Project increases yield #kenya

Crop and livestock production in Nyandarua county has
increased tremendously in four years under the Payment for
Environmental Services project.
The quality and quantity of water in the rivers that criss-
cross the region has also improved.
According to World Wildlife Fund project partnership and
liaison officer Daniel Koros, the programme involved
farmers planting fodder crop and trees along contour lines
and leaving land along rivers uncultivated.
Koros said that under the project, farmers in the catchment
area are getting a token of appreciation from flower farmers
in Naivasha.
"Under the project the farmers construct terraces and plant
nappier grass to avoid soil erosion, which has in the past
affected many farmers on this sloppy area," he said.
Koros said earlier siltation was affecting the water quality
and quantity in the catchment area but under the PES
programme this had changed.
"We have since seen dairy production rise and we are also
supplying the farmers with tree and fruits seedlings under
this project," he said.
Farmer Samuel Gichuki said his potato production had risen
from 10 to 150 bags annually from his five-acre farm.
Gichuki said that before embarking on the project, his farm
was losing alot of productive soil thus affecting production.
The chairman of all the 12 Water Resources User
Association Enock Kiminta said since the project began, the
farmers have made about Sh6 million.