Rehabilitated wetland helps pastoralists venture into farming

Already, four crates are full and they are determined to harvest more crates before sunset in readiness for the market day the following day.

Not long ago this group comprised pastoralists dependent on livestock for their livelihoods but today, more people from the Maa community are now farming various food crops.

For instance, this group plants tomatoes, cabbages and maize. They reveal the money they make from farming is more compared to livestock which died during drought seasons leaving them with huge losses.

During such dry times, it was difficult to get market for their crops and if you did you sold at a throwaway price. But with farming, l need to sell like three cows or more to make money for two crates of tomatoes.

Chairman of the group, John Lesalon Takona shares that they had never known farming has such immense benefits until they were trained.

“It was not easy to convince and change the minds of our people who culturally love animals into farming. With time, and seeing how we lost our livestock to drought, we decided to make a try and today, we are happy because we made the right decision. We are reaping double profits from the farm,” he explains.

The group is practising irrigation farming using water from the rehabilitated Enkong’u Enkare springs in Naroosura. He says before the rehabilitation of the springs it was not easy to plant since there wasn’t enough water for crops.

He notes; “We live in dry areas and the spring which would have provided water for farming was destroyed by siltation from the seasonal rivers, human activities and wildlife. Residents of Naroosura area had slowly encroached the water catchment area threatening its existence.”

Five years ago, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in collaboration with other stakeholders like Water Resource Users Association (WRUA), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Kenya) Water Resource Authority, and Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), Enkong’u Enkare springs intervened and started to de-silt and protect the wetland which is now the main source of water for Naroosura residents and its environs providing water for domestic use, animals and for agriculture.

Takona says there is a high demand for tomatoes. On a day, the group sells at least three crates of tomatoes and each crate goes for Ksh.15,000. They use the money to support their families including food, pay school fees and other uses.

Irrigation farming is also creating job opportunities for other members of the community including tilling, planting, cultivating, staking of the tomatoes and also harvesting.

Eric Setek is also a farmer and beneficiary of the irrigation project. He says in the past he never saw the need to farm since there was no water. Instead of farming, he would lend his land to other people to farm.

“But with water around, l have known the value of our soil. I have planted tomatoes which l sell and use the money to cater for my family's needs and also add more animals,” Setek says.

As the world marked World Wetlands Day on February 2, with the 2023 theme being; ‘It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration’, farmers in Narok County appreciate and are enjoying the benefits of restoring Enkong’u Enkare springs in Naroosura.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year including during the growing season.

Many wetlands will play a major role in mitigating the risks of climate change and restoring the ecosystem services which include controlling floods, purifying polluted water, reviving the waters from underground and supporting habitat.

A study done by the Conservation Fund found that wetlands store 81 to 216 metric tons of carbon per acre, depending on their type and location. This makes wetlands a resource for carbon sequestration.

With money coming from farming, the pastoralists turned farmers say they want to explore more farming activities.

John Mugo who is the Water Agricultural Officer, says that the Oloiboroing’oni farmer’s group irrigation project was established two months ago.

“We involve farmers in all the steps of planting,” he explains.

In one and a half acres of land, the farmers of this group are planting tomatoes and other crops like maize and cabbage.

Mugo says that they are using biological pest control methods. For example, the maize plants are used as windbreakers and pest trappers before the pests land on the tomatoes.

James Ole Tago is the Secretary of Naroosura Water Resource Users Association (NWRUA) and also the secretary of Narok County Natural Resources Network which deals with natural resources like water.

He says; “The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has been preserving the Enkong’u Enkare water catchment since 1982 just to ensure residents of Naroosura get water for domestic use, livestock and for farming.”

The water now serves a huge population of 15,000 people who live around here and over 5000 acres of land are under irrigation.

“At Enkong’u Enkare springs there was a lot of encroachment from the residents. When the animals came to drink water they would go directly to the eye of the springs and as result, we realised that the water level was going down. We, therefore, came together to find a solution to conserve and protect the area and that is why you see the fence. It was through the help of donors like the World Wide Fund for Nature. The small dam you see here was also de-silted by WWF-Kenya and now it accumulates a good volume of water which is serving the community,” he explains, showing the water.

NWRUA secretary says that together with other stakeholders among them National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), WWF-Kenya and Universities have planted over 7000 trees in the riparian corridor in a bid to strengthen the efforts of protecting the Enkong’u Enkare water springs.

However, as the community enjoys the fruits of farming brought about by the rehabilitation of the wetlands, they however face various challenges too.

Setek says wild animals have been destroying their crops.

“Wild animals such as Zebras, gazelles and elephants come to eat and destroy our crops. This is discouraging because we are committed to farming and investing a lot of money in it. And right now it is our livelihood so when animals come and destroy, it pains us a lot,” he says.

Also, with prolonged drought, the water level is going down and water is being rationed. “At times, my group is allocated two hours of water, and this is not enough for our one-and-a-half-acre farm under tomatoes,” says Setek.

Other farmers are forced to reduce the size of farms due to rationing.

Speaking during the celebrations of World Wetlands day Environment, Climate change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya emphasized the importance of protecting the environment to curb climate change risks.

“My ministry, in collaboration with other stakeholders, have fenced over 10 acres of land around Enkong’u Enkare in a bid to protect the water catchment area which is a source of water to many people here,” she said.

She added the ministry will continue protecting wetlands in other areas.

susan.ndunda@royalmedia.co.ke