Kenya is experiencing severe drought and acute food shortages. Michael Murigi, 3rd year PATHWAYS scholar, has made tremendous progress in introducing cassava growing to his community. Cassava is an indigenous crop that is fast growing and well adapted to the dry environment. His community would like to expand the project by purchasing a mill so that flour can be produced and food products made and sold.
Kenya is experiencing severe drought and acute food shortages. Most crops like maize (corn) die from lack of rain.
Cassava is an indigenous crop that is fast growing and well adapted to the dry environment and local plant diseases. The starch filled roots can be used like potatoes or ground into flour, while the leaves can be used like spinach. Having communities, like Michael's, switch to growing cassava will not only reduce famine but increase the economic level of the people.
The long term effect of increased cassava production is reduced famine during droughts, increased economic output, and improved living conditions for Kenyans.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
