Faced with unpredictable rains and falling incomes, women farmers in Kakamega are championing a return to drought-tolerant African vegetables, creating a blueprint for food security across the continent
By Kasembeli Albert
A low, misting rain drapes the fringes of the Malava forest, one of the last emerald remnants of Kenya’s equatorial rainforests. The air in Malava town is thick with the chill of the morning and the cacophony of a bustling market day. Traders and buyers haggle over everything from pyramids of ripe tomatoes to the frantic bleating of goats. But cutting through this vibrant chaos is a different, more deliberate sight: a cohort of women, moving with a shared purpose, their bright kitenge fabrics a defiant splash of colour against the grey sky.
These are the members of Nabalekhwa Empowerment, a Community-Based Organisation (CBO) on a mission. In a region where the climate has become a fickle adversary, they are the evangelists of resilience, encouraging farmers to turn back to the past to secure their future by growing climate-resistant African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs).
“We have urged women and youth in agriculture to embrace innovative farming technologies, climate-resilient crops and animal breeds, and practices to increase the resilience of our farming systems,” says the group’s chairperson, Mrs Ruth Were, her voice as steady and firm as her gaze. For her, this is not a mere project; it is a vital strategy for survival. By embracing these tools, she explains, women can finally build a bulwark against the climate shocks that have consistently devastated their incomes and livelihoods.
From Sugarcane Struggles to Vegetable Victory
To understand the profound nature of this shift, one must first understand what came before. Mrs Were recounts a time of profound vulnerability. Before Nabalekhwa, most of its members eked out a meagre living as labourers on the vast sugarcane plantations and factories that once dominated the local economy. The work was back-breaking, and the pay barely enough to support a family. Many women were entirely financially dependent on their spouses, a dynamic that often spiralled into the dark shadow of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
“Hitherto, the majority of the women and households could not afford school fees for their children,” Mrs Were states, a simple sentence that speaks volumes of past struggles. Food insecurity was the norm, not the exception. Malava Sub-County hospital records from that era paint a grim picture: 54 per cent of children under 10 experienced malnutrition.
Mrs Were attributes this crisis to a dual challenge: the patriarchal nature of land ownership, which limited women’s control over productive resources, and a crippling lack of knowledge about smart farming techniques in the face of a changing climate.
But on this rainy market day, the evidence of change is piled high in their stalls: vibrant green bunches of spider flower, cowpeas leaves (kunde), deep purple leaves of black nightshade, and the tender shoots of amaranthus (mchicha). These are not just vegetables; they are trophies of a quiet revolution.
The Architecture of a Revolution: Blending Wisdom with Innovation
The transformation of these women from sugarcane labourers to agripreneurs is not a happy accident. It is the result of a deliberate, multi-layered intervention supported by a coalition of partners. The Nabalekhwa CBO is a key beneficiary of several initiatives, including the Upscaling African Indigenous Vegetables Climate Smart Technologies for Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya (UPSCALE-AIVs) project.
Implemented by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) under the leadership of the renowned Professor Mary Abukutsa, the project is a masterclass in blending traditional knowledge with cutting-edge science. In partnership with IREN Kenya and funded by the National Research Fund (NRF), the project leverages climate-smart technologies to expand the production and consumption of AIVs.
To combat the threat climate change poses to food security, the project is championing African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs). By promoting their sustainable production, commercialisation, and consumption, the project aims to create a more resilient food system.
“African nightshade and jute mallow have great potential as alternative, climate-resilient food sources for Kenya and beyond,” said Professor Abukutsa.
“The journey begins with the farmers themselves,” Mrs Were explains. “Through comprehensive training sessions, growers have been equipped with sustainable best practices for cultivating registered AIV varieties. This direct knowledge transfer has been the project’s bedrock, turning smallholder plots into hubs of modern, efficient agriculture.”
But knowledge alone is not enough. The project’s true ingenuity lies in its fusion of tradition and technology. In a push for environmental sustainability, farmers are now using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology, an innovative method that produces rich, organic fertiliser, paving the way for a cleaner, more self-sufficient farming model that reduces reliance on costly chemical inputs.
Conquering the Post-Harvest Peril
For decades, the greatest enemy of the smallholder farmer was not a bad harvest, but what happened after. Highly perishable, African Indigenous Vegetables would often rot before they reached a market, with post-harvest losses soaring to 30 per cent. This, coupled with exploitative middlemen who preyed on individual farmers, kept communities in a cycle of poverty.
Recognizing that a successful harvest is only the first step, the project has systematically strengthened the entire agricultural pipeline. The cornerstone of this effort is the Vegetable Aggregation and Marketing Centre.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa underscores its critical importance: “The existing open-air market structures have insufficient sheds to accommodate the vegetable traders among the rest of the value chains, hence the need to mitigate this challenge by supporting the aggregation and marketing model.”
He notes that the county targets supporting women farmers to put 1,700 acres of land under local vegetable production. “Hitherto, vegetable marketing in Kakamega was disjointed,” the Governor says. “Most women vegetable farmers practised individual marketing and were prone to exploitation by middlemen.”
The aggregation centre in Shianda has become the revolution’s command hub. To reduce post-harvest losses, charcoal coolers have been installed, creating a natural refrigeration system that ensures vegetables remain fresh for market. Furthermore, the installation of new solar dryers is a game-changer for preservation. This simple yet powerful technology extends the shelf life of AIVs dramatically, opening the door for value-added products like dried vegetable powders, which can be stored for months and sold to a wider market.
“The initiative is helping farmers enhance the shelf life of their crop through the provision of cold storage facilities and value addition, besides availing local and foreign markets,” says Mrs Were. “The importance of the Aggregation Centre cannot be gainsaid, with most of the CBO members earning handsomely.”
From Medical Student to Agripreneur
Perhaps the most telling sign of the revolution’s success is its ability to attract the youth, who have long spurned farming for urban opportunities. The project’s structured market, with its promise of instant payments and dependable contracts, has made agriculture an attractive, viable career.
The story of Angela Okumu, a 25-year-old medical student, is a testament to this shift. “I joined through a friend and now earn enough to pay my school fees and employ two workers,” she shares, her voice brimming with a confidence that transcends her years. “I sell between 300 and 350 kg of vegetables daily.”
Just four months ago, Angela was struggling to pay her fees at Moi University. Now, she is not only self-sufficient but also a job creator. “On a good week, I can earn up to KSh10,000,” she adds, thanking IREN Kenya for a model that has streamlined marketing and injected trust into the system. “Previously, farmers sold at throwaway prices, leading to waste. Our structured market changes this narrative, empowering farmers and promoting sustainable practices.”
With a weekly turnover of KSh250,000 from one ton of vegetables daily, the CBO’s ambitions are soaring. “By January, we aim to produce four tons daily, and we’re eyeing neighbouring markets for further growth,” Mrs Were states.
Nutrition as a Cornerstone of Public Health
The ripple effects of this green revolution extend far beyond economics. In a county where malnutrition was once rampant, the increased production and consumption of these vegetables are a powerful public health intervention.
Margaret Oyugi, the Nutrition Coordinator for Kakamega County, explains that the county is actively promoting ALVs through agricultural extension programs and awareness campaigns. “We encourage sustainable farming practices and emphasize the nutritional benefits of these vegetables to improve food security and public health,” says Oyugi.
“ALVs are highly nutritious, rich in vitamins and minerals, and accessible to low-income households,” she continues. “Their drought resistance makes them a reliable food source during dry seasons.” She highlights that these vegetables are packed with iron, calcium, and Vitamins A and C, which help combat anemia, boost immunity, and are especially beneficial for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children. The county has integrated these nutritional powerhouses into school feeding programs and maternal health initiatives.
For consumers like Caro Monyonyo, the change is palpable. “What I can proudly say is that this is a game-changer for me. I now get fresh vegetables conveniently,” she says, explaining that the reliable supply has saved her the long, uncertain trips to the market.
Sowing the Seeds for Tomorrow
The path forward is not without its challenges. Unpredictable weather patterns, the ever-present threat of post-harvest loss, and limited access to credit remain formidable obstacles. However, the project is tackling these head-on by promoting irrigation farming, value addition, and financial literacy.
The Kakamega County government, alongside partners like IREN Kenya, is committed to scaling this success. “We also plan to enhance market linkages both locally and internationally, ensuring farmers get better prices for their produce,” says Nutrition Coordinator Oyugi.
This work underscores a profound truth: empowering women in agriculture is the most effective strategy for building climate resilience. As the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy 2017-2026 notes, women are particularly vulnerable due to limited access to resources. But as Mrs Were of Nabalekhwa Empowerment has proven, when equipped with the right tools, knowledge, and market access, they become the most powerful agents of change.
The leafy greens revolution in Western Kenya is more than an agricultural project; it is a movement. It’s a story of looking back to move forward, using the wisdom of the past and the tools of the future to cultivate a healthier, more sustainable, and more prosperous Kenya. One vibrant, resilient leaf at a time.
This story was produced with support from Centre for Inclusive Climate Change Adaptation for a Sustainable Africa (ICCASA), with the aim of showcasing the successful integration of the Gender Climate Change and Nutrition (GCAN) Nexus in Climate Smart Agriculture.
