Kenyan farmer Judith Mumbua noticed that using commercial fertilizers was creating problems for both her crops and the dirt on her farm in Mwania village, eastern Kenya.
“The chemicals affect soil by making it hard, and the plants, especially maize and beans, do very poorly,” she says.
That was three years ago. Now, she has switched to organic farming, which, she says, has created a more positive outcome and a healthier way to grow crops. It is even better for her livestock, she says.
“There are benefits in the production compared to previous farming methods I explored by using chemicals and fertilizers from shops,” says Mumbua.
Mumbua started organic farming after a training program at a local agriculture organization. She admitted this farming method has helped her curb the antimicrobial crop resistance her plants had experienced for a number of years.
“Antimicrobial resistance is when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change and no longer respond to medicine, making infections hard to treat and even manage in crops,” she explains.
Organic agriculture or ecologically-based farming is basically the use of green manure, compost, biological agriculture and biological fertilizers derived from animal waste. According to Mumbua, the method has increased her food quality and production.
