Editorial by Joshua A. Machinga

Kenyan agriculture is dying. It is fast losing ground and according to the former minister of agriculture, Hon. Bonaya Godana, it has reached a point of no return. Sixty-five percent of those working on the farms are over sixty (60) years old. It is predicted that this number will exceed 80% by the year 2015.

The country only produces 20% of its food needs and the rest is imported from other nations. This figure is rapidly increasing in a country that was self sufficient in early 1980's. Young people have no interest in farming and continue to flock to the cities. The traditional village songs and dances have all but disappeared; the soul of farming is dying. Kenyan agriculture/rural life is seen by most as the heart of Kenya culture.

Two common African sayings that illustrate the importance of farming in the continuity of African (or any) societies are "The future of tomorrow's forests is in today's seed " and " It is the saplings in a forest that make it thick".

How do today's youths in your community view farming? If your community is like the ones here, you will identify with some of these statements:

" "When I grow up I do not want to dig again! I want to wear nice clothes and shoes all the time. I will live in town in a nice house."

" "I want to be a pilot, to be able to fly way from this life of digging."

" "I want to be a rich farmer. To use tractors and prisoners like our neighbor, then my children will never suffer digging like we do?"

Where is the future of sustainable agriculture if the youths abhor farming? A "life of digging", as it has been termed, is for the less elite, poorly resourced and rural. Where does this paradigm come from? It stems from our current attitudes, which are passed on to successive generations. Typically, the more educated people are, the further away they are from the soil and more "respectable" they become.

The traditional education curriculum does not train children to become self-sustaining small farmers. The more "educated" become advisers to those who live off the land. They do not sweat with the hoe and usually don't know how to grow the food they live on. Yet, the "educated" earn more and live better than the farmers.

In Kenya, parents often say, "If you play with education, you'll end up on the farm!" We are all guilty of biasing our children against farming. Often we hear that farming is not a career to be proud of, but one resorted to if everything fails.

On a global scale, about one hundred and thirty (130) million children are out of school and estimated one hundred and sixty (160) million children are undernourished.

The close relationship between poverty and lack of food, absence of education have long been recognized and understood, development strategies at international and national levels have tended to treat equitable access to quality education and food as separate issues.

Experience has shown that food security and education are interlinked and can contribute to the process of enabling rural people to improve their lives and livelihoods. Basic education is now seen as a crucial aspect of rural development, food security and wealth creation.

In this regard CGP started a Garden School Project - (Pathfinder Academy) in January 2002 with the vision of making Kenya a much better place through enlightenment of children-its future leaders.

The school provides opportunities to seventy-six (76) pupils (ages 3 - 12 years) to excel academically and socially; self-esteem and confidence are essential ingredients in encouraging children to become motivated and active learners. The school is a community in which children, parents and staff work together to provide a happy learning environment.

Pathfinder Academy moulds its pupils to be responsible citizens of tomorrow. Our school motto is" Do My Honest Part". The school aims at turning out children who will help build Kenya into an enviable nation. Apart from the national education system, our school offers pupils and parents courses on the Joy of Spontaneous Delight, Joy of Teaching Responsibility and the Joy of the Earth. Through the Joy of the Earth curriculum pupils are introduced to GROW BIOINTENSIVE (organic) farming.

The goal of education at Pathfinder Academy is not the mastery of various disciplines, but the mastery of one's self. Being responsible to one's self cannot be separated from being responsible to the planet. There is no other way to get this lesson across than the school curriculum in which food is takes its place at the core level. From the garden, kitchen and the table, children learn empathy for each and for all of creation. The children learn compassion, patience and self-discipline. Our school curriculum teaches these lessons to give children an orientation to the future- and it gives them hope.

Gardening, cooking, serving and eating, composting.. are truly basic things. Here the garden turns a pop culture upside- down; it teaches redemption through a deep appreciation for the real, the authentic and lasting-for the things that money can't buy; the very things that matter most of all if we are going to lead sane, healthy and sustainable lives. CGP believes that the children should learn lessons in the environment and nutrition through school gardening and school cooking and eating-learn ethics.

The school is facilitating the integration of agriculture, agro-forestry and natural resources management and environmental and wildlife conservation, while bringing direct benefits to all learners in the families and communities. Providing children with a wide array of knowledge and skills related to land, soil and water management, as well as a more positive attitude towards sustainable rural life, will prepare them for new challenges in farming and in life.

Through the Pathfinder Academy, CGP is striving to improve the preparedness of youths in natural resource management and life skills by:

- Promoting the integration of sustainable natural resource management into basic education imparting agricultural and natural resource management knowledge, skills and attitudes

- Strengthening linkage between school, homes and communities, particularly in rural areas

- Enhancing effectiveness of formal and non-formal education through active experiential and contextualized learning

The CGP initiative provides a unique opportunity and platform for children to learn new agricultural skills which then are shared with their parents. As a result, hundreds of families have accessed additional farming and seed information.

The school has 9,700 square foot garden adjacent to the classroom complex. Crops grown include Sunflower, Kale, Maize, Wheat, Pearl millet, Indigenous vegetables, Collards, Sorghum, Sweet potatoes, Vetiver grass, groundnuts, Mbambara nuts and fruits. Children participate in all stage of garden planning and implementation. Our daily song is "dirt under the nails".

By Joshua A. Machinga

Joshua is from the Luhya tribe. His native home is Kakamega around Kakamega Natural Rainforest. Joshua has a Diploma in Poverty, Relief and Development from Kenya Institute of Social Workers (2001), Advanced Certificate in Biointensive Agriculture from Ecology Action, Ca, USA (1995) and a Certificate in Biointensive Agriculture from Manor House Agricultural Center , Kitale, Kenya (1992). He has 11 years experience in Community mobilization and training and has consulted with the Overseas Development Authority (UK)/World Bank.