Farmers in Kiambu have been urged to plant indigenous crops to enhance food security in the county.
In an exclusive interview, Kiambu crop officer Mary Ndung’u said that small-scale farmers should try to divide their pieces of land to incorporate indigenous crops alongside maize and beans, the staple food in the area.
She also said that the indigenous crops, which include sweet potatoes, cassava, yams and arrowroots, have the ability to benefit the farmers economically as most are not affected by the changing weather patterns. She noted that most of these crops are almost immune to many crop diseases, making them less expensive to cultivate.
Ndung’u said the indigenous crops, referred to as ‘orphaned crops’, have many nutritional benefits. She said growing the crops would improve the value and quality of food taken by the farmers since most of them can be consumed without processing.
“Our grandparents were brought up eating such food. Some of them lived to be even a 100 years old,” she said.
She added that her office is willing to assist farmers who wish to cultivate the indigenous crops by getting them the best seeds from the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari).