The Anglican diocese of Kitale owns and runs part of its 100-acre farm utilized for farming. Kapomboi Farm is located 28kms from Kitale town in Kapomboi village, Kwanza Sub-County, Trans Nzoia County.
In addition to earning the diocese income to fund mission work, this Farm has also impacted the local community through sustainable farming techniques that have seen high yields for its small-scale farmers.
Services and Activities at the Farm
In the region that faces food insecurity, despite having great agricultural potential, this project has impacted both the diocese and the local community.
Thus in 2014, a test of the Kapomboi community’s soil conducted by a third party revealed a PH level of less than 5, which indicates highly acidic soil. Community members are being made aware of the implications of having acidic soil, and the Kenyan government is encouraging local leaders to conduct soil reclamation work.
Kapomboi Farm offered solution by using Bible-based study materials titled “Farming God’s Way”. The Anglican Diocese of Kitale through its development arm, the Anglican Development Services (ADS) North Rift Region, taught participants to improve the soil quality at a Kapomboi
community’s demonstration farm. Community members volunteered at the demonstration farm to learn sustainable farming techniques and then employ them on their own farms. As a result, they improved their households’ food security and then go on to teach these techniques to others.
Participants grew spiritually through guided reflections that depict God as the first farmer. The community benefited from a borehole well that was drilled on the demonstration farm, which is accessible to the public.
Testimonies and Stories of Those Impacted by the Project
Testimonies of 2 beneficiaries of the project reflecting on their experience in the project, focusing on the impact the project has had on their lives.
- Joseph Kipkeu
Joseph Kipkeu is a retired electrical engineer. After retirement, he started farming as a business in mifungu, a village of Kapomboi Location. Throughout his farming business, he faced the same challenges of low soil fertility, high soil acidity, increased high cost of farm inputs and
increasingly decreasing crop yields. He joined and attended all training sessions conducted at the demonstration farm. He tested his farm soil, followed up the recommendations and applied good
farming practices in a 5-acre plot under maize and beans. He was amazed by the low farm inputs that were recommended and the wonderful maize crops in the farm. After harvesting, the yield was 60% more than previous years.
Farming God’s way practices has given him hope in farming, improved the farm organic matter level, decreased the soil acidity, decreased overall farm input cost, improved the farm production
and yield. He is committed and happy with our trainings and follow up. He is now the chairperson of a newly formed farmers association that promotes best farming practices.
- Miriam Chebet
Miriam Chebet is a peasant farmer in Mitua village in Kapomboi location. She has 0.25-acre plot. Before, she used to grow maize only. She followed practices done by other farmers to the latter without giving reason why. They used to burn crops residues before ploughing their plots and carried out all the conventional farming practices. During crop failure due to bad weather,
she suffered heavily and had nothing to rely on. She then joined Farming God’s Way classes.
She realized that all what she used to do in the farm was wasteful, contributed to the soil degradation and food insecurity. She immediately started applying the best farming practices she learnt during training sessions in her small farm. The impact of her training is great! She trained her husband, other family members, relatives and neighbours. She has so far formed a common interest group in her village and offered herself as a trainer. By the end of growing season, she
had surplus farm produce that she sold in the local market. From the sales, she bought a sheep.
Her husband has resigned from casual laborer in the war-torn Southern Sudan to join her in farming. The whole village is happy with her efforts.
