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CHALLENGES FACED BY CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE SERVICE PROVIDERS

Henry Mwiti was a conventional service provider for seven years, up until the moment his perception of the services he provided changed, as a result of the Conservation Agriculture technology. He came across the technology through the African Conservation Tillage Initiative during a workshop held in Nanyuki. His interest awakened, he underwent more training in Suaine University in Tanzania where he was able to learn more about the technology. After attending various workshops such as the Kisima farm workshop and other trainings, Henry graduated to become a qualified CA service provider which he has mastered well over the years. Through this acquired skill, he has been able to convert 247 conventional farmers to Conservation Agriculture farmers over the last four years. With this knowledge, he was also able to train his brother to help him carry out the services, and with the profit made, he purchased a motorbike which he uses to make follow up visits. He conducts these visits especially after harvesting has been done, for mulch-securing and foreseeing the barricading of fields so that they cannot be trampled on by livestock in events where uncontrolled grazing occurs. The areas of his service provision are in Laikipia, Meru, Central Laikipia, and Makueni counties. Henry states that what he does is not as easy as many tend to believe and that the art of service provision is dependent on knowing how to handle not only the equipment at hand but the clients as well. From his experience he says that many individuals do not understand entirely the concept in which the technology works. He has to take them through the basic training of the technology and advice them on how to treat their farms for better results. He says this has been very crucial in the impact that the technology has, in the conversion of conventional farmers. He adds that patience is also fundamental in the implementing of the technology. Farmers who have been practicing conventional agriculture are more often than not, reluctant to change to any mode of agronomy that seems so contrary to what they are used to. The mind sets that farmers have developed over the years as a result of Conventional agriculture, have been at the expense of Conservation Agriculture.

CHALLENGES In his four years of operation, Henry has come across many challenges, some of which are beyond his control. His main concern is that there is lack of commitment from the government and relevant institutions in the supporting of the transition from conventional agriculture to CA. He says that the adoption of CA by large scale farmers would have a trickle down effect to the small scale farmers if there is concentrated information dissemination about the technology. Lack of obligation by relevant government institutions has caused the slow adoption of the technology because of the various interests that business men and other stakeholders have in conventional agriculture, that come in form of inputs and machinery importation among other factors.

Where there is a mixed farming system, the lack of feeding materials to sustain the draught animals brings about intense competition for mulching materials between the livestock and the technology itself. This is a big problem for the farmers as it tends to make them concentrate on one and neglect the other. In some cases, due to the fact that the animals are sources of food and income some farmers would be inclined to feed their livestock with the residues of various crops after harvesting has been done, thus compromising the soil health recovery process. In order to stop the animals from feeding on the mulch as they pull the equipment on the farm, Henry and his brother have fashioned a muzzle to restrain the animals from eating it. This has helped them have more control over the animals, and work at a faster rate since there will be no distractions slowing down the animals. Another point of concern that Henry has is that there is the lack of draught animals for training because most individuals have shifted to grade cows for the provision of milk. Sometimes the distance between the hirer and the client is also an impediment because the implements have to be ferried from his house to the site of operation. This at times drains the animals and interferes with other jobs on subsequent days, as well as eats into the time that could be used working on a farm. Due to the fact that there are few CA service providers, the services cannot be provided as capably as possible. There are times when Henrys services are required at the same time by many farmers, especially after the onset of the rains. This he insists is the reason as to why there 2

needs to be intensification in the training of service providers and to also overcome competition from conventional service providers. This can only be reversed in time as the CA technology gains ground and more individuals adopt it. As a result of the bright light theory, there is the lack of willing and competent oxen handlers. The rural-urban migration concept saps the energy of the young and able bodied individuals who would be of great help in the provision of CA and other agricultural and economic services in the rural areas. This is another reason as to why large tracts of land in the rural areas remain uncultivated due to the mass migration of the youth to cities where there are perceived better opportunities. To be able to have a sufficient supply of service providers, Henry employs a few young men on a monthly basis so as to keep them busy during the planting and harvesting seasons. Erratic rainfall patterns and the emergence of new weeds some of which are resistant, or very hard and expensive to control with the already existing herbicides, is another problem that Henry encounters in the field. The low levels of education in many farmers, also hampers development of the technique. He attributes the poor adoption of the technology to culture where some farmers do not believe in chemical usage. Therefore the early containment of pests and weeds is not done and this escalates to poor crop yield. Most critical is the maintenance of the CA equipment due to lack of the spare parts. He adds that over the years, equipment parts begin to ware off and there are no local companies that deal with the production of spare parts. This puts their services at risk because the older the machine gets, the harder it is to maintain.

He advises individuals to have some basic training through the various forums given by organisations promoting CA for full understanding of the technology. He argues that since the farmers are being trained to move from agriculture as subsistence farming to that of agribusiness, this knowledge is important for production and record keeping. Since Laikipia has been dominated by large scale farmers, and ranchers, Henry feels that it would take a long time for the technology to get to the small scale farmers, an encounter that he is ready for.

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