Gatuanyaga residents in Thika have been urged to grow drought resistant crops that can withstand dry weather to avoid hunger.
Speaking in Thika on Tuesday after presiding over the closure of a tar factory suspected to have been polluting the environment, area MP Alice Ng'ang'a said residents have to resort to indigenous crops to avert hunger.
Ng'ang'a said crops like cassava, arrow roots, bananas among others could help area residents have regular food supply throughout the year as they are not subject to growing in particular seasons.
"Modern farming has brought us a lot of benefits but it has got its own share of challenges especially in areas where water is a problem. However, with our traditional crops which many of us no longer grow, we can withstand hunger," said Ng'ang'a.
She added that many of the indigenous crops have since been improved making them more resistant to bad weather.
"Nowadays we have plants like tissue culture bananas that you cannot only grow for subsistence purposes but also for commercial uses," she said.
She advised the residents to alternatively practice greenhouse farming which she said is not weather-reliant.