For many years the Pokot and Marakwet communities living along the border of Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot county have been prone to cattle banditry as hundreds of lives are lost and homes deserted.
At Lomut ward in West Pokot county a number of reformed warriors and residents have now embarked on green gram farming as one way of ending cattle theft along the border and restore peace.
The turn around of events has opened the greener leaf of life as they ditch cattle keeping but decided to focus on the virgin farms and venture into green grams.
Isaiah Lokoita said reformed warriors have also ventured into green gram farming and are rich and have a stable income.
“Have witnessed my age mates ditching cattle rustling and turning into farming, the government should empower them so that they can not go back to cattle rustling.” He said.
He added that if the government decided to train the warriors on alternative ways of sourcing income the place could be peaceful.
“Such projects should be taken to the Chesegon area, those engaged in cattle rusting are idlers and have nothing to do, they should be given jembes instead of guns, their hiding places should be turned into farming fields, they will get money and they will be able to sustain their families.” He said.
Insecurity along the border of West Pokot county and Elgeyo Marakwet has been a thorn in the flesh as hundreds have fled their homes to safer places.
The reformed warriors and peace crusaders said the government should support cattle rustlers by giving them seeds, drill bore holes and fund farming activities to help eradicate poverty and banditry.
“Those who are involved in cattle rustling are the youths, my life has changed and I have been able to pay school fees for my children and I have money.” He said.
He said if they could have sufficient water to irrigate their farms they could also venture into maize farming as a surplus to boost food production.
Benson Kisiwa; Chairman of Lomut green gram farmers group said in three months’ time the green gram crop is usually ready to harvest as a number of farmers fetch some good money from the cash crop farming.
He said he harvested more than thirty bags in his two acre farm where he sold his harvest at 108,000 kshs but he plans to cultivate more acreage in the coming planting season.
“I also have another farm where I expect to get more than 80,000 kshs, because of drought we won’t be able to get more than 100,000 kshs.” He said.
Kisiwa noted that the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project KCSAP chipped in and supported them by giving them certified seeds and they have reaped big from the cash crop.
“They gave us fertilizer and insecticide, we are struggling to get a market for our produce because we don’t have a ready market which is available,” he said.
He added that they are facing a lot of challenges in green gram farming and recently roaming elephants invaded their farms and destroyed their crops.
“Birds, goats, cows and elephants invade our farms forcing us to sleep in our farms guarding our crops overnight. We are lacking water to irrigate our farms, which is also a major challenge.” He noted
Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project coordinator Phillip Tingaa said 84% of West Pokot County is semi-arid and the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project introduced green grams
“Green grams are drought tolerant and will open more opportunities for investment if fully embrac
He added that they have supplied seeds to farmers especially in Lomut ward and green gram farming does well in areas where they experience little rainfall.
On banditry, Tingaa said they are sensitizing reformed warriors to create groups so that the KCSAP office can give them free seeds and fertilizer for them to be part of the team that embrace an alternative way of ending banditry.
“in a place where insecurity and banditry is an order of the day, I would wish to change the mindset of the people towards cash crop farming.”
