Peace returns to Mt Elgon, but bulls remain behind

• It is expensive to rely on hired bullocks, manual labour and tractors

The hilly terrain and sorry state of roads notwithstanding, the return of peace in the once dreaded Mt Elgon District is a blessing to farmers. The green and tranquil atmosphere lends contrast to the past days, when tension, anxiety and fear gripped residents.

Farmers who had fled are back on their fertile farms. They understand the word “diversity”, and have planted a variety of crops to cash in on demand in low yielding parts. Top on their list are traditional food crops.

But they are at pains to explain the absence of their own bulls, which are the main source of cheap labour due to the hilly sloppy terrain that is not suitable for tractors. Relying on hired bulls, manual labour and tractors have turned out to be expensive. Many have reduced acreage under crops.

“We have no problem with the fertility of our land. Apart from maize which is a staple crop, we are growing fast maturing crops like onions, potatoes, peas, cabbages and cassava,” said Mrs Roselyne Chepkwemoi.

For two years, peace was elusive in their midst before the government intervened. The military operation to flush out the dreaded Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF), which had wreaked havoc in the area, came at a cost.

“We lost virtually all our cattle especially the bulls, and acquiring them afresh is not a one day affair,” explained Mrs Chepkwemoi, a resident of Kimorong village in the district’s Kopsiro Division.

Mrs Phylis Tengecho said: “Besides being expensive, the nature of our pieces of land makes it cumbersome for the tractors to operate.

“We part with Sh2,000 to hire bull services per acre as opposed to Sh3,500 for tractors.”

She said many farmers sold their bulls at throw-away prices and others left them behind as they fled into safety following the crackdown by the military.

“Those left behind were stolen and we are feeling the pinch more at this time when we need the bulls,” the farmer said.

It will take time before optimal levels of crop production is resumed. The farmers are relying on this season’s harvests to buy more bulls.

Mrs Tengecho said the government should provide at least three tractors for each of the four divisions. Farmers can hire them at a “minimal” fee.

Agriculture minister William Ruto said the tractors may not be enough for every division and appealed to farmers to use those available optimally.

District agricultural officer Sammy Chemining’wa admits that scarcity of bulls prolongs land preparation period and affects yields. “Some farmers plant late while some pay through the nose due to high demand,” said the officer.

He is optimistic, though, that farmers will harvest 60 bags per hectare, a better yield compared to other parts of the country that have nothing to put on the table.