Climate change is causing extreme weather patterns in Africa, affecting agriculture and impacting food security. To overcome these problems, African farmers are turning to, what experts call, climate smart agriculture.
In Kenya, like most African countries, small-scale farmers who are the majority, are opting for sustainable solutions. One such farmer is Albert Waweru, a retired police officer with 1.75-acre farm in Kasarani on the outskirts of Nairobi. He has 50 dairy cows, poultry, dairy goats and several greenhouses where vegetables are grown.
He is practicing climate smart agriculture. To counter the challenge of water, for example, he embarked on harvesting rainwater from rooftops in his compound and storm water flowing into his compound.
“I harvest any drop that comes my way,” he says. The water is preserved in a network of several underground concrete tanks some of them 12 metres deep. This has ensured that he has enough water at any moment on his mixed farm.
“I have been invited to various forums where I have interacted with policy makers, I didn’t know that my solution to water scarcity would be showcased as a good practice to fellow farmers,” he says. He adds that farmers from Kenya and neighbouring countries visit his farm for bench marking.
Knowledge and best practices sharing among countries and individual famers is in fact vital. Participants in the Second Africa Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Alliance conference from October 11-13, 2016 in Nairobi shared this view. They said it would enhance adoption of best practices suitable to the needs of each country. The Alliance is a continental platform, formed to help smallholder farmers reduce climate risks.
Source - http://www.freshplaza.com
