Feature: Kenyan urban dwellers devise innovative ways to beat inflationary pressures

The rising cost of food and other basic items has forced Kenyans urban dwellers to become more innovative and entrepreneurial in order to survive for another day.

A recent survey by Xinhua in several middle and low income Nairobi suburbs revealed novel but smart ways through which Kenyans are beating the skyrocketing cost of food.

Beatrice Wangui, a resident of Tassia suburb located in the eastern part of Nairobi, has settled on her expansive balcony that has offered a solution to food insecurity crises affecting her household.

The balcony has assured Wangui adequate supply of her favorite vegetables like kales, spinach, coriander, carrots and onions.

"Before I discovered that I could actually turn my balcony into a kitchen garden, I used to spend 8 U.S. dollars a day on vegetables only. In a month, I would spend close to 300 dollars on vegetables only which was very expensive. I borrowed the idea from one of my neighbors. I am glad my vegetable problem is sorted at least for now," Wangui told Xinhua on Monday.

Belinda Wahinya, a retired nurse and a resident of Kawangware, a low income suburb in Nairobi is a living testimony that necessity is the mother of invention.

She has no land to carry out farming but she is one of the leading suppliers of vegetables and green beans to a nearby market.

So far, Wahinya has transformed hundreds of worn out tires into a green haven where all her food needs are met.

The affable lady grows tomatoes, onions, kales, spinach, carrots, French beans and capsicum in the neatly arranged tires in her small compound.

"I have been doing this for the last five years since I left formal employment, being a single mother of four, I had to come up with a survival tactic otherwise my children would go hungry, to feed a family of five, I would need 1 dollar daily for vegetables only," said Wahinya.

She revealed that initially, her intention was to grow enough food for her family but after harvesting surplus, she decided to expand her little garden.

"I buy the worn out tires from nearby garages at 2 dollars per piece and on a good day I can make 50 dollars from selling the vegetables, my only problem is erratic water supply but the gains far outweigh the minor hurdles that I face. I haven't bought vegetables from the market for my family for the last five years," Wahinya told Xinhua.

The urban farming bug has also caught up with Kenyans living in middle income suburbs.

Miriam Atabo, a mother of three and a resident of the leafy Kileleshwa estate, also uses her balcony to grow her favorite vegetables.

Even though she is a neophyte in the urban farming venture, Miriam says the high cost of vegetables has forced her into finding an alternative source of greens for her family.

"I made up my mind on trying out the balcony garden last month after buying a small bunch of spinach at 3 dollars. I had to spend close to 15 dollars for one meal. It hit me the much I was spending yet I could grow the same vegetables on my garden," says Miriam.

The high cost of commodity prices in Kenya has been occasioned by the country's rising inflation and prolonged drought.

Central Bank of Kenya Governor Patrick Njoroge recently warned the rise in inflation rate was to remain above the Bank's target until June and could slow down to around 5 percent as soon as the drought ends.

Statistics from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics' (KNBS) Consumer Price Indices and rates of inflation for April indicated an increase of 1.79 percent from 182.98 in March to 186.24 in April while overall inflation rate stood at 11.48 percent in April.

However, the ongoing rains are expected to ease inflationary pressures if they are accompanied by a bumper harvest of key staples like maize, wheat and legumes. Endit