Millet farming in Busia County has experienced a remarkable surge in production, bringing tangible benefits to local farmers. This growth is largely attributed to the Accelerated Variety Improvement and Seed System in Africa (AVISA) project, which has revolutionized the finger millet value chain.

The Centre for Behavior Change and Communication (CBCC) has played a pivotal role, particularly in empowering women farmers. By training them on millet farming techniques and the use of improved seed varieties, CBCC has enhanced both home consumption and income from sales.

Teresa Papai from Amukura East Ward shares her story. Having planted millet for 20 years, she only began to realize its potential after adopting improved seeds and farming practices introduced through the project.

“Previously, I planted millet once a year, and the yields were poor,” she recalls. “With the new knowledge and improved seed variety, I started planting twice a year. The yields have been significantly higher, unlike the traditional seeds, which produced less and took longer to mature.”

Teresa highlights the benefits of modern planting methods, such as planting in lines, which has made weeding, fertilization, and harvesting easier. Encouraged by these changes, she expanded her millet farm from 2 acres to 5 acres.

“My children are now fully in school because I can pay their fees from millet sales,” she says. “I’ve even completed building my house, and I plan to increase my millet acreage further.”

Millet’s nutritional benefits, especially for people managing diabetes and as a nutritious porridge, have boosted its popularity. Teresa also collaborates with KALRO to ensure a steady supply of improved seeds to fellow farmers.

“When we harvested our millet, we sold it to KALRO, who helped package and label the seeds for distribution through Youth and Women Quality Centers,” she explains.

Hilda Mutunga from Teso South shares a similar story. She benefited from selling improved variety seeds to other farmers and has seen her living standards improve.

“The training and improved seed varieties changed farmers’ mindsets,” she notes. “We used to believe millet could only be planted once a year, but now we plant twice, thanks to the new varieties.”

Hilda expanded her millet farm from 1 acre to 3 acres, crediting the drought-tolerant varieties with enabling farming even in unpredictable weather. However, she points out challenges, including the lack of a stable market and inadequate storage facilities.

“We always find buyers in small quantities,” she laments. “If we had a sustainable market, more farmers would be motivated to plant millet on a larger scale.”

Everline Ouma from Simba Chai in Teso Central echoes these sentiments. She praises the shift from traditional broadcasting methods to planting in lines, which has reduced labor and production costs.

“Men were reluctant to work in millet fields planted through broadcasting, but with the new method, they now assist us, making labor more affordable,” she says.

Everline also notes that a lack of knowledge was a major barrier to millet production. With training and improved seeds, her yields have increased dramatically—from planting half an acre to now cultivating 2 acres, yielding up to 15 bags of 90 kg each.

Post-harvest handling has also improved. “We’ve been trained to handle millet properly to maintain its quality,” she adds. “Traditional handling methods were tedious and compromised quality, but with new machines, it’s easier and healthier.”

Farmers’ mindsets have undergone a transformation. “It used to be taboo to plant millet in two seasons,” Everline recalls. “Low yields discouraged many farmers, but with the new knowledge and improved seeds, we now embrace double planting, resulting in higher production.”

Production costs have also dropped, with reduced fertilizer needs and the option of using manure. However, like others, she highlights the need for a stable market, as increased production has led to buyers offering low prices.

CBCC, in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT-CGIAR) Dryland Crops Program and Busia County, continues to champion these improvements.

Emmanuel Eshitemi from CBCC explains their approach: “We work with KALRO and KEPHIS to ensure seed availability and train farmers on modern methods. The improved varieties mature in just three months and are drought-tolerant, which is essential given climate unpredictability.”

He stresses the importance of climate-resilient seeds. “Many farmers don’t fully grasp the impact of climate change. These seeds help them reduce losses and boost yields. The seeds can be recycled twice, after which we encourage farmers to obtain new improved varieties.”

Eshitemi adds that CBCC has put mechanisms in place to ensure all farmers can access both training and improved millet seeds. “We have several improved varieties, including U-15/Maridadi, Kakamega Wimbi 2, and Kakamega Wimbi 3, available at Youth and Women Quality Centers,” he concludes.