Villagers find fortune in the Lady’s Fingers

Farmers in Sigor, West Pokot, have started earning millions of shillings after the introduction of okra, a new crop that has proved to be a worthy alternative to maize.

Introduced on a pilot basis after the attack of maize crop by  the lethal Necrosis disease, farmers are upbeat after a bumper harvest that will earn them millions of shillings.

Okra, which is currently planted on 30 acres out of the 900-acre Weiwei Irrigation Scheme, fetches a minimum of Sh20 million and a maximum of Sh40 million a year. This is according to the Weiwei Integrated Development Association, the organisation championing the new crop known as the Lady’s Fingers and which is rich in vitamins A and C as well as calcium and iron.

The shift from maize to okra among selected farmers in the area is part of what is known as the rotation relay method of farming. The method is gaining popularity after it was introduced not so long ago following the attack by the virulent disease.

The scheme’s manager, Mr Mark Meut, says over the years, the scheme farmers had been contracted by the Kenya Seed Company to grow seed maize earn considerable amounts of money every season. However the maize disease changed their fortunes for worse.

The irrigation-fed scheme is a joint undertaking by the Kenyan Government through Kerio Valley Development Authority and the Italian Government.

Started in 1987 to fight hunger in the semi-arid area, the scheme, which is subdivided into 2.5-acre pieces of land for every household, is now recording success in other crops like okra, sunflower and cowpeas.

“The first time okra was planted was after farmers in this area experienced shortage of maize seeds and the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) advised them to try growing okra, and the outcome was perfect. The soil and terrain proved to be the right ones for growing the crop,” said the association’s chairman, Mr James Nakirerio.

The terrain is moderate and close to a highland, so it receives  adequate rain. “This is what keeps our children in school, ensures that we eat and also wear good clothes,” said Meut, adding that at the moment okra was grown for its  seeds which are also bought by Kenya Seed Company.

The farmers have an agreement where a certain percentage of the income they earn goes to their children’s  education accounts. But one of their main problems is the impassibility of roads to farms and market in most part of the year.

The farmers said they would be earning much more from the crop if there was proper marketing and were ready to increase the acreage under okra if the market was expanded locally and internationally.

But despite the few  problems, the prospects are good and with the savings that they have made. According to group treasurer Joseph Limang’ole, the farmers plan to add four more tractors to the three that they have.

DIVERSIFIED FARMING

But as the population grows the farmers have set eyes on diversified farming, hence plans are afoot to start sorghum farming, a crop that has a ready market  with the East African Breweries as their target market.

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin said the county had prioritised  the enhancing of  cash crop production as one way of spurring economic growth and raising revenues for the county.

OKRA FACTSHEET

Okra, also known as Lady’s fingers, bhindi, or bhendi is a flowering plant originally planted in India and many English speaking countries. Okra seeds can fulfil a variety of uses in the kitchen and garden and, though usually discarded, are an interesting addition to any kitchen food store.