Field days are essential tools for learning and a step in initiating linkages among farmers and stakeholders as well as service providers. They are necessary for assessing the current development situation, strengthening goals, objectives, targets for the future and measuring farmers’ progress and development. It is in this light that ACT organized for a field day in Kyaani village, Mua location, Mua ward at one of ACT’s CA lead farmers farm (Mrs Anne Kilonzo of Kithekethe Farmers SHG).The event was organized by ACT team with assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture staff.

The Ward agricultural Officer played a major role in setting the pace in ensuring that was full participation and engagement. Farmers and visitors were organized in small groups of 15 to 20 for ease of visiting the stations and interaction with the exhibitors.

This field day was honored by the County Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Co-operative Development, who came with his county government team. Different departments in the ministry of agriculture including Information desk, Plant-wise, post-harvest, Soil and water conservation, and livestock. Other stakeholders, partners, collaborators and interested parties included inputs suppliers, financial institutions, marketing organizations, produce buyers, and the community. Thirty lead farmers from other divisions were invited for the field day with the intention that after learning and seeing the positive effects of CA they would be ambassadors, propagators of CA through the multiplier effect. The 30 farmers through close supervision and working in collaboration with ACT would be engaged in service provision to the larger Machakos County with the main objective of promoting C.A

At the demos, sites, there was a stark difference between the CA demonstration fields in comparison to the conventional sites. Farmers were able to relate the two different farming systems. With the elaborative and well distinguished demo plots, farmers were able to relate to the own field. The presence of the different cover crop options that were serving as soil cover in specific areas in the farmer’s field, left no doubt about the different CA farming principles. This gave farmers the importance of having different options of cover crops a farmer can have in conserving the soil.

"I had no idea that I had few elements of CA until I went for the farmers training organized by ACT in February before we planted, I have been using cover crops like pigeon and cowpea and now I understand why there seemed to be a difference in some parts of my farm. Now with the use of ripper and minimum soil disturbance during weeding, I can fully understand the need to practice C.A……..there is no reason why I should not practice C.A in my whole farm…….." a statement made by the lead farmer during an interview conducted by the ACT field officer immediately after the field day event was over.

The exhibition and practical demonstrations of CA equipment created a huge interest as many farmers were interested in how they could purchase the equipment and their prices. They also wanted to know if there are offers and subsidies by ACT on machinery hence manifestation of the need to link the manufactures’/suppliers of CA equipment to the farmers. More importantly, the crowd could see a bigger impact on conservation agriculture why we should all head towards CA, Not forgetting the soil and water conservation and incorporation of legume trees in the whole scenario.