Smartfarmer december 2014 february 2015

informing and inspiring farmers

December 2014 - February 2015 Issue 22

Ksh250/= | UGsh 7,500/= TZsh5000/= RWF 2,000/=

New laws spell doom for small-scale farmers Farmers and lobbyists argue that parts of the new Crops and AFFA Acts will cripple smallholders

Discover garlic

Heifers from SA

Growing canola

A bestselling spice said to be among top

Eldoret farmers a happy lot as new owners of a

crops on earth

in from South Africa

The little known vegetable plant that produces a high value oil and returns

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informing and inspiring farmers

3

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Contents Editorial

New laws spell trouble for small-scale farmers

T

he majority of the nearly 80 per cent of the population that relies directly on agriculture for its livelihood are small-scale farmers. These smallholders produce the bulk of the food that sustains the rural communities and complements the national food requirements. It is for this reason that the newly introduced laws for the agricultural sector are causing consternation in the farming communities.

These laws, it is generally feared, could spell doom for the small-scale farming sub-sector that is a crucial source of livelihood for many people.

Small-scale farmers have been growing maize, beans, potatoes and vegetables for domestic consumption and as cash crops. The crops are stored for food. And to sustain this subsistence farming, beans and potatoes and other food crops are preserved as seed. The surplus is sold when cash is urgently needed.

However, this is bound to change drastically following the enactment of three new laws that threaten to cripple a reliable traditional system.

Farmers will no longer grow and sell produce without a licence. The thought of farmers not being allowed to grow maize, beans, potatoes, coffee, sorghum, millet, rice and other food crops, if not officially registered as dealers, is shuddering.

Requiring farmers to buy certified is imposing a heavy burden on them. They risk getting arrested and jailed or fined millions of shillings.

Lobbyists, have on behalf of farmers, who may not been be aware of what is going on, petitioned the government to review this legislation.

However, there are some bright spots. A leading rabbit breeder has introduced a new vaccine that reduces mortality among the bunnies.

Also attracting attention is an American plant that has the potential to rake in hundreds of thousands of shillings for farmers. The country has a favourable climate and good soils for Canola farming and a Nyeri farmer has tried his hand at it and he has no regrets.

We bring you other success stories. Dairy farmers in Kisii County are into value addition projects, thanks to a special sacco loan. They need not throw away their excess fresh milk, when they can turn it into butter. In this edition, we also look into how in the Mt