Charles Oloo, a vegetable farmer in Nyamira County, has now doubled his yield after discovering a new method of irrigation.
The farmer has adopted the double-dug drip irrigation method, which he credits for his improved earnings. He makes Sh7,500 per week, which is a jump compared to the Sh3,000 he earned previously.
“Double-dug drip irrigation involves digging trenches to conserve water, adding manure, maize straws, wheat straws, finger straws, and banana leaves, as vegetables require a lot of manure for enhanced production,” said Charles.
He notes that this method increases soil drainage and aeration and helps hold water more hence helping him harvest vegetables all year round.
Charles discovered this irrigation method in 2016 after years of struggling with losses due to inadequate rainfall in the region.
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“I abandoned normal vegetable growing on flat land when I realized incurred losses due to inadequate rains as my crops dried, earning me zero shillings after heavy investment.”
His quarter-acre farm would then produce two bags of vegetables per week, but the harvest has improved to five bags per week.
He sells his produce to individual customers and traders in his neighborhood, making Sh1500 from each bag of vegetables on a good season.
On planting, the farmer puts the seeds on a nursery bed before transplanting them. He digs trenches two feet deep and two feet wide, then removes top soil one foot and puts it aside.
He then digs the remaining one feet subsoil and place it aside. Oloo uses maize stalks, wimbi straws, banana leaves, and dry grass from his farm in the trench to one foot high, and adds tythonia plant leaves, and ensure they are properly compacted.
Topsoil mixed with 10 bags of well-decomposed animal manure is then added until the trench reaches the brim. The vegetables are then transplanted on a raised bed with well-calculated drills.
