In Kilifi County, the adoption of high-yielding cashew nut farming varieties is gradually gaining momentum as farmers embrace faster-maturing seedlings introduced in the region.
Thanks to a local farmers’ empowerment organization freely distributing thousands of the polyclonal variety, over 12,500 farmers have already joined the cashew nut farming enterprise.
Mrs. Lucy Jumwa, residing in Matsangoni village, Matsangoni ward, is optimistic about yielding good returns from the 47 trees she received from the Empowering Farmers Foundation (EFF) group.
Funded by ETG Climate Solutions, the EFF organization launched the project in 2012 with 3,700 farmers in Matsangoni ward. Subsequently, they expanded the project to include 12,500 farmers from Watamu, Dabaso, Kakuyuni, Tezo, and Ganda wards. Their objective is to distribute cashew nut seedlings, targeting one million cashew nut trees within the next two months.
“We were left stranded after the cashew nut industry downturn, compelling many to cut down trees. But EFF came to our rescue. They deployed experts who revitalized old cashew nut trees, resulting in improved yields after a short period,” shared Mrs. Jumwa.
Towards the end of 2021, EFF commenced training farmers on agro-forest practices and climate-resilient agriculture. They also introduced a new variety of cashew nut seedlings known as polyclonal, along with moringa trees and millet for intercropping.
“They informed us that the new variety was drought-resistant and suitable for intercropping with other drought-resistant crops such as millet and moringa. They provided us with seeds and seedlings,” she added.
Having planted 47 seedlings in 2022, Mrs. Jumwa has already seen 16 trees yield results.
“The organization conducted various training sessions that we have since implemented on our farms. When planting the seedlings, we dug two-feet deep and wide holes, mixing the soil with compost or animal manure before planting,” she explained.
“My initial seedlings were planted during the dry season, prompting me to use a locally improvised drip irrigation method. I filled a plastic bottle with water, made needle-sized holes, and placed them beside the trees for slow, consistent watering throughout the day,” she added.
From her initial produce, she earned Sh. 22,000 on 16 trees, utilizing the proceeds to pay school fees for her children. Encouraged by the returns, she plans to expand her farm, having sold cashew nuts at Sh. 50 per kilogram to a dealer, as opposed to Sh. 20 in the past due to the current quality fetching good prices.
Her story resonates with Mrs. Monica Mwananje from Matsangoni area, who has 60 cashew nut trees at the flowering stage on her farm.
“I have not yet harvested, but from the flowering, I am optimistic about enjoying a good harvest. Witnessing the transformations many of us are experiencing, more farmers are joining in. With cashew nuts requiring little attention, one can engage in other activities and await the harvesting period,” she remarked.
Teaching farmers how to prepare nurseries has attracted more individuals to the crop, aiding in combating climate change as cashew trees absorb carbon.
Seeds sourced from Tanzania undergo several steps before being placed in the nursery, including sorting potential seeds for germination by soaking them in water; those that float are discarded due to slim germination chances.
According to EFF Program Manager Mathew Jilani, the second phase of the project targets 12,500 farmers and 80,000 acres across five other wards in Kilifi County.
“We’ve established ten nurseries, two in each ward, bringing seedlings closer to farmers early on to reduce damage,” he said.
While some companies have set up bases in Kilifi to process cashew nuts, scarcity of the nut poses a challenge in sourcing adequate raw materials.
Mr. Mithole, the EFF assistant project coordinator in Matsangoni ward, emphasized selecting a few farmers for training to cascade knowledge to others in their villages.
“We train lead farmers, who in turn train more farmers deep in the villages,” he explained.
ETG Climate Solutions Global head Ilya Tyuvildin affirmed the program’s continuity until farmers countywide are empowered.
“We spent nearly two years researching various program types and agro-forestry systems. Pilot projects demonstrated practicability, preparing us adequately to deploy the right information,” he said, citing substantial demand for cashew nuts in the global market.
Meza Mwanza 
KTMN Reporter