By: Fenny Oyare
I advise farmers’ country wide to plant more vegetables and wind break plants as they are more resistant to rains and strong winds during this short rainy season.
The best activity that farmers can get themselves engaged in is planting new crops such as maize and pumpkins as they are more adaptable to short rains as well as heavy rains as their roots have a firm soil holding capacity and therefore cannot be swept away easily.
Also, sorghum is also drought resistant and adaptable to most climatic zones and soils across the country and is therefore conducive.
Local indigenous varieties are less prone to bird damage therefore making it friendly for farmers.
It is therefore advisable for farmers to buy seed varieties suitable for their regions.
However, before purchasing the seeds, seek advice from Agricultural Research Stations or extension workers from the county Government.
Besides, cassava can also withstand drought and often grows well even in areas with poor soils.
It can provide food to families when all other crops fail so it was another alternative that farmers could go for during the current period when rains were unpredictable.
New varieties which mature in four months have been developed and farmers should access them for fast growing crops that can go a long way to boost food security which is one of the Big 4 Agenda of the government.
Farmers should avoid growing crops such as tomatoes as they can be destroyed easily by the rains and therefore would be a waste of their efforts.
The farmers have also been encouraged to plant wind breaking trees as the rains continue to pound down most areas countrywide.
Field wind breaks are said to protect a variety of wind sensitive crops, control soil erosion and increase the effectiveness of pesticides used while attempting to maximize crop yields.
John Kamau