MACHAKOS, Kenya – When Bishop Titus Masika launched Operation Mwolyo Out through Christian Impact Mission, he couldn’t have imagined the profound impact it would have on building climate resilience and securing livelihoods, not only in Kenya but across neighbouring countries.
By inspiring communities to work together, adopt water harvesting techniques, and encourage young people to return home and farm using climate-smart practices, this retired teacher developed a transformative model.
Through his initiative Operation Molyo Out, the cleric mobilises his community into building water pans in the dry season that could be filled with water when the rains come. With the water pans, the people could use the harvested water to irrigate their farms.
“The answer to food security in Africa is taking care of our crops. We have a shortage of rain, insufficient rain, and erratic rain, and because of that, most of our crops wither. So, in Yatta, we took care of that,” explained Bishop Masika.
For the residents of Yatta in Machakos County, Masika disclosed that they knew the rains would come, but when the crops were about to mature, the rains would fail to come.
“So, there could be crop failure. And so, what we have are water pans to use that water to supplement the rains so that we have security for everything that we grow,” added Bishop Masika, who emerged as the Winner in the Pioneering and Innovation Category during the Utumishi Bora Awards 2022.
Why Yatta in Machakos County has received a facelift
Today, this climate-smart model is widely replicated, helping many communities overcome drought-driven food shortages and secure access to water in Yatta.
Once known for severe food shortages, this region is now a thriving food basket, supporting both local needs and export markets. Bishop Masika’s model has economically uplifted communities, creating jobs and boosting incomes.
Yatta in eastern Kenya has battled drought for decades. But amidst the dry plains, Bishop Masika is cultivating abundance.
His secret? Water pans—artificial reservoirs that collect rainwater and sustain crops during dry seasons.
These pans store water for up to 8 months, turning scarcity into sustainability.
What can we learn from Yatta?
- Local innovation works.
- Water harvesting is key.
- Community training transforms lives.
Thanks to Bishop Masika’s leadership, over 8,000 communities in Kenya and Tanzania are now applying his model to beat drought.
In February 2025, the Machakos CEC-M for Agriculture, Food Security, and Cooperative Development, Catherine Mutanu, accompanied by Chief Officer Agriculture and Food Security Albert Mulwa, officially welcomed Bishop Masika as the Advisor for Agriculture.
Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi is among notable Kenyan leaders who have witnessed firsthand this potential during a visit to a farmer who is piloting a demonstration farm in Barpello, Kolowa, Tiaty Sub County, supported by Christian Impact Mission, led by Bishop Masika, and Compassion International.
Operation Mwolyo, also known as Operation Mwolyo Out (OMO), is a community transformation program implemented by CIM in Yatta, Machakos County.
The name “Mwolyo” comes from the Kamba word for “relief,” and the program aims to provide that relief by transforming the community and reducing dependency. The program has been described as transformative and easily replicable.
Francis ole Kiremu from Baringo County, who was among a group that had benchmarked at Bishop Masika’s farm in Yatta, Machakos County, had this message for the youths.
“My message to my fellow youth is that it is wise for us to be independent and self-sufficient. We can acquire skills in farming and embrace agricultural practices because, in some circumstances, you may find that a farmer is doing way better than someone with a white-collar job. It’s wise to engage in agribusiness, and everything will be fine,” said Ole Kiremu.
How Makueni County is thriving courtesy of Bishop Titus Masika
In March 2025, Makueni County partnered with Christian Impact Mission.
Against this backdrop, 200 farm ponds in Kiima Kiu Kalanzoni ward and Nguu Masumba ward will provide a baseline for the One-acre Rule (one million shillings per acre).
What Bishop Masika has done in Yatta will not reinvent the wheel. His motto: farming does not need rain; it needs BRAINS.
However, Bishop Masika has poured cold water on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), terming them a Western idea.
“GMO is a foreign idea. What I am saying is that GMO is not the answer. GMO is an idea of some Western people, and this is an idea that I think is not the answer for Africa,” he stated.
