By Abdullahi Jamaa | Smart Muslim
“What can I do?” was a question that lingered in the mind of Noordin Elias Jama before he moved ahead with an unparalleled enthusiasm to start his agro-farming business in Wajir County.
With few options on the table for him, pursuing a new commercial venture in a region where opportunities are few and far between is a thing that gave him so many sleepless nights, yet his vision was unstoppable.
Wajir, his hometown, one of the few remaining hotspots of pastoralism in the world is already reeling under the weight of protracted climate change that has devastated livelihoods, diminishing opportunities for investment.
Over the past few decades, seasons have shifted, droughts are as common as sunrise, rendering the vegetation cover parched and bare to sustain pastoralism any longer. El-nino rains have just come hot on the heels of cyclical dry spells, pounding the region, and creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
The relentless impact of climate change that distressed the economic mainstay of the overwhelming majority is pushing people like Noordin to adopt new strategies for earning livelihoods in Wajir’s precarious hinterlands.
“This area is dry most of the year. Livestock rearing is getting harder by the day. With this situation I asked myself, what can I do?” says Noordin “Over the last decades, my people have lost a lot of animals because of the drought. I was challenged to come up with an alternative source of livelihood”
His sheer willpower to take a shot at agro-farming in a place like Wajir undoubtedly means taking a big leap forward, moving away from traditional ways of livelihood while adapting to modern means of economic survival.
Rolling with the punches, one step at a time, he finally did it in 2021, setting up Ej’s Poultry and Agro Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Limited, a business that also has a vision to empower agro farmers from the county.
Tapping into agro farming, Noordin is changing the narrative in a bold move that seeks to set the pace for businesses from the region that can survive the adversities of climate change. Indeed, he is one of the few agriprenuers to watch out in this part of climate devastated Horn of Africa region.
In his little yet productive farm located in Wajir Town, he does poultry farming while growing vegetables at the same time. His perfect mix of ideas, efforts, and enthusiasm is turning the tables when it comes to agricultural investment.
“We have about 700 chickens in our farm currently. We also have a hatchery machine which can hold a maximum of 528 eggs per cycle” He told the Chamber Echo “This is one of few farms of this type here in Northeastern region, if there is any”
His business sells to the local markets, hotels, and other institutions. On sale are also vaccinated day-old, week-old, and month-old chicks. Using modern machines, the farm’s production output is impressive at least to the standards of the region.
Bottlenecks
Admittedly, the inception of the farm came with lots of bottlenecks in a county where access to extension services and support infrastructure is nothing to write home about. Yet Noordin left nothing to chance in his brimming hope of starting a viable idea.
“We faced a lot of ups and downs, learning through the hard way, ” Noordin says “It was not easy to set up this farm. It took a lot of time, resources, and energy. But we have also learned a lot along the way”
Yes, along the way, he received support and encouragement from Wajir County Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, WFP and USAID. This partnership also allowed him to access much-needed expert opinion on project implementation.
He is now looking forward to expand the facility’s capacity by increasing production and introducing new agro-farming products as his business seeks to satisfy the local market due to increasing demands from residents.
“We can keep about 6000 chickens on our farm. We are looking for more resources to inject into this project and increase its production capacity” Noordin said “With proper and adequate investments we can supply the entire Wajir county “
But poultry is not the only thing at Ej’s Poultry and Agro Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society Limited, it also produces a variety of agricultural products such as vegetables for sale to the residents who ordinarily rely on supplies from Nairobi and Garissa.
Considering large swathe of the county is semi-arid and ill-suited for farming, few might expect Wajir to be the site of new agricultural innovations. But the story of Noordin and his farm is giving residents all the reasons to try their hands at agro farming.
It gives the locals a clue about modern ways of doing agriculture, especially in Wajir where the overwhelming majority rely on livestock products. As a new business relying on modern technology, locals are learning techniques for bypassing climatic conditions while trying to earn a living.
“We bring local farmers together, providing resources, training, and market access, helping them thrive in Wajir County’s agricultural sector,” says Noordin “Our mission is to empower poultry and agro farmers, helping them achieve sustainable agricultural practices while providing high-quality products to the communities we serve”
Climate-resilient farming techniques help farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change and also sustainably enhance their productivity. With this concept already taking shape and form in Wajir, the prognosis for future food security is promising.
While the repercussions of Climate change on agriculture are now pushing many residents into the wall, forcing families to survive on edge, locally invigorated efforts can reverse the trend and herald a new paradigm in creating livelihood opportunities.
If entrepreneurs like Noordin are supported by building their capacity and strengthening their resilience in managing agricultural risks, the roadmap to food security in this part of the world will finally find a breakthrough.
And this will truly embolden the spirit of homegrown solutions for homegrown problems. Already, yields from Ej’s farm are a powerful manifestation of a way out of the woods when it comes to food insecurity.
“Many people in this region are vulnerable to climate change. They need support from government and non-government actors to improve their standards of life” Noordin finally says
