West Pokot Women Empowered with Climate-Smart Agriculture and Kitchen Gardening Skills

WEST POKOT, Kenya — Women from Murpus village in West Pokot County have been given a significant boost in their fight against climate change and food insecurity, thanks to a comprehensive training program on establishing kitchen gardens. The training, provided by the Perur Rays of Hope organization in collaboration with its development partners, was designed to equip the women with the skills necessary to grow vegetables in small areas with minimal water, ensuring maximum vegetable production.

According to Kenya News Agency, Principal of St. Elizabeth Girls’ Secondary School and Director of Perur Ray of Hope Organization, the initiative aims to support women in the community who are central to providing food and care for their families. The training responded to the challenges posed by changing climatic conditions and erratic rainfall patterns, which have threatened food security in the region. Menach highlighted the importance of empowering women with sustainable agricultural practices, given the scarcity of water resources in Murpus village.

Menach further explained that a single conical kitchen garden could support 100 vegetable seedlings, allowing a woman with two gardens to sustain her family’s vegetable needs with crops like kales, spinach, cabbage, and carrots. Beyond ensuring a nutritious diet for their children, these gardens also offer women the opportunity to sell surplus produce to fund their children’s education.

The organization’s efforts extend to environmental conservation through the establishment of tree nurseries and the sale of tree seedlings, creating additional income to support children’s education. Menach emphasized the overarching goal of uplifting the economy in remote areas for the benefit of children and expressed her gratitude towards the partners who contributed to the women’s training.

Mary Cherotich, a beneficiary of the program, shared her appreciation for the skills acquired, which have enabled her to effectively use a small plot of land for varied crop cultivation with minimal water. The training also covered egg hatching techniques, with participants currently managing 1000 eggs in an incubator. Cherotich underscored the significance of women-focused initiatives in providing food for families and educating children, highlighting the transformative impact of income-generating activities on their living standards.

Elder Zakayo Kasikar expressed his astonishment at the innovative gardening techniques introduced by the program, noting their potential to prevent accidents that have historically occurred when women and children fell from trees while foraging for food during droughts. He remarked on the broader community benefits of supporting women, stating that when women are empowered, the entire community, including men, reaps the rewards.

The training in West Pokot is a testament to the potential of empowering women with the knowledge and skills to tackle climate change and food insecurity, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and prosperous future for their families and the broader community.