Pennod 1 Byw yn y Byd

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-It's a new season here on the patch

-and I have done a bit of work.

-But I have to stop, because

-I'm going away for a few weeks...

-..to see other people's patches

-on the other side of the world.

-How they grow vegetables

-and what animals they keep.

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-Before I go to Africa,

-there are a few jobs to do.

-This will be the longest

-that Jen and me will have been apart.

-I'm leaving her and Bleddyn

-for three weeks and I'll miss them.

-Will you knit while you're there?

-Will you knit while you're there?

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-I'll take it with me.

-It'll be something to do.

-It'll be something to do.

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-I'm a home-loving lad.

-I've never travelled far.

-Maybe it's time I did.

-Champion.

-I've made an album

-of photos of Bleddyn.

-It'll be a huge experience.

-Life can be difficult

-anywhere in the world.

-In Africa, there's a lack of rain

-and it can be very hot.

-It'll be interesting to see

-how they overcome these things.

-As here, there's always an answer

-to a situation.

-I don't know what their answers are.

-We'll see.

-Enjoy yourself. Take care.

-The charity Christian Aid

-helps people in developing countries.

-Branwen Niclas works for the Wales

-office and is taking me...

-..to see one of the projects

-that they support in Kenya.

-I don't like flying.

-I was glad to talk to Branwen

-on the plane to take my mind off it.

-I also tried to learn a little

-about our destination.

-We're flying to Nairobi...

-..then driving to the small village

-of Riiacina in the Mbeere district.

-Have you been to this area before?

-No, I've never been to Kenya,

-apart from the airport.

-But I do travel a little

-with my work...

-..which is always enjoyable,

-for several reasons.

-It's a chance to see

-the work being done...

-..and the people

-who benefit from the work.

-You also see where the money

-collected back home is spent.

-People go to a lot of trouble

-to raise money.

-Over 80% of Kenyans

-depend on agriculture or the land...

-..for their livelihood.

-It's important

-that it's sustainable...

-..bearing in mind

-such factors as climate change.

-It's difficult for them.

-September 2009

-The last big drought in Kenya

-was in 2009.

-Things have improved, but some areas

-are having problems again...

-..including the area we're visiting.

-Despite their difficulties...

-..the Muchiri family

-were very keen for us to visit.

-Riiacina is a village

-of about 100 houses...

-..scattered across

-a large, hilly area.

-The 15-strong Muchiri family

-lives on a smallholding.

-They depend on the land

-for sustenance.

-Ooh, it's hot!

-You wouldn't believe it.

-That's why there's a step

-around the house.

-As the sun moves in the sky,

-people sit in the shade.

-In the morning,

-they're in the back.

-They're at the side

-in the afternoon...

-..then here when the sun

-is in the back.

-All these small buildings

-have a purpose.

-They look like mud huts to us,

-but they're vital on a small farm.

-The toilet isn't quite

-what I'm used to...

-..but if you've got to go,

-you've got to go.

-There's a sad story

-behind this building.

-The husband of the farm

-had a second wife, but she died.

-She had five children.

-The children live in this building.

-But the new wife

-has five children too.

-They live in the other house.

-These two huts

-are for the adult sons.

-One of them has two children.

-The kitchen has its own building.

-They cook on an open fire.

-This building is very important

-for the farm.

-They store the crops they grow here,

-such as wheat, sweetcorn and peas.

-But sadly...

-..it's empty now.

-They had a dry year last year.

-A lot of the food

-that they hoped to grow...

-..didn't grow at all,

-so this building is empty.

-But the way they've built it

-is interesting, on posts.

-This prevents mice

-getting at the stored foods.

-It also creates shade

-for the hens and ducks.

-My chicken shed at home

-is also above ground.

-I can use the space

-under and above the shed.

-Rats can't get inside.

-There are brains

-behind this building.

-Do they go here? There?

-They go here?

-They go on their own.

-The only water in the house

-is rainwater collected from the roof.

-But the tank is empty...

-..so they have to go to the river

-with donkeys to fetch water.

-That's the first job every day.

-Branwen and I are going with them.

-They've got a lot of work

-to do every day.

-The donkeys have been to fetch water

-at least once already.

-There's a lot of work to do

-to prepare for the day.

-They have to do this every day.

-As you see, it's very dry.

-There aren't many places

-where they can get water.

-It's been a hard time for them.

-The weather

-has become so unreliable.

-They're used to having

-a wet and dry season.

-But in the last rainy season

-before Christmas...

-..they only had three days of rain

-instead of two months.

-It's very hard for families

-to prepare for that and get food in.

-After a mile's walk,

-we arrived at this vital spot...

-..the River Tana.

-There's more water in the river

-than I expected.

-Everyone comes here.

-Everyone comes here.

-

-I'm sure.

-The River Tana

-is important for the area.

-It's busy here all day.

-People can have a chat.

-There's plenty of fun

-while doing the chores too.

-BACKGROUND CHAT

-Oh!

-LAUGHTER

-The system of fetching water

-may be primitive...

-..but even here,

-there's a phone signal.

-There are hardly any other mod cons.

-There's no electricity

-and only a few shops along the road.

-That job is done.

-Getting the water

-is hard work in this heat.

-It can get even hotter.

-Without this water,

-they couldn't live here.

-They can't move closer to the river,

-because other people live there.

-They have to live

-in places such as this.

-Thank goodness I'm not a donkey.

-I've started to knit a hat

-to show them.

-Good lord!

-Surrounded by women.

-Dangerous.

-I began to knit and they all flocked

-to see what I was doing.

-Two purl.

-CHATTER

-LAUGHTER

-Great! I might finish the hat

-before I leave.

