Vegetables
remain a key component in household food consumption on daily basis. Although
they are not main meal they provide accompaniment to the staple food. Major
vegetables which have remained basic in households include Cabbage, kales,
spinach, onion and tomatoes. These foods
provide much needed nutrient contents to human bodies especially children and
their availability remain significant in every meal. Provision of these
vegetable has remained challenge to rural areas in arid and semi arid areas
where rainfall is both erratic and unpredictable. In efforts to acquire this
keys food supplements household spent much of their hard earned income to
provide. In average household in rural areas spent about Kshs 50 to provide
vegetable which is on the higher limit compared to income levels.
Despite the low
rainfall and high temperatures received arid and semi arid areas, vegetable
farming has proved to do well in the area with minimal water requirement since
none of the vegetable is water guzzler. Inades Formation Kenya has been working
with rural communities to promote Climate Smart vegetable farming using three
models applicable to residents of arid and semi arid areas which receive low
rainfalls. The models are sunken beds, raised beds and planting pits
SUNKEN BED
A sunken bed is
a planting bed established below the land level to ensure maximum utilization
of moisture content by the crop with minimal. The dimensions ensure that person
attending the sunken bed can comfortably work without stepping on the bed. To
ensure that they do not lose the fertile top soil, once the excavation is done
the sub soil is replaced top soil. A sunken bed can be of any length depending
on the crop to be planted and water availability, however the width and depth
need to be monitored to ensure that they do not get water logged or someone
does not have to step on the crop base while irrigating. Mulching should be
considered as it ensures that there is minimum water lose through evaporation
RAISED BED
A raised bed has
similar characteristics with sunken bed; however it’s an upward projection of
soil matter above the normal ground level to ensure maximum utilization of
water by crop with minimal external dependence from untargeted consumer. To
ensure that the crops are stable and do not expose their roots or fall off the
bed and wither, the crops are planted 30cm off the edge of the bed and the
edges are made slightly above the normal the rest of the bed. To ensure
maintenance of the soil fertility the raised beds are dismantled after four to
six planting seasons and reworked again. In both sunken and raised beds, crop
rotations is highly encouraged to ensure maximum nutrient utilization because
different crop varieties have different nutrient requirement and to dispel
habitual disease and pests which may capitalize on one crop variety.
PLANTING PIT
Planting pits
have proved to be a solution to extreme water shortage because they have
minimal water lose due to their nature of establishment. A hole is dug
convenient for the type of the crop to be planted. Upon being dug, the right
mixture of soil and manure is done. The planting pit provides amnesty for the
crop from attack by pests while at same time reducing maintenance of the holes.
Planting pits can work well in farm terraces which are largely underutilized by
the farm owners. Crops and fruits trees like bananas, papayas and mangoes are
the best suited for them, however vegetables are also suited
ADVANTAGES OF SUNKEN BEDS, RAISED BEDS AND PLANTING
PITS
1.
They have minimal
maintenance labour requirement because upon establishment it only needs
re-establishment after several seasons of farming
2.
There is maximum water
efficiency because water is only applied to the crops hence full efficiency by
the crop
3.
They provide cheap and
healthy vegetables which has minimal chemical contamination and fresh by time
of utilization at household levels
4.
They act as source of
income at household levels because they provide vegetable which would otherwise
have been bought from the market and also surplus can be sold to provide much
needed income
5.
Vegetables provide much
needed nutrients which are essential for human body and their easy availability
at household levels is a recipe for a healthy nation
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