Creats International Participated in a Farmers' Field Day

On July 10, 2024, Creats International participated in a Farmers' Field Day at Buoye Village, Homa Bay County. The Farmers' Field Day was organized by our partner, Justice, and Mercy for Integrated Project (JAM). Stakeholders in attendance included the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), IKEA, the National Health Insurance Fund, and community members.

The field day provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with farmers, share knowledge, and learn about innovative agricultural practices. Farmers learned several farming techniques that increase yields, food security, and community resilience to climate change. The training included best management practices in sunflower production, Indigenous vegetable production, groundnuts, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, and banana farming. The training centered on selecting early-maturing and drought-tolerant seed varieties, land preparation, and good agricultural practices to boost agricultural productivity.

Additionally, there was an emphasis on regenerative agricultural practices including the double-digging technique and black soldier flies for organic composting. Double digging is a soil preparation technique that improves plant aeration, water retention, root development, and overall plant health. In addition, farmers witnessed how the push-pull technology works. Push-pull technology is an agroecological and integrated pest management (IPM) system to combat striga weeds.

The day was packed with learning opportunities, valuable insights, and hands-on experiences. We are dearly grateful for the trust our partners and the community bestow on us to collaborate in tackling food insecurity, poverty, and climate change in Homa Bay County and beyond. Indeed, the challenges of our generation cannot be addressed in silos but by leveraging our unique expertise to help our smallholder farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Most importantly, are indebted to the community for their continued trust in our work and for making Creats International a major player in the agriculture extension realm. We sincerely hope the community members will integrate techniques and skills learned in their everyday agricultural practices and transform their production into a resilient and sustainable sector that can withstand the changing weather.

To our donors and partners, we are grateful for your impact in communities like Buoye where agriculture is the backbone. We count on you for your continued support even as we plan to replicate programs like the farmer field days in other deserving villages. Together we can achieve more.