Arid and Semi-arid (ASAL) county governments have been urged to embrace science and technology in food production to mitigate the adverse effects of drought.
Speaking during the launch of Tana River Centre for Innovation and Youth Empowerment Executive Director of California Miramar University-Kenya, Prof. Dominic Mwenja, said they are alternative food production systems that can be used in dry areas instead of relying on relief food distribution.
“The drought that we have in this country we can mitigate by smart farming, not trucking food to where people are but teaching people how to grow food. No Kenyan should go to bed hungry; greenhouses can be set in very dry areas,” said Prof. Mwenja.
“No village should go hungry, when I see our people dying or being malnourished it hurts me because science and technology are there to make sure our people have food. All we need is water. When you go to most places 200 meters under your feet you will find water once you bring that water up then you build a system like Hydroponic unit, we can feed our people.”
The County Government of Tana River in conjunction with Marimar University has trained 102 youths on hydroponic farming at the centre. The youths are expected to transition from conventional farming to smart farming.
The hydroponic unit uses the trough system and soil are not used, Prof Mwenja said, there is a nutrient delivery system that allows you to feed the crop. If you go to Israel you will find them growing fruits in a desert; they use a hydroponic system like this.
He went on: “They use the sun to get water and nutrients into the plant. Therefore we can grow food in Tana River, Turkana, Garissa, and Mandera there is no reason for people to go hungry in this country.”
This type of farming uses only 20 per cent of water compared to conventional farming therefore little water is required to grow food.
It uses a drip system that carries water with nutrients, the water goes through the system. The water can be recycled. Apart from the cereals, all the other crops can be grown.
Prof. Mwenja hailed the hydroponic system for revolutionizing farming saying it takes away all the chemicals you find in foods thus eliminating diseases like stomach cancers.
“We are also able to multiply production; we eliminate the majority of chemicals we would use outside thus addressing the issues of health problems that come with chemicals in our foods,’’ he explained.
By Sadik Hassan
