Farmers in Baringo County Trained on the Production and Benefits of Biochar

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 The PlantVillage team in Kenya trained Farmers of the Salabani community in Marigat, Baringo South on the production and benefits of biochar to the soil. A training that aimed to ensure climate change mitigation through regeneration of land and enhancement of soil fertility and productivity. The locals appreciated biochar as a soil amender for holding soil nutrients, improvement of soil water retention, and plant ecology. Our field officers are working with the locals to turn the highly invasive weed, Mesquite (Prosopsis juliflora) into biochar.

Farmers in Baringo County Trained on the Production and Benefits of Biochar

Baringo south landscape is dominantly covered by Prosopsis juliflora commonly known by the locals as Mathenge, the fast-growing vegetation covers an area of 50km sq with new plants maturing in six months. The evergreen drought-tolerant shrub introduced in the area to combat desertification and soil erosion is however causing a threat to residents. One of the residents Samuel Montorosi says that the shrub has deep roots that invade farms making it hard for locals to practice agriculture, the plant also invades grazing fields, suppressing pasture germination and diverting river courses. Both residents and livestock get pricked by its thorns, while its sugary pods are killing livestock. The spines of the plant have a toxin that damages both the gums and hooves of their animals.

Landscape dominantly covered by Prosopsis juliflora

 

 Locals also complained that the nearby Perkerra Irrigation scheme which has brought a lot of benefits to the local community through maize Watermelon, onions, and vegetable production has been affected by soil salinity through overuse of inorganic fertilizer. To help regenerate the land, PlantVillage team will engage the locals in using biochar in soil rejuvenation through making of soil bunds for growing native grass species to provide pasture for animals and will also introduce tree species in the area as well as drought-resistant crops such as cassava that will be of economic benefit in the region and therefore ensuring food security. 

“Biochar can store carbon in the soil for 1000 years hence a boost to soil fertility, it is environmentally friendly, rejuvenates the soil, and is affordable, it is purely organic and does not contain any chemicals. Biochar also makes use of organic waste since it is made from plant or animal waste including trees, shrubs, corn, stalks, and grass” said John Mayieka, biochar production lead at PlantVillage.

  Production of biochar will help solve four problems as put by the PlantVillage’s founder and director David Hughes.

 1) Removes a weed well known for its ability to dry out the land, accelerating desertification, given its extremely deep roots. The weed is also very bad for the animals these large pastoralist communities keep. The spines of the plant have a toxin that damages both the gums and hooves of their animals.

  2) Captures and stores carbon resulting in mitigation. This contributes to a better future for this area already hard hit by climate change.

  3) When added to the soil, the biochar provides immediate adaptation benefits by increasing water availability to the root zone which promotes grasses that the community needs for their animals and which can also help the community grow crops like cassava, sorghum, and millets. It also improves soil health and when mixed with manure is a fabulous fertilizer.

  4) Provides money to the community for the carbon credits via our current deal as Carbon4Good with Biochar Life. This money de-risks the community whose livelihoods come mostly from pastoralism which is extremely risky under climate change

 PlantVillage plans to further scale out the project in the region to Improve the livelihoods of farmers in the community, provide access to pasture for livestock, enhance food security and create employment in the community.

 

By Mercy Achieng

 

 

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