Lokho and Wakera, a Caritas agroecology expert
The terrrain in Marsabit has changed dramatically through prolonged droughts. Arid conditions and a changing climate makes it difficult to grow crops. This region has faced more than 40 months of drought, the worst many have experienced. Grass, livestock and crops have died and the land looked like a desert. This is why our local expert Caritas has started working in the settlement of Antut, by supporting a community via a women's group. One of the ways they are assisting is through providing shade nets - anti-greenhouse netting that can keep young plants safe from pests and the scorching sun.
It is here that we met Lokho, a 28-year-old mother of four. Lokho tells us that the drought killed off her livestock, and consequently her husband left so she became the sole provider for her family. She has had to send her two oldest children to Marsabit town to stay with relatives, so they can attend school.
Lokho has a special role as she owns a shop, which she set-up herself. Since she operates the shop she provides a place to sell produce grown in the women's group and share the profits with them.
Caritas staff member Wakera, an agroecology expert, came to her village and shared his expertise, bringing the nets, the watertank and seeds and demonstrating how to construct the anti-greenhouse nets. After building the greenhouse he came every two days to train the group. Before these shade nets, nothing would grow.
Your generous support could provide
£4,900 could buy seedlings for 10 communities to begin planting.
£11,055 could buy 15 500 litre water tanks to store rainwater for growing crops.
£25,960 could buy all the materials and labour costs for 20 anti-greenhouse plant nursery to grow crops to eat and sell.
These nets act as a nursery, protecting the young plants from the sun until they are strong enough to be planted out. The knitted fabric is treated to make it resistant to UV light. It is able to prevent 70% of the sun's intensity from reaching the delicate plants within, while the net's mesh allows rain through. This prevents young fragile seedlings from overheating, and getting damaged by storms or wildlife such as wild birds.
Lokho has learnt skills such as loosening soil to allow water penetration; feeding the plants morning and evening; and only transplanting plants from the nursery to the field when they are big enough at full leaf stage. She has even learnt how to conserve moisture by placing dry grasses at the bottom. She has passed this knowledge onto other members of the women's group and the rest of the village.