trying to adopt irrigation, but many women cannot afford the equipment,” she said.
The women are calling for increased investment in affordable irrigation, women-focused agricultural extension services, and agribusiness training. They are also advocating for aggregation centers and stronger market linkages to minimize post-harvest losses and improve returns.
“To mitigate climate shocks, we need irrigation solutions, better market access, and aggregation centers to reduce losses and earn better incomes,” Ms. Kilo said.
The success stories emerging from Kenya’s Lower Eastern region demonstrate the transformative power of investing in women farmers. What began as a survival strategy against drought has evolved into a pathway for economic empowerment, food security, and community resilience.
With the right policies, stronger support systems, and greater access to productive resources, these women believe they can move beyond subsistence farming and become major contributors to Kenya’s agricultural economy.
Their journey offers a powerful lesson: when women are empowered with knowledge, resources, and opportunity, they do more than feed their families—they help build resilient communities and secure the nation’s food future.
