Kitchen Gardens Providing Food Security and Income

“As a flower blossoms, so shall be my kitchen garden”, those are the words that keeps reminding her to put more effort in what she does. Agnes Wairimu is a member of Nyamutuagaki Women Self Help Group, one of the groups ICE started to work with through Climate Seed, and Knowledge (CSK) project in 2008.
Through the project, community members were taken through agro-ecological training and organic farming, ICE also supported the groups with initial seed of crops and livestock to enable them to initiate livelihoods projects to enhance food security. During that time, some people had reservation in adapting the practices, some finding it as an uphill struggle especially in making organic compost manure. Being a wise woman, Agnes saw great opportunity instead of challenges.

The need to consume fresh vegetables free of chemicals prompted this woman to start her kitchen garden several years back and ever since, she has nothing to regret. Today she is an inspiration to many. The sight of the green and big leafed vegetables that are eye-catching around this kitchen garden in Kamburu village is what provokes once appetite. Agnes only uses locally available materials and knowledge to carry out organic farming in her garden, what a sight!

 
It is out of this small kitchen garden that saved the life of her dear daughter, in fact to Agnes her kitchen garden is what she calls her office and her life.
“My daughter used to be admitted to hospital due to lack of blood, since we started to consume these indigenous vegetables from this kitchen garden, she has never been admitted again over the problem” heartily mother proudly says.

 
What pleases the eye more often than not pleases the heart, this is no different in Agnes case. While other farmers fear to invest in such a venture of growing indigenous vegetables through organic farming, Agnes is able to make an income from the sale of these vegetables from her garden to other villagers and also from the two bags supply she makes to Nairobi each week. This brings joy to her heart as she gets to recoup some of the little costs she incurs in her farming and have income to cater for her family needs.

As a role model farmer, she has stood out to prove that indeed small scale farmers can feed the world. She has challenged many women in her community that by hard work even small initiatives can deprive them from poverty cycle.
 
In her remarks, she thanked ICE for the support that has changed her and her family’s life. She is also a beneficiary of climate change adaptation initiative project, whereby thirty women were supported with 2300 litres of water tank each for water harvesting through a joint contribution of ICE and Nyamutuagaki women group.