Josphine Kioko’s Journey of Transformation Through Climate-Smart Agriculture and Community Empowerment

Josphine Kioko aged 62 years old is Married to Kioko and they are blessed with 7 children is a member of Wendano Wa Mbusyani SHG and lives in Mbusyani village in Kiangini Sublocation, Makueni County. She is a treasurer of the Mbusyani Self Help Group and a member of the Project Management Committee (PMC) of the Kiangini Community Based Organization. Josephine has been married for 38 years and the rainfall pattern has been erratic with prolonged drought seasons. Despite the location having seasonal rivers and streams, they have walked for long distances (approximately 12KM) to look for water for domestic and livestock consumption.  The community did not have adequate knowledge on farming technologies and as a result, they did not have enough harvest for their families.

When ADSE started implementing the Livelihood Improvement Project in Kiangini Location in 2017, the Mbusyani Self-help group was trained on good agricultural practices such as climate smart agriculture technologies, establishment of crop demonstration, environmental conservation, conservation agriculture, organic farming and composite manure utilization, establishment of kitchen gardens and Village Savings and Loaning Activities.

Josephine says, “From the trainings, I established small kitchen garden in my homestead where I planted kales and spinach which feeds my family. Before the trainings, I used to spend Kshs. 150 on vegetables. I now save the money to the village saving and loaning account and I was able to get a loan of Kshs. 6,500 that I used to clear school fee arrears for my granddaughter. The trainings on good agricultural activities have also changed my life. In the October-November-December rains I planted drought tolerant crops such as lablab beans, bottle gourd calabash and pigeon peas and with the climate smart technologies, I experienced  bumper harvest as I harvested 600kgs of pigeon peas and 300 kgs of lablab beans where I made Kshs. 67,500 from the sale of the surplus. I plan to use the money to clear the remaining fee balance and start a small business for selling vegetables at the market. I Am so grateful to ADSE for impacting us with knowledge and skills which have yielded good results.”