Communities living in Marigat
are pastoralists and keep large herds of livestock that includes goats, sheep
and cows. Due to the changing climatic conditions, some communities have
started growing crops through irrigation..
According
to a report by the Ministry of water and Irrigation, the effects of Climate
Change due to deforestation of Mau Forest were highly felt
first at Eldume area before any other because of its Arid and Semi Arid Lands
nature.
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| A section of farm at Eldume Irrigation scheme |
Eldume Irrigation scheme
is located in Baringo County, along Marigat- Loboi road, approximately 6 Kms
from Marigat Town in Baringo County.
The scheme was initiated
by National Irrigation Board to boast food production in lower Baringo in the year 1980 The main source of water for
irrigation is River Molo that flows from the Mau hills in Nakuru County. The
scheme has approximately 800 acres under
irrigation and operates under the
umbrella of Eldume Co-operative society.
Nolororo Women group is among
hundreds of farmers in the Eldume farmers co-operative. The group has a
membership of 30 farmers, 25 Female and 5 male. The group was formed in 2006 to
support one another financially through development initiatives.
Main activities of the
group include: farming, fattening and selling livestock and financial support
to the less fortunate in the community. They also have a piece of land at the
local centre on which they have built two rental houses, creating yet another
source of income for the group
“Last year we harvested 50
bags of maize from our group farm, we sold locally at Kshs 2,800 per bag,” Says
Alice Sauroki, the group's Chairlady.
She adds that they use
furrow irrigation in their 2 acre piece of land owned by the group.
They have to cater for the
cost of hiring pumps which goes for Kshs 400 per day. Maize is irrigated at least
3 times a week, it takes 8 hours for the women to irrigate one acre piece of
land.
They have an addition cost
of buying fuel for pumping water into the farm, one litre of fuel costs Kshs
120, they use an average of 5 litres to irrigate one acre, this means they
spend Kshs 600 to irrigate 1 acre. The total cost for irrigating one acre per
week is Kshs 1,800.
Alice clarifies that the
amount of fuel used depends on the topography of the land.
“When there is a steady
supply of water in the canal, we can plant up to 3 times per year, if the water
decreases then we plant twice a year.” Says the chairlady
She further says that
women spend a lot of time and money in irrigating their farms which they would
otherwise dedicate to other development activities.
On the other hand, the
group members are striving to meet their objectives, which they intensely feel
they have achieved some.
The women group has
supported one orphan by paying school fees; the student is in Form three at
Marigat secondary School.
Prolonged drought experienced
in the County has affected their farm activities; they intend to plant tomatoes
and beans in the demonstration farm.
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| Eldume Co-operative Society farmers meeting in progress |
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