The Aloe Vera miracle in drought-prone Ganze

Dust winds arise as strong wind blows loose sand from cracked surfaces as one approaches Jila village in Kilifi County's Ganze constituency. It's noon and the scorching sun is unbearable.

All signs of severe drought ravaging the people of Ganze are evident. Girls who are supposed to be in class are seen trekking long distances in search of water. Nearby water plants have dried up.

Water scarcity is not news in Ganze, infamous for famine and hunger. For years, residents relied on food donation as their maize crops dried up due to drought.

However, women in this arid and semi-arid area have decided to switch from maize and vegetable farming to more lucrative and drought-resistant aloe vera agriculture.

Ms Bendera Salim started with 100 suckers of aloe vera in her one-acre farm that was covered by a few hardy shrubs able to survive on the harsh terrain two years ago.

The mother of 8 has more than 2,000 plants. Recently, she started making aloe vera bars, which she sells to beauty cosmetics to make beauty products, including soaps.

 The process of making the bars is tedious; Ms Salim said that the aloe vera juice must be boiled to a level that facilitates solidification.

“Once the liquid is thick, it is removed from the boiling pot and poured into another container to cool. After about 30 minutes, the thick sap turns solid. The solid materials are then broken into small pieces and packed into sacks , ready for the market," she said.

"I sell a kilogram at Sh200 at Bamba market, and sometimes I get customers from Kilifi town and Mariakani," said Salim as she filters the juice.

She has been surviving from aloe vera proceeds, which has transformed her economic status and created educational opportunities for her children.

Aloe vera is harvested once a month. Ms Salim sells approximately 30 kilograms per harvest. She also sells aloe vera sprouts for planting to fellow farmers at sh10.

Other than the commercial value of the plant, villagers in Ganza have embraced it because it reduces erosion and improves the soil, enabling grass to grow.

The villagers now make extra money from the grazing fee they charge the herders from the neighbouring Tana River County in need of pasture for their animals.

"In the future, I aim to make cosmetics from the sap, including soap, body lotions and shampoo to sell to hotels and guest houses in Kilifi," said Ms Salim.

Traditionally, men in this area use the aloe to brew a traditional fermented wine made of the pounded roots mixed with water, sugar and honey.

Dr James Ndiso, a senior lecturer in agronomy at Pwani University, says aloe vera's many uses have remained largely unknown for years.

"The plant is versatile; as an ingredient, you can use it with virtually any health product," he said.

Dr Ndiso says that there are about 300 aloe vera varieties in the country, and each has its own uses, ranging from making juice, soup, detergents, shampoo, herbal remedies, food supplements and flavouring to aloe vera herbal tea and jelly oils.

The Aloe barbadensis is the most common cultivated variety in the country. Dr Ndiso said it does well in arid and semi-arid areas with less rainfall.

 ‘’A farmer has to prepare the land, especially sandy loam soil, for good drainage. The farm is then populated with the plant suckers, spaced at 3 by 3 feet," said Dr Ndiso.

He said the plant matures after 18 to 24 months and should be preferably harvested when there is some rain, as then the aloe vera would have sucked in more water and hence a higher gel content in its leaves.

"They are less susceptible to diseases than other crops. Cultivating aloe vera requires relatively low levels of chemical inputs and next to no weeding," said Dr Ndiso.

Farmers said the plant kills the weeds and cannot be eaten by animals, mostly because its leaves have a thorny structure on both sides, complete with a thorny tip.

The Kenyan government banned the harvesting of aloe for commercial purposes in 1989 because the plant was considered endangered, but later the ban was lifted.

Farmers in Kilifi County have been urged to prepare for below-average rainfall during the upcoming April-May 2025 season.

Dr Francis Munie, research scientist and climate expert at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), advised farmers to plant hardy or drought-resistant crops that can survive the vagaries of the adverse weather conditions.

"Because of the erratic rains, farmers should go for cassava, green gram, sorghum, and finger millet, which do not require much rain; this will boost the capacity of households to feed themselves," said Munie.