General Knowledge CLIMATE RESILIENT FARMING PRACTICES AS BEST BET FOR FAEMERS

[Alfred Opiyo]

Most farmers rely entirely on the out come of weather conditions throughout the production season(s) if this turns out unfavourable then these bigger population of faming households not only suffers loses towards family food requirements but also financial income since they largely earn from farm produce sales. A ripple effect is also felt to percentage of the population that depend on what comes out from farming families this will automatically subject a region or a nation to inadequacy and high food prices.
Some of the adverse weather outcomes that subject farmers to total loses on crop and livestock production enterprises include:-
-Excessive rainfall which may lead to floods, soil erosion, land slides , mass wasting and reduced soil nutrients through leaching.
-Prolonged dry conditions/ drought
-Strong and violent winds may cause destruction of crop fields, farm structures and cause soil erosion. These weather factors like this year excessive rains has posed serious threat to farmers.
What are the ways/farming practices which will help farmers to place their best bets as they pursue food production in unpredictable weather conditions?
Here below are some of the researched,tested ,tried farming practices which if embraced by farming communitues would greatly take care of uncertainities and unforseen weather outcomes thus reducing magnitude of loses.

1. Inter cropping of legumes and non- legume crops e.g Maize and beans- Legumes are known to have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria which absorb atmospheric N and transform it to nitrate form readily utilized by plants in this way both beans and maize have the benefit of additional source of nerosion , legumes also provide ground cover which is beneficial in control of surface flow which sometimes result to erosion maize crop similarly offer shielding surface to beans in case of hailstones hence the farmer is not exposed to total loss as in the case of a pure stand crop.
2. Planting of wind breaks a round/ across east west boundaries of the farm. Wind breaks are trees planted around the farm to reduce speed and strength of wind which sometimes destroy farm structures, tree crops e.g coffee,mangoes etc these wind breaks shoadvantagesme varieties which compete with main crop against nutrients water or doesn't have allelopathic effect to other plants around then best varieties include gravellia, leucena, and other acacia families.
3. Composting and organic mulching. Composting refer to putting farm organic waste( animal,crop residue and kitchen refuses) into a condusive natural environment to decompose and be used to add soil nutrients. The benefit of using compost manure when added to the soil increases water holding capacity which is a plus during dry spells, crops planted in such soils withstand dry conditions it also enhance water infiltration therefore surface runoff minimized. Organic mulch on the other hand benefit the farmer by providing soil surface cover against wind/water erosion later , smoother weeds and later decomposed to form part of soil organic matter.
4. Creation of tie- ridges

A tie ridge are small depressions/ troughs made a long the contour lines in between plant rows purposely to hold excess water after rains, a part from reducing surface flow in a gentle - flat land they also act as water resovour

1. Planting of grass bands a cross the slope to act as soil filter in case of earth movement ,these can be created as close as possible if the land is very steep.
2. Establishment of check dams and terraces.

All the above practices are very helpful to make the farmer place his/her best bet in farming with reduced risks and uncertainties emerging from unpredictable weather.