Nyandarua, Nakuru and Laikipia farmers turn to upland dasheen arrowroot farming to save wetland

A shift to the Dasheen Arrowroot variety is offering farmers a more profitable way of farming while protecting wetlands, restoring wildlife habitats and safeguarding water resources.

For decades, farmers in wetland areas have cultivated indigenous arrowroots, relying on the constant supply of water to sustain their crops. But this old practice has come at an environmental cost, with the destruction of wetlands threatening aquatic life, water resources and breeding grounds for the endangered Grey Crowned Crane.

Following the dangers that wetland face as a result of human activities, conservation experts are encouraging farmers to adopt the Dasheen arrowroot variety, which can thrive on upland farms with considerably less water, offering a sustainable alternative that allows agriculture and nature to coexist.

According to David Warui of Cranes Conservation Volunteers (CCV), cultivating arrowroots away from wetlands is a critical step towards reversing environmental degradation while improving farmers’ livelihoods.

Warui says through modern farming techniques, organic soil enrichment and low-labour approaches, farmers can achieve better yields, multiple harvests and increased incomes without encroaching on fragile ecosystems.

Warui’s call comes amid growing concerns over human activities in wetlands, where agricultural expansion has contributed to habitat degradation, threatening the survival of aquatic species and birds such as the endangered Grey Crowned Crane, which depend on these ecosystems for breeding and survival.

For may families and farmers, wetland arrowroot farming was considered the norm, with a majority having little knowledge of the long-term environmental consequences. Some even viewed the activity as dirty and labour-intensive, as they struggled through marshy conditions to prepare land and tend their crops.

However, that narrative is gradually changing following the introduction of the Dasheen variety through an initiative supported by the UK-based Rufford Foundation in partnership with Cranes Conservation Volunteers in Nyandarua.

The initiative seeks to move farmers away from wetlands by providing technical support and farming equipment to encourage upland cultivation.

Unlike the indigenous variety, which requires wetland marshy conditions and takes about nine to thirteen months to mature, the Dasheen variety is adaptable to both upland and fairly wet conditions.

Farmers who have tried its attest that it can thrive in areas receiving good rainfall and matures within five to eight months, giving farmers an opportunity to harvest earlier and improve productivity.

For farmers embracing the new variety, the change is already transforming agricultural practices, allowing them to grow arrowroots around their homes instead of depending on vulnerable wetland ecosystems.

Judy Wambui says the new variety has challenged the long-held belief that arrowroots can only grow in marshy environments, opening up opportunities for more sustainable farming.

The shift has also brought a painful realization about the environmental consequences of traditional farming. Paul Murage says he previously cleared wetland vegetation and displaced aquatic life to create space for arrowroot cultivation, often without understanding the damage they were causing to the ecosystem.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Francis Mathaai, an experienced Dasheen farmer, who says that the benefits are extending beyond conservation. He acknowledges that adopting upland arrowroot farming has significantly increased his income, while previously degraded wetlands in his area are gradually coming nack to life.

As climate change and human activities continue to put pressure on natural ecosystems, the transition to climate-smart agriculture offers a practical pathway towards balancing food production, economic empowerment and environmental conservation.

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A shift to the Dasheen Arrowroot variety is offering farmers a more profitable…