Small-holder tea farmers under the KTDA Farmers Field Schools (FFS) listen to a Field Extension Officer as he guides on best pruning practices during a field day in Mudete, Vihiga County. More than 384 farmers graduated from the FFS during the event that marked the peak of their training [Photo: Peter Munialo – FUM, Mudete Tea Factory].
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, Vihiga County Director of Agriculture, Alice Kafwa said that the agricultural sector is the backbone of the Kenyan economy, and it is therefore imperative to place efforts in ensuring that farmers are well equipped with the knowledge and skills in modern farming practices to help them increase their produce and in turn build the economy.
FFS which has been running for the last ten years is designed to train a large number of farmers on sustainable farming practices. The farmers are trained in groups for over a period of 12 months, covering different approaches to farming and learning from experiments in their own fields and from each other.
Senior Manager Agriculture Services at KTDA Mr. Peter Mbadi also reiterated the importance of empowering farmers noting that many farmers still use old fashioned methods to grow their crops, often in poor working conditions, which result in poor returns. Empowering them on sustainable farming in the long run will improve tea husbandry practices, leading to increased tea production. “The program has improved the social cohesion in families as well as enhanced leadership within the communities.
Farmer confidence has increased and personalities have improved since they have the ability to network and learn from one another during the trainings and earn more income.” Mbadi added The trainer-of-trainers model developed by KTDA ensures education is seamlessly passed from group to group and eventually to the whole tea farming community. The FFS curriculum includes modules on integrated soil management, harvest and post-harvest management, environmental conservation, composting techniques, replanting and rejuvenation.
What started as a pilot program in 2006 targeting four factories has quickly scaled to cover all the 66 KTDA managed factories. To date, more than 48,000 farmers have benefited from the program carried by about 1700 FFSs.
“The commitment that KTDA farmers have shown towards FFS has catalyzed its growth and popularity. Now, the FFS model is being replicated in other tea growing countries in Asia and Africa,” added Mbadi.