University of Helsinki
Today (16.1.2024), we continued group discussions with local farmers, but this time in the lowlands town called Maktau, where we were able to see how farming practices differ from those used in highland areas. Our interviewing skills were once again tested as we tried to maintain smooth conversations. All groups had meaningful and rewarding discussions with the farmers about agriculture. Additionally, we shared a lot of information with each others about our daily lives and environmental conditions in Kenya and Finland. Because of that, it turned out to be one of the most instructive activities on this course.
After the rewarding group discussions, we implemented the familiar exercise of transect walking near the interview location, but this time we had 16 different observing points. In terms of elevation, today’s route was very flat, with minimal environmental changes between the various observing points.
After completing our agriculture-related exercises, we headed to Mwatate, where we met a group of local women who handcraft beautiful baskets from sisal and sell them locally as well as to Germany. After chatting and making some purchases, we headed back to the research station.
At the end of the day we had a nice little pizza party for one of our teachers who left the next day to go back to Finland.