Cassava, once seen as a crop for desperate times, is now the heartbeat of a quiet agricultural revolution reshaping the fortunes of dryland farmers in this part of Kenya’s Rift Valley.
Thanks to climate-smart innovations and renewed interest in drought-resilient crops, cassava has emerged as a lifeline for hundreds of families living in the valley’s semi-arid belt, where unreliable rainfall and frequent dry spells have historically made farming a gamble.
“I used to plant maize year in, year out but every time the rains failed, so did my harvest,” says Rebecca Kilimo, a smallholder farmer from Tot in the lower Kerio Valley. “In 2019, I tried cassava for the first time after a training by the Ministry of Agriculture and local extension officers. That changed my life,” she said.
Today, Rebecca tends to a two-acre cassava farm, harvesting tubers that are not only drought-tolerant but also fetch good prices in local markets. Her income has doubled, and her family no longer worries about going hungry when the rains delay.
Cassava’s ability to thrive in poor soils, withstand heat, and survive prolonged dry periods makes it ideal for dryland regions like Kerio Valley. With proper spacing, disease-resistant varieties, and good post-harvest handling, the crop can yield up to 25 tons per hectare a game-changer for food security.
The transformation hasn’t happened by accident. Organizations like the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and international partners have introduced improved cassava varieties such as KME 1 and KME 2, which mature faster and resist pests like cassava mosaic disease.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, the county government has incorporated cassava into its climate adaptation strategy.
“Cassava is no longer a poor man’s crop. It’s a smart crop,” says Sub County Agriculture Officer Raymond Cheboi.
“We’ve supported farmers in Kerio Valley to diversify their crops with cassava. Many are now producing for food and commercial use,” said Cheboi.
He added that the county is also working with farmers to expand cassava acreage, introduce improved disease-resistant varieties, and set up value-addition facilities for cassava flour, crisps, and animal feed.
The impact is also visible among the youth. Across the valley in Arror, 29-year-old Daniel Kipkemoi shares a similar success story.
After years of searching for employment without success, Daniel turned to farming, a decision he now calls “the best of my life.”
“Cassava gave me back my dignity,” he says. “I started with just half an acre. Now I manage five acres and run a small flour processing business. I supply cassava flour to shops in Eldoret and Kabarnet,” he adds.
Daniel also leads Smart Farmers, a youth group providing training and starter seedlings to aspiring agripreneurs. The group is helping young people tap into cassava’s potential both as a food and a cash crop.
Other farmers like Elijah Cheboi in Arror are expanding cassava cultivation beyond subsistence. With three acres under cassava, he supplies local schools and hotels with fresh roots and is in talks with a buyer from Uasin Gishu County.
“Cassava has made me less dependent on food aid or loans. Even when maize fails, I still have cassava in the ground,” he says with pride.
While challenges such as lack of irrigation, pests, and limited access to mechanized tools remain, the growing success stories from Kerio Valley offer hope.
Experts believe cassava could be the key to building climate resilience not only in Elgeyo Marakwet but across Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands.
As Rebecca prepares to plant her third cassava crop, she smiles saying; “We were once at the mercy of the weather. But now, with cassava, we are farming smarter not harder.”
