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By Shaban Makokha
Trans Nzoia, Kenya: For years, farmers in Nzoia Ward, Likuyani Sub-County, have watched their fertile soils slowly wash away with every heavy downpour, threatening food production and household incomes.
But a new agricultural intervention is offering them a different future one where fruit trees, bananas, fodder grass, terraces and water harvesting work together to protect their farms while creating new sources of food and wealth.
Through the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), the County Government has distributed Hass avocado seedlings, tissue culture banana seedlings and vetiver grass to farmers in the ward as part of a major push towards sustainable land management and climate-smart agriculture.
The initiative targets the 944-hectare Nzoia Watershed, benefiting 432 farmers who have been brought together to implement measures aimed at restoring soil health, conserving water and improving agricultural productivity.
The programme is anchored on agroforestry and terracing, with farmers being encouraged to integrate trees and other useful plants into their farms while constructing and maintaining terraces to slow down water runoff and prevent soil erosion.
The intervention was identified through the Participatory Integrated Community Development (PICD) process and incorporated into the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), reflecting the growing importance of community-driven solutions in addressing agricultural and environmental challenges.
Speaking during the distribution exercise, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Mophat Mandela challenged farmers to make full use of the seedlings and adopt farming practices that can withstand the increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Mandela said climate-smart agriculture was no longer an option but a necessity if farmers were to safeguard food production and improve their incomes.
He said the initiative fits into Governor Fernandes Barasa’s broader agenda of enhancing food security, creating employment and improving household incomes through agriculture.
“Farmers must embrace climate-smart farming practices because the future of agriculture depends on how well we conserve our soils and water while improving productivity,” Mandela said.
The distribution of fruit trees is expected to give farmers an opportunity to diversify their sources of income beyond traditional food crops.
Hass avocado, which has become increasingly popular among farmers because of its commercial value, offers the possibility of long-term earnings once the trees mature.
Tissue culture bananas, on the other hand, are expected to provide farmers with an additional food and income source, while vetiver grass will play a critical role in controlling soil erosion and stabilising terraces.
For farmers whose livelihoods depend heavily on the productivity of small pieces of land, such interventions could make the difference between declining yields and sustainable production.
Agriculture Chief Officer Emmanuel Kariuki urged farmers not to view the distribution of seedlings as an end in itself, but as part of a broader land-management programme requiring continuous commitment.
He emphasised the importance of maintaining terraces once they have been established, warning that poorly maintained terraces could lose their effectiveness and expose farms to further soil degradation.
Kariuki said soil erosion remains a major threat to agricultural productivity because it carries away the fertile topsoil on which crops depend.
Farmers were therefore encouraged to maintain terraces, plant appropriate vegetation and adopt farming practices that reduce the speed of surface runoff.
“The use of vetiver grass is expected to strengthen the terraces and help hold soil together, particularly during heavy rains,” Kariuki pointed out. “The approach combines agricultural production with environmental conservation, ensuring that efforts to increase food production do not come at the expense of the land’s long-term health.”
Beyond soil conservation and agroforestry, the programme is also expected to address one of the biggest challenges facing farmers — access to water.
Following training, farmers will be supported to establish farm ponds for water harvesting and irrigation.
The ponds will enable farmers to capture and store rainwater, which can then be used during dry periods to keep crops growing.
The intervention is particularly significant for farmers living far from the Mumunyonzo Irrigation Project, who may not easily access water from the irrigation scheme.
Instead of depending entirely on rainfall, farmers will be able to harvest water when it is available and reserve it for use when rains fail.
This could help reduce crop losses caused by prolonged dry spells while allowing farmers to venture into irrigation-supported production.
For smallholder farmers, water harvesting can also open the door to more intensive production, enabling them to grow vegetables and other high-value crops beyond the traditional rainy seasons.
The combination of farm ponds, terraces, fruit trees and improved crop varieties therefore provides a more comprehensive response to the challenges facing farmers in the watershed.
Mandela also highlighted other agricultural interventions being undertaken by the county government to strengthen the value chain and create opportunities for residents.
Among them is the reconstruction of the Butere Poultry Hatchery, which is expected to distribute more than 60,000 chicks every month once operational.
The hatchery is projected to strengthen poultry production by improving access to chicks while creating employment and business opportunities for residents involved in poultry farming, input supply, transport and marketing.
According to Mandela, such investments demonstrate the county government’s commitment to ensuring agriculture is not merely a source of food but a pathway to economic empowerment.
“The focus is increasingly shifting towards building complete value chains — from production to processing and marketing — so that farmers can earn more from their agricultural activities,” he added.
The Nzoia intervention also demonstrates the importance of involving farmers in identifying the challenges affecting their communities.
Through the PICD process, farmers and other community members participated in identifying priority interventions for their area.
The resulting programme seeks to address several interconnected challenges rather than focusing on a single problem.
Soil erosion affects crop yields. Poor water availability limits production. Climate variability increases the risk of crop failure. Limited diversification leaves farmers vulnerable when the prices of traditional crops fall.
By introducing fruit trees, bananas, fodder, terraces and water harvesting at the same time, the programme seeks to build more resilient farming systems.
The farmers are also being trained, ensuring that they understand not only how to plant the seedlings but also how to manage their farms for long-term productivity.
The success of the initiative, however, will depend heavily on farmers maintaining the structures and trees after receiving the initial support.
Experts say terraces must be regularly repaired, water-harvesting ponds properly maintained and seedlings protected until they become established.
As climate change continues to reshape farming patterns across the country, initiatives such as the Nzoia Watershed programme are increasingly becoming important in protecting rural livelihoods.
Agroforestry offers farmers the opportunity to produce food while increasing tree cover and protecting the soil. Fruit trees can provide income, shade and environmental benefits, while fodder plants support livestock production.
Terracing reduces soil loss, while farm ponds provide a buffer against unreliable rainfall.
Together, the interventions create a farming system designed not only to survive today’s challenges but also to prepare communities for future climate shocks.
For the 432 farmers in Nzoia Watershed, the seedlings distributed are therefore more than just planting materials.
They represent a long-term investment in healthier soils, better harvests, reliable water supplies and improved household incomes.
The bigger test now lies in the hands of the farmers — whether the terraces will be maintained, the trees nurtured, the ponds protected and the lessons from training translated into everyday agricultural practices.
If sustained, the initiative could transform the 944-hectare Nzoia Watershed into a model of climate-resilient agriculture where environmental conservation and economic empowerment go hand in hand.
And as the first Hass avocado and banana seedlings take root, a new chapter could in the offing for the farmers who are increasingly recognising that protecting the land today is the surest way of securing food and wealth for tomorrow.
The county government has also advanced its agricultural extension policy dubbed the Kakamega County Agricultural Sector Extension Policy (KCASEP), 2026 that aims to strengthen extension services through improved staffing infrastructure, use of ICT, research linkages, farmer engagement and public-private coordination.
It also proposes upgrading training centers, improving officer mobility, expanding connectivity, strengthening irrigation and promoting value addition and renewable energy.
“Once adopted, KCASEP, 2026 will enhance Governor Barasa’s food security by supporting modern extension services, ensuring increased productivity and improved household incomes,” said Mr Mandela.
