Nakuru County Chief Officer for External Resource Mobilization, Alice Abuki, on Monday hosted a team from Inua Partners in Hope, a Non-Governmental organization, to explore areas of partnership and collaboration with the county government. The focus was on youth and women empowerment through Agriculture and Education programs among other interventions.
The team, led by Ms. Angela TenBroeck from the Center for Sustainable Agricultural Excellence and Conservation (CSAEC) and Paul Mathera of Inua Partners, expressed their commitment to improving the lives of youth-led families. Their initiatives aim to improve food security, economic security, health and nutrition and entrepreneurship.
Ms. TenBroeck said the organizations wish to partner with the county and tertiary education institutions to introduce aquaponics farming as a concept of climate-smart agriculture for small-scale farmers in Nakuru.\
She stated that aquaponics farming is an integrated system combining aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) in a symbiotic environment.
In this system, Ms. TenBroeck said, the waste system produced by fish supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn purify the water that is recirculated back to the fish tank. Adding that this method of farming was highly sustainable, uses less water than traditional agriculture, and can be implemented in small spaces, making it ideal for urban and rural settings.
Paul Mathera of Inua Partners, said the aquaponics farming reduces use of pesticides and fertilizers leading to less environmental pollution, and the controlled environment of the system allows for continuous production, independent of seasonal changes.
Underscoring the importance of training, Mathera said the Inua Partners will organize training programs to teach the basics of aquaponics and facilitate access to affordable aquaponics systems and necessary materials.
Also, he said by adopting aquaponics farming, youth and women farmers in the county will be introduced to sustainable agricultural practices that offer economic, environmental, and social benefits.
Apart from that he promised to create connections with local markets, restaurants, and grocery stores for selling produce, and develop branding of aquaponics grown products to attract health-conscious consumers.
Ms Abuki lauded the team, stating that the county government is eager to partner with like-minded organizations for socio-economic empowerment of women and youth with the aim of uplifting their living standards.
By Veronica Bosibori
