Determined women farmers in Kapsowar ward, Elgeyo Marakwet county are transforming small farms into thriving vegetable enterprises.
With limited land but abundant resilience, women farmers across the ward are increasingly shifting from traditional subsistence crops to high-value horticulture, carving out a critical role in food security and economic stability.
Over the past few years, vegetable farming, especially the cultivation of tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and French beans, has gained popularity among women's groups and individual farmers in the area.
This shift has been fuelled by changing market demands, unpredictable weather patterns, and the rising cost of living. "Initially, we only grew maize and beans just to feed our families," says Mary Kiplagat, a farmer from Kapchesewes. "But now with vegetables that I sell to traders in Kapsowar town and Iten every week, I can comfortably pay school fees and buy what we don't grow," she says.
