From Silent Contributor to Decision-Maker: Rachel’s Journey to Voice
In the green highlands of Kuresoi South in Nakuru County, Rachel Sang bends over rows of African leafy vegetables that now feed her family, earn her income, and draw other farmers to her field. For the 46-year-old mother of seven, farming has become more than a way to survive. It has become the place where she found her voice.
For many years, Rachel worked long days in the field with little control over what she was putting her effort into. She cultivated the land, but decisions about what to plant, what to sell, and how to use revenue were often made without her input. Her contribution was visible, but her voice was not.
At the same time, production potential of the land became less predictable due to climatic changes. Rainfall patterns became erratic, and as a result harvests were uncertain. Effort did not always translate into livelihood stability. Rachel found herself in a cycle many rural women know well. She was working harder but progressing only slightly.
Rachel’s experience reflects a wider reality in many rural communities. Women play a central role in food production, yet they often have limited access to and control over income, land, production technologies, and household decisions.
Women make up nearly 60% of Kenya’s agricultural workforce and produce more than 70% of Kenya’s food for home consumption yet own less than 5% of registered land. The African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) that Rachel now grows including varieties like managu (African nightshade) and sagaa (spider plant) have been consumed in Kenyan highlands for generations and are rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, making them powerful tools for both food security and household nutrition.
CASCADE Intervention: Building Skills, Resilience and Confidence
Change began when the CAtalyzing Strengthened poliCy Action for healthy Diets and rEsilience programme (CASCADE) introduced farmer field and business schools (FFBS) in her community. The FFBS model applies a multi-sector approach to technical assistance provided by agriculture, health and community development specialists. Agricultural officers support farmers to adopt climate smart production practices and improve access to markets. Health officers strengthen household nutrition practices. Facilitators also guide families through conversations on shared decision making and the use of household assets.
These household dialogue sessions (guided by the CASCADE Social Analysis and Action principles) helped families question long held beliefs about who should decide, who should control income, and who should lead within the home. For Rachel, the FFBS training did not only change how she farmed; it also changed the perception she had of herself.
On her farm, the change became visible. Rachel shifted from rain dependent maize farming to a more diversified system of African leafy vegetables (African nightshade and spider plant) and potatoes. She adopted composting, moisture conserving planting methods, and simple water harvesting practices that allowed her to keep producing even during dry seasons. Record keeping helped her begin to manage her farm as a business.
Her monthly farm income increased from about KES 1,600 (US$ 12) to approximately KES 8,750 (US$ 68). But income tells only part of the story. The deeper transformation happened at home.
With a bright smile, Rachel Sang proudly displays a basin overflowing with freshly harvested leafy greens from her garden
A Voice Heard at Home and Beyond
As Rachel’s contribution to the household became more consistent and visible, her position within the household also began to change. “Now when we sit and plan, my voice is heard. We decide together what to plant and how to use the money from the farm,” Rachel explains.
This shift from silent contributor to active decision maker marks a critical change in her life. Decisions that were once made by the head of the household alone are now shared. Nutrition has improved. Meals are more diverse. Planning has replaced uncertainty.
Rachel’s farm has also become a learning site. Other farmers now visit to see what is possible when practical skills, stronger household cooperation, and women’s leadership come together.
Her story reflects more than individual success. It shows how combining FFBS training, nutrition education, and household dialogue can improve productivity, household nutrition and resilience while also strengthening women’s voice and influence.
As communities across Kenya face climate and economic pressures, Rachel’s journey offers a clear lesson. When women gain skills, resources, and voice, they do not just improve their farms, they transform their households, livelihoods, and influence their communities.
Her harvest is no longer measured only in kilograms. It is measured in confidence, in shared decisions, and in a future she now helps to shape.
Rachel Sang diligently uses her hoe to tend the rich, dark soil among the lush green crops on her farm in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County, Kenya.
