Kasagam Secondary School in Kisumu East has turned to farming to enhance food security and improve student welfare.
The school, which enrolls a large number of students from informal settlements such as Nyalenda and Manyatta, has established a vegetable farm that is helping to bridge meal shortages and combat malnutrition among learners.
Primarily irrigated using the school’s piped water system, the farm produces a steady supply of indigenous vegetables such as kales (sukuma wiki), which are used in the school feeding program.
Fueling LearningAccording to the school principal,Madam Jessica Sikuku, the project has had far-reaching effects beyond just providing food.
“The money we used to spend on buying vegetables can now be redirected,” she said.
“We are now using those funds to provide morning tea for our students. Many of them leave home early without breakfast, and some come from poor backgrounds where a morning meal isn’t guaranteed.”
She noted that offering morning tea has boosted morale and improved concentration levels in class, as students can now study without the distraction of hunger.
The school’s initiative has also created modest employment opportunities for members of the local community.
“The income generated from selling surplus vegetables is used to pay farm workers,” Principal Sikuku added.
This circular approach not only sustains the farm but also injects income into the surrounding community, reinforcing the school’s role as a driver of local economic empowerment.
Operating in an urban environment where the cost of living remains high, Kasagam Secondary has become largely self-sufficient in its vegetable supply.
The savings made are being redirected to other essential needs that enhance student welfare and improve the school’s overall environment.
It has since been fully handed over to the school’s management, ensuring sustainability and ownership.
The project was initially introduced by missionaries affiliated with the Baptist Church, which sponsors the school.
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