CA has nothing to do with Canada..
It has to do with conservation agriculture. CA has 3 main principles:
- soil cover
- minimum tillage
- plant association
My work with SASOL in Kitui, Kenya is to teach farmers and work with them as they include CA in their farming practices. This is a semi-arid region which struggles with adequate moisture. With the implementation of CA, moisture is conserved resulting in more water availability for the crops, allowing for better production. Along with teaching CA, we assist the farmers in better farming practices such as proper crop spacing, better planting timing, pest control, marketing, etc.
Currently we are in the rainy season and the farmers have been very happy with the rains received so far! The last 2 or 3 seasons have been failed rains... which has caused some farmers to not be able to pay school fees, buy food or inputs to establish a crop this year. The government has recognized the challenge the farmers face and gave each farmer 2kgs of green grams so the farmers have something to plant.
Today, the crops are growing and the farmers are out cleaning their fields.
- soil cover
- minimum tillage
- plant association
My work with SASOL in Kitui, Kenya is to teach farmers and work with them as they include CA in their farming practices. This is a semi-arid region which struggles with adequate moisture. With the implementation of CA, moisture is conserved resulting in more water availability for the crops, allowing for better production. Along with teaching CA, we assist the farmers in better farming practices such as proper crop spacing, better planting timing, pest control, marketing, etc.
Currently we are in the rainy season and the farmers have been very happy with the rains received so far! The last 2 or 3 seasons have been failed rains... which has caused some farmers to not be able to pay school fees, buy food or inputs to establish a crop this year. The government has recognized the challenge the farmers face and gave each farmer 2kgs of green grams so the farmers have something to plant.
Today, the crops are growing and the farmers are out cleaning their fields.
A group of farmers in south Kitui just before seeding
Kamama, a SASOL colleague, assisting a farmer plough and seed her field with maize (this is NOT a CA practice)
Some of our farmers relaxing in the shade
Zai pits ready to be seeded. Zai pits are a dry land farming technique
Kyalo, SASOL colleague, observing the farmers planting holes
Training the farmers on how to make planting lines my hand for minimal tillage
Terracing is vital to soil and water conservation. This farmer is digging a new terrace. She will dig about 50meters a day
A practical teaching on how to lay the mulch for water conservation
The crops are looking great! This farmer has intercropped maize with beans.
Even I can work sometimes.. haha
We often get visitors coming to meet our farmers and see how CA is positively impacting the farmers.
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