Farmers within Kisumu County have been advised to practice modern farming methods as a way of boosting their yield.
According to Sustainable Environmental Development Watch (SUSWATCH) national coordinator Nobert Nyandire, farmers should desist from waiting for the onset of long rains to start preparing for the season’s planting.
He said that there are numerous ways of fighting climate change in achieving development in the agricultural sector. Nyandire explained that through modern farming methods such as greenhouse farming, farmers can still achieve greater yield even without maximum rainfall.
Speaking in Kisumu, Nyandire also advised farmers to be ready in taking risks which may result in achieving their goal as far as agriculture is concerned. He said that farmers with large herds of cattle can sell them during dry season and introduce few dairy cattle to minimize the cost of farming while maximizing the farm’s output.
On the other hand SUSWATCH Regional Advocacy Officer Ken Oluoch has challenged farmers in the entire Western Kenya region to start applying organic fertilizers in their farms. Oluoch said that this is the best way of maintaining soil fertility resulting in good yields if well managed.
He argued that most commercial fertilizers used by majority of farmers have side effects forcing farmers to purchase them annually to maintain soil fertility.
Oluoch also advised farmers to adhere to the required farming practices. He urged the farmers around water sources to abide by laid down policies which require them to leave a space of at least 10 meters from the water sources. He said that farming near water sources especially rivers and lakes results to over siltation and water pollution.