The Power of the ‘Jembe’ in Boosting Food Security

Agriculture is the back bone of Kenya’s economy, with thousands of people, situated in different parts of the country relying fully on agriculture, to make ends meet. Buckner Kenya not only empowers vulnerable people from the community but also educates them on the best agricultural practices that will result in high yields.

Buckner Kenya’s Nairobi Family Hope Centre (BCC) ventures in an agribusiness enterprise that sees children and members of staff, benefit from fresh, organic food, from the farm. The food is also sold to people from the nearby community, at an affordable price.

According to Fridah Aura, Business Development Manager, the farm also plays an essential role in training Family Coaching clients on the importance of giving back to the community as well learning the best agricultural practices that will boost food security.

“Agribusiness provides employment and volunteer opportunities to the clients to ensure that they meet their daily needs as well as benchmark on various agricultural activities from the demonstration farms since the clients are involved in the ploughing, planting, weeding and harvesting process. Agribusiness also improves the quality of lives in many vulnerable homes threatened by exclusion and vulnerability due to poverty,” said Fridah

Family coaching clients are also taught how to practice farming on various segments such as; poultry farming, livestock farming, fish farming and growing of crops such as bananas, kales, cabbages, capsicum, onions, tomatoes, maize and sugarcane among others.

Making ends meet through farming

Several family coaching clients make ends meet through the power of agriculture. Families no longer sleep on an empty stomach, they receive proper medical care, children can comfortably attend classes and they as well live healthy lives due to the consumption of fresh produce from their farm.

Those that do not have enough space are encouraged to use improvised materials such as sucks, to grow vegetables such as kales and spinach.

Florence Namalwa, a family coaching beneficiary from Buckner Cherangany Family Hope Centre (Reynolds) is amongst the FHC clients that have benefited from family coaching classes on entrepreneurship. She is an active farmer in Cherangany, who is passionate about poultry and livestock farming.

“The training I received from Reynolds has been of help to me. My children no longer go to bed on an empty stomach since part of the profit generated from the farming business enables me to purchase food as well as cater for the other basic needs,” said Florence

Buckner Kenya, through its programs, looks forward to building strong and healthy families, through agriculture.

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