Group shows that with water, drylands can become a food paradise

Hassan Rage, the chairman of the group and Mama Mogay Ali, the group's treasurer display watermelons from their group's farm. PHOTO | MOHAMED KHADAR YUSSUF | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Kulmis, means togetherness, is a group that consists of women, youth and men practicing farming in the region.
  • They grow maize, beans, watermelons, tomatoes and sesame.
  • Despite the bumper harvests, the group is yet to reap much from the venture because people in the region prefer animal products and overlook fruits, particularly the melons.
  • The group is asking the county government to help them buy another tank and water pipes for irrigation.

Sabuli, a small division in Habswein sub-county of Wajir County, is not the typical village you find any other part of the country.

The vagaries of a harsh climate have taken a toll on the village, but this has not stopped residents of this arid region from farming.

Kulmis, which means togetherness, is a group that consists of women, youth and men. They are among the few farming in the region.

The group collectively farms on a 220 by 160 metres piece of land, which they have subdivided for better management.

Hassan Rage, the chairman, is the man behind the farming project. He started farming maize, watermelon, potatoes and beans on his own to see if they can do well.

I wanted to test the soil and when I saw the results were good, I talked to the 11 members of the group and we formed Kulmis,” he says.

The farm is located 130 metres from a community borehole and the group has connected pipes to channel water to the farm.

“We bought 65 pipes at Sh800 each from Garissa to transport water from the borehole to the farm. The borehole owner charges us Sh10,000 a month, which includes the cost of pumping water.”

They channel the water to a tank where it stays to cool before it is used on the farm.

“We grow maize, beans, watermelons, tomatoes and sesame. They all did well and thrived with the melon taking the lead last season,” says Rage.

HAPPY WITH THE RETURNS

The vast farm is littered with watermelons, many of which weigh an average of 5kg.

“But despite the bumper harvest, the group is yet to reap much from the venture because people in the region prefer animal products and overlook fruits, particularly the melons,” says Rage, noting they sell the melons from as low as Sh80 instead of over Sh300.

Mogay Ali, the group’s treasurer, says the variety of tomatoes they grow is from Somalia.

“It is originally from Italy and is called Cillegine. Its small compared to what we have here, but people buy it and we are happy with the returns.

Tomatoes are the only crops that are doing well. So far we have harvested 109 20-litre cans of the small tomatoes which we sell at Sh50 a kilo.”

For maize, they have so far harvested 32 bags in their first attempt as a group.

“Our maize and beans also did well last season, now this has inspired the village and it looks like everyone wants to try farming. People have started tilling the land,” says Ali, noting they farm individually on smaller pieces but sell as a group.

The leading farmer in the group has made profit of over Sh100,000.

The group is asking the county government to help them buy another tank and water pipes for irrigation.