Tonny and Naomi film a segment of the new TV in Busia, Kenya
With Series 5 drawing to a close on TV this week (haven’t seen the new series yet? Head over to our website to see series 5 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) it hardly means work in the Shamba Shape Up office stops. We have already spent many weeks visiting farmers, scouting for and filming Series 6, which will air in 2016.
In the last few weeks, the crew has spent time in Kenya’s Western and Nyanza areas, filming on shambas in Homabay, Kisii and Busia.
As farmers harvest and plan for the short rains, and the strong possibility of El Nino hitting hard, the crew have been busy filming planting, how to use fertilisers and better varieties, before the downpour begins!
On Praxedece’s farm in Busia, we focused on nutrition, and learned how to use the drought resistant crop, sorghum, for better health and nutrition. Nutrition expert Eric Manyasa, from ICRISAT, taught the farmer how to make chapattis out of sorghum flour. Sorghum flour is high in protein, iron and fibre, as well as antioxidants, which support cardiac health. It is also wheat free and takes longer to digest, leaving you feeling fuller for longer – a great alternative to maize and wheat flour.
Selling sorghum as flour makes it easier to store your harvest for longer so you can sell when prices are better. Sorghum flour is rising in popularity in Kenya’s export markets, as people search for gluten-free options.
By making her sorghum into flour for her own consumption and for sale, Praxedece will not only have a healthier diet, but a healthier profit from her farm.
In October, the crew is heading to Uganda, to see how our Ugandan friends are getting on. We promise to keep you updated from there!
