Warder turns Shimo la Tewa into granary

A 10-minute drive from Shanzu Teachers Training College towards Majaoni village is a 75-acre piece of land where Shimo la Tewa Medium Prison sits.

The prison has gained reputation as one of the mass food producers in the Coast.

Since being moved from Shimo la Tewa Borstal two years ago, Superintendent David Biwott has been doing all he can to change the image of the medium prison.

Through the efforts of Superintendent Biwott, Corporal Francis Njoroge, Constable Ali Dabasso and inmates, Shimo la Tewa medium provides fresh vegetables and fruits to different prisons, among them Shimo la Tewa Main Prison, the borstal institute, Kaloleni Prison in Kilifi and Jela Baridi in King’orani.

“After supplying the prisons with food, we sell the surplus to our neighbours. This helps build a good relationship with the surrounding community,” the Bachelor of Science degree holder in Horticuture from Egerton University, Njoro, said.

Superintendent Biwott applies the best farming methods on cabbages, sukuma wiki, cowpeas, oranges, mangoes, bananas and other fruits and vegetables the prison grows.

After preparing the farm using the available labour from the inmates, he does not go for expensive chemical fertiliser.
The warder prefers chicken droppings and cow dung.

Using the manure, the superintendent says, results in fresh fruits and vegetables.

Most of the prison’s customers are from Majaoni, Shanzu, Pendua, Utange and Mtwapa.

In order to maintain soil fertility, Superintendent Biwott insists on crop rotation.

“This helps us maintain our high yields. We avoid using chemicals,” he said.

Shimo la Tewa Medium harvests 30 sacks of kunde and 20 mchicha sacks daily.

It also gets 20 to 30 crates of mangoes and oranges every day.

However, production marginally reduces during the dry season.