The harsh midday sun beats down on the withering pawpaw plants in Maureen Adhiambo’s patch of land. The villagers in Kamenya have not seen rain for months, and when it does come, the soil is too dry and loose to retain any of the moisture or nutrients. Last year Adhiambo saw her maize dry up long before it could mature. Like many farmers in the Homa Bay region, on the south bank of Kenya’s Lake Victoria, she is staring at yet another cycle of crop failure.
“Farming has been frustrating for us,” says Adhiambo, in the shade of a thirsty-looking banana plant. “Look at my neighbors’ farms. They too will harvest very little, if any. Changing weather patterns and poor soils have made it difficult to make a decent living out of farming.”
Farming around Lake Victoria is a hit-and-miss affair. They have seen the impact of a changing climate as the lake’s water level has risen and swallowed hundreds of acres of land. For those on higher ground, prolonged droughts have killed off young crops. The erratic climate and poor knowledge of viable agricultural practices have devastated food security and economic prospects for people who relied on fishing.
Adapting to the vagaries of an adverse climate is a steep learning curve for small-scale farmers. Adhiambo and Owuor benefited from the training offered by the UK organization Practical Action, which assists smallholders to make a living while protecting their environment. Since Owuor switched from maize crops to horticulture, his revenues have grown to 250,000 shillings a month. “Even after deducting labor, farm inputs, and marketing costs, I am happy with what I get. Irrigation-fed horticulture puts money in your pocket all year round unlike food crops that depend on an uncertain weather pattern,” he says.
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