-But there's plenty of hard work

-in store on the family's patch.

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-I've come to see

-the Muchiri family's patch...

-..half an hour's walk from the house,

-to see what kind of land they have.

-I know that drought

-has been a problem.

-I'll do a bit for you now, yes?

-Oh, it's hard work.

-The soil is rock hard.

-But there's a reason

-why they grow food here.

-This area is an island

-between two rivers.

-They're going to transplant

-small tomato plants here.

-But they need water.

-That comes from the rivers

-on either side.

-Getting water here

-incurs fuel costs.

-Pumping the water a long way

-costs a lot more...

-..so they grow crops near the river.

-I'd better carry on,

-because I'm holding him up.

-In an unsettled climate, proximity

-to a river also has its drawbacks.

-Last July, they had terrible floods.

-SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE

-In the floods,

-my crops were inundated...

-..and I lost my machines

-and watering pipes.

-The floods were very serious

-because we had no warning...

-..that the power station was going

-to let water out of the reservoir.

-Later, we pass the reservoir

-that caused the floods.

-It's hard to believe

-that all this water...

-..generates electricity

-that's just sold abroad.

-None of the water or electricity

-reaches the local people.

-After the floods,

-things went from bad to worse...

-..with a very dry period.

-The family lost crops and animals.

-Since then, along with others

-in the area, they get help...

-..from one

-of Christian Aid's partners...

-..CCS, the Christian Community

-Services of Mount Kenya East.

-Hello.

-This is a CCS training centre.

-They offer training and aid

-to local farmers.

-They do all sorts of things here,

-from cooking courses...

-..to introducing stronger breeds

-of hens and goats...

-..and experimenting with seeds

-that can survive periods of drought.

-They have sent us

-to see the plants in the garden.

-I don't know their names!

-What is this?

-This is Amaranthus.

-It's called Amaranthus Terere here.

-We have this back home,

-but in the flower garden.

-We use it as an ornamental plant.

-It's grown for food here.

-Its seeds are used...

-..to make a drink

-that they call porridge.

-It isn't like our porridge.

-I've tasted it, and these seeds

-are full of protein.

-They're very good

-as food for children.

-I think I saw a papaya tree.

-Papaya is an easily

-digestible fruit.

-It has a lot of vitamins,

-so it's nutritious for children.

-I'll have to give Bleddyn papaya.

-They grow a lot of fruit

-and vegetables here...

-..to show people the type of crops

-that can resist drought.

-There are even mangoes over there.

-Yes, of all shapes and sizes.

-The fruit tastes so different.

-Yes, and look at that colour!

-And the marvellous smell.

-We grow plums and apples.

-Imagine being able to go

-to the garden to pick a mango!

-Have you seen these before?

-I think I have. Are they nuts?

-Yes. How did you know?

-Peanuts. I've seen them before.

-People back home

-think that nuts grow on trees.

-Of course.

-Peanuts grow in the soil.

-The name suggests

-that they belong to the pea family.

-Really?

-Really?

-

-Yes. This plant is a legume.

-The leaves are very similar

-to a pea plant.

-This is one

-of the most important areas.

-This is where they show people

-how to grow millet.

-Right.

-Millet is a very important

-and valuable crop.

-It's a staple in many African

-countries and can resist drought.

-Is this millet?

-Is this millet?

-

-Yes.

-I thought it would be longer.

-I've seen it in budgie cages.

-This is a different millet.

-They use it instead of things

-such as bread, potatoes or rice.

-This kind is higher in nutrients.

-Oh! You've taught me

-something about millet.

-You've taught me

-much more on this journey!

-Look. What a shame.

-This is a good example

-of how plants can't survive...

-..in hot, dry weather.

-Watermelons usually thrive here.

-If the rain had come,

-they would have had a good crop.

-But this centre is here

-to educate people.

-It's a good lesson

-- people can see what can grow...

-..and what they should grow

-when things become difficult.

-Things are starting

-to get difficult again in Kenya.

-SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE

-The paper has a photo of a cow

-starving because of the drought.

-It's eating sand instead of grass!

-This page shows that many animals

-have trouble getting water.

-We heard yesterday that seven people

-have died because of the drought.

-That's the situation in Kenya now.

-It is serious.

-We at CCS have strategies to help

-communities to avoid starvation.

-On the way home, I began to see

-how precarious the situation is...

-..and why this support

-is so important to Alvan's family.

-I was very glad to plant tomatoes

-with them the following day.

-This patch of land is their nursery.

-At home, I'd plant tomatoes

-in the greenhouse or a polytunnel.

-But it's warm enough here

-and close to the river...

-..so they can get enough water

-to keep the young plants alive.

-Today, I'm helping them

-take the young plants from here...

-..over the river to where

-they've prepared the land...

-..so that the tomatoes can grow.

-You'd think that Alvan

-and his family love tomatoes...

-..judging by the number of plants.

-But they're not grown

-for the family to eat.

-They're sold, to get money

-to buy items such as rice and peas.

-These last longer in hard times.

-I get the donkey work, as usual!

-Right, we'll go.

-We had to hurry

-before the young plants dried out.

-The lads had been working hard

-to prepare and water the soil...

-..but first,

-we had to cross two rivers.

-Carrying the bucket on my head

-was a good method.

-Where do you want them? Here?

-We're doing well.

-Doing well.

-Doing well.

-

-Yes.

-Gardening is relaxing,

-wherever you are in the world.

-Hopefully, they'll get a good crop

-in a month or two.

-In the next programme,

-gardening of a different kind...

-..when we visit a farm

-that grows vegetables for export...

-..and an organic garden

-in Nairobi's slums.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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