Gorta scholarship student named 'best farmer'
by Suzanne Rush | September 2009
In 2004-2005 with the support of Gorta, Salome Ojiambo completed a certificate in sustainable agriculture and rural development at Baraka Agricultural College in western Kenya. Since completing her course, Salome, a married mother of five, has become recognised in her area for her work. She has become more involved in her community and is now a provider of quality cassava stock and training on best practise for growing cassava to local farmers.
Indeed so successful has she been that the Ministry of Agriculture named her the 'Best Farmer' in her province for two years running 2007 and 2008. She was chosen for her involvement in trainings, field schools and her community.
Salome lives twenty kilometres outside Busia town, in the Samia district of Western Province, Kenya. She owns four acres of land on which she grows a diverse range of crops and keeps livestock. She grows cassava, maize, sorghum and horticulture products like tomatoes and beans.
Although she has plans for an irrigation system, for the time being she uses a watering can for her horticultural crops. She also keeps cattle for meat and hens. Salome uses a zero grazing unit for her cattle, the cows are kept in pens and fodder grown on the farm is fed to them each day. This saves on space and ensures the animals have enough to eat.
Farmers come from all around for the cassava that she bulks on her farm, this means she cultivates cassava then collects planting material from it, for farmers to grow on their own farms. She also provides training on her farm so others can learn crop management and how to keep livestock successfully.
Salome is also very involved in her community. The sponsorship by Gorta for her certificate course included the requirement that Salome commit to working with her community for one year after graduation.
However, Salome didn't stop at the end of the year. She is currently a community facilitator for agricultural activities, as well as working with a group of HIV sufferers and being involved in HIV and AIDS awareness raising
The course Salome completed in Baraka Agricultural College has been running since 1986 and has trained many farmers in sustainable agriculture.
Gorta's involvement with the college dates back many years. Gorta's Country Representative for Kenya, William Keyah, met recently with Pamela Nasimnu, Outreach Coordinator at the college and learned how the Gorta Scholarship Scheme has benefitted hundreds of students from several countries.
With the condition on students of working with their communities for one year after graduation Gorta has been able to spread development through local people in their communities. Salome Ojiambo is but one example of the work of successful graduates of Baraka Agricultural college, making a difference in their local communities thanks to Gorta supporters.
Related Links:
An Introduction to Baraka Agricultural College
Baraka College Student Plots and Beekeeping Programme
