A nongovernmental organisation, Solidaridad, has partnered with Bungoma County government to undertake a five year project that is envisaged to increase coffee production.
The project aims at making Bungoma farmers more resilient to climate change, improve their quality of life and mitigate climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gases.
Mugo Kamau, the project officer said during the launch that that they settled on Bungoma because they have a good working relationship with the county government.
“In the five years that we shall been here in Bungoma, we shall ensure that we engage all farmers and enlighten them on climate change issues as many have no knowledge about climate change.
He said that climate change has ignited a global discussion and it needs experts to explain to the locals.
He also said that the five-year project seeks to unlock the potential of agro forestry in reducing the carbon footprint in the coffee supply chain. “Solidaridad also aims to innately trail the climate victims and turn them to climate heroes,” Kamau added.
He said that the organization will give a platform to farmers to learn new farming techniques, get new coffee prizes and what the ministry of agriculture is doing to support them.
“We can’t work alone, that is why I have involved the county officials from the ministry of agriculture and farmers from the nine constituencies of Bungoma to be part of this great engagement,” he said.
Kamau said that they will also train farmers on smart agriculture, and encouraged farmers to do agroforestry but practice alternative ways of sourcing funds that can support other activities on the farm.
“A part from planting coffee lets us also think of the economic aspect of the chain,” he said.
Kamau noted that his dream is to fight poverty and climate change by enabling millions of smallholder farmers to invest in carbon farming in ways that smallholder farmers will be transformed from climate victims to climate heroes.
Jane Mukonambi, the Bungoma County Director, Climate change lauded Solidaridad for considering Bungoma, affirming that the county government will give all the required support to benefit farmers.
Mukonambi said Solidaridad is not a new organisation revealing that it has worked in Bungoma before and its history can be traced. “Bungoma signed an MOU with Solidaridad before and what they did was very unbelievable that is why we have accepted and welcomed them back,” she said.
She said that Bungoma is also focused on ensuring that the forest cover is increased.
On November 25, Governor Ken Lusaka signed a Climate change bill that is expected to be presented before the floor of the County assembly of Bungoma. The bill if passed will see every ward net sh. 50M to address the climate change challenges.
By Roseland Lumwamu
