Permaculture
Mituntu Vocational Training Centre
Mituntu Polytechnic sits on high ground 1km above the western corner of the land where we hope to build a Community Farm. FKK have a history of supporting this polytechnic
Special Unit Permaculture Farms
From 2019 Special Needs youngsters have been working on these farms and harvesting food. We are now on the journey of developing a support network around each farm to ensure they develop and support these special needs communities for years to come.
Why introduce Permaculture?
Permaculture or Agro Ecology offers a strategy to increase agricultural productivity through using ecological processes. The techniques it uses are a synthesis of traditional knowledge and modern science working together to create sustainable human settlements. The ethos of permaculture goes beyond the simple farming technique and also works to empower each individual regardless of the external challenges. A sense of empowerment can affect and change a community, opening doors to a better quality of life.
Mituntu Vocational Training Centre
Permaculture Farm
Background
For many years rainfed agriculture has not provided the community in Tigania West, Meru County Kenya, a secure food supply. These communities face regular food shortage due to lack of rains and degradation of the land from tree felling and subsequent soil erosion. Typically families have no piped water, no electricity, erratic food supply and the majority struggle to pay school fees.
Mituntu Polytechnic sits on high ground 1km above the western corner of the land where we hope to build a Community Farm. FKK have a history of supporting this polytechnic, providing annual sponsorship to students since 2012, bringing piped water in 2015( now very intermittent),and in 2018 installing a 50,000 L tank for harvesting water for sanitation and a 75,000L water pan for irrigation. As a result FKK is a recognized stakeholder of the Polytechnic by the Board Of Management and community.
In 2019 a group from FKK and the polytechnic travelled to the Drylands Natural Resource Centre to see how the DNRC had used their centre to mobilize the local community. Following this visit it was agreed that this was a good model and one that could be used in Meru with the Polytechnic acting as a permaculture demonstration centre for the special units and also the wider community.
It was envisaged that the 15 acres of land owned by the polytechnic and not being currently utilized could be developed along permaculture lines. This plan was agreed by the Polytechnic management mid 2019 and since then Nicholas from the DNRC has undertaken two training sessions at the Polytechnic, the first to develop a permaculture master plan, and the second to break down the ongoing work into phases, to provide further education.
Phase one was planned to be implemented in 2020, but due to COVID was delayed. We hope this will be implemented in 2021. Permaculture has now been included in the polytechnic timetable and all students attending (approx. 80) will have permaculture as a support subject.
We believe that focusing support on the polytechnic at this stage gives us the greatest chance of spreading awareness of this shift in agricultural thinking throughout the community. In addition establishing farming self help groups around the polytechnic starts to form a structure that can eventually evolve into a Community Based Organization to manage the large 100 acre Community Farm when the title deeds are secured.
Special Unit Permaculture Farms
The community of Tigania West comprises mainly of subsistence farmers relying on rain fed agriculture to sustain them. Recently there have been several total crop failures due to lack of adequate rainfall. This is creating severe food shortages and famine. This affects the whole community but in particular the disabled community. In 2016 the Sub County nutrition officer assessed 30 disabled children in this locality and found that 4 had severe malnutrition, and 11 had moderate acute malnutrition, this equates to 50% being assessed as malnourished.
FKK have been working alongside all 14 special units across Tigania West to remediate this situation. A feeding program was established in 2013, children with disabilities are fed morning porridge and lunch during term time. This program was evaluated in 2016 and seen to be effective but not sustainable if funding was always required from overseas. In 2017 it was agreed with the Special Units and District Education Office that Irrigated School Farms would be built at each unit. Special Needs children have a vocational curricula, a school farm would enable them to learn farming techniques and also to grow food to be used in the feeding program.
Funding was secured through Rotary to build these farms, all 14 will be complete in 2020.
They comprise of water harvesting off the school roofs, storage in 75,000 water tanks, with a drip irrigation system. With funding from Lush Cosmetics special unit teachers are being trained and supported to develop the land along permaculture principles.
From 2019 Special Needs youngsters have been working on these farms and harvesting food. We are now on the journey of developing a support network around each farm to ensure they develop and support these special needs communities for years to come.
