In Gatundu, farming is not just a job .It is survival, patience and hard physical work.A local woman, Wanjoroge, had gone to plant arrowroots (nduma), like many small-scale farmers do every day in Kenya’s rural areas.
Arrowroot farming thrives in wet swampy soils, so she was working in a soggy patch near tea bushes. What looks like normal farming ground can quickly turn dangerous. As she planted, the soft soil gave way and she began sinking deeper into thick mud until she could no longer pull herself out.
It took the quick action of nearby residents who formed a human chain and pulled her to safety to get her out without injury. What could have been a tragic incident ended well, but it also reflects something much bigger about farming life in Kenya.
The reality of small scale farmers
For small-scale farmers especially women this is the reality behind the food that reaches our tables. They work in unpredictable weather on uneven land and often in wetlands, riverbanks or steep fields. Most rely entirely on manual labour. The tools are basic, the ground is often unstable and the work is physically demanding from early morning until evening. Every planting season comes with uncertainty, and every harvest depends on effort, patience and endurance.
Incidents like this are not just isolated viral moments. They represent the hidden risks that farmers face every day. Slipping in muddy fields, getting stuck in swampy soils, carrying heavy loads of harvest, working under harsh sun or heavy rain, and still waking up the next day because farming is their only source of livelihood. Many small-scale farmers do not have mechanised tools or backup income. They depend fully on the land.
Determination that keeps faming going
Even after the rescue, Wanjoroge returned to her field. That decision speaks volumes about the resilience of small-scale farmers. For many of them, stopping is not an option. The crops still need care, the soil still demands attention and the season continues regardless of personal difficulty. Farming does not pause for exhaustion or setbacks.
Behind every meal on our table there is a farmer who has worked through difficult terrain and long hours to make it possible. Yet their effort is often overlooked. Markets are full, shelves are stocked and food is available, but the struggle behind that supply is rarely seen or acknowledged.
Ultimately, Wanjoroge’s experience is not just about one woman stuck in mud. It is about the millions of small-scale farmers across Kenya who work in difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions to feed the country. It is about the unseen labour that sustains households, markets and entire communities. Their work is demanding, often underpaid and rarely celebrated, yet it remains essential.
Small-scale farmers deserve more than appreciation in words. They deserve recognition for the role they play in national food security.
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