Agriculture
Tobacco and cotton farming has for many years been the lifeline cash crops of Teso North residents, however changing weather patterns have jeopardized the livelihoods of many farmers who depend on the crops for survival.
With incessant sensitization and health advocacy campaigns, farmers are being urged to explore alternative options which include Hass avocado and groundnuts which thrive in the climate and topography of Teso region. Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has incorporated experts to train farmers on modern horticultural farming and edible oil production as the best alternative crops to empower the community break the poverty cycle.
Speaking at Kocholia Avocado farm belonging to Dan Wanyama, a farmer and trainer, Kaunya noted that it was time for the Teso community to engage in profitable agricultural practices as opposed to traditional methods which are costly. “Hass avocado is worth an investment because it’s less risky and easy to manage. Its advantages come in handy, as it requires low very low cost input, low maintenance and it has a ready market all over the world,” Kaunya advised.
Avocado seedlings at Kocholia farm
Training session of farmers.
The legislator has set a target of establishing 20 Hass avocado trees for every household with the help of Achiya Echakara NYS Agriculture College which is in the constituency. “My target as a leader is to see every family owning 20 Hass avocado seedlings which we will market for them as a way of empowering them out of poverty,” he said.
With the growing demand for avocadoes across the world, Kaunya urged farmers to seize the opportunity and earn an income from the crop. “Hass avocado is now among Kenya’s leading exports and we must also take advantage to be among those exporting the product,” Kaunya added.
Kaunya noted that for many years the Constituency has been the leading producer of tobacco which was relatively profitable, but comes with many negative effects on human health, as well as the environment since it is a major cause of carbon emissions, deforestation, and water pollution via pesticides.
The sentiments that were echoed by Agronomist Dan Wanyama encouraged residents to venture into hass avocado farming as a way to diversify their agricultural activities and sources of income. “We can no longer solely depend on tobacco and cotton farming for our sustenance. It is time for us to diversify our agricultural activities and take advantage of the booming avocado market,” he said.
According to Wanyama, normally under good management and care, a tree of Hass avocado will take less than 2 ½ years to produce the first fruits. A single mature tree can produce up to 3,000 fruits under good management. Residents led by Jairus Obella lauded the initiative terming it a game changer and more economically environmental friendly as it will help address advanced effects of climate change which was occasioned by deforestation as a result of tobacco farming in the area.
“Avocado is a fruit that has been embraced in most parts of Kenya and it has freed many from the chains of poverty, and that is why we the people of Teso should not be an exception and the crop is a game changer in the expo and economic world,” noted Obella. With Kenya now among the 10 global exporters of avocadoes, farmers are hailing the crop as an antidote to poverty in rural areas and leading employers in counties in Central and Rift Valley according to Wanyanya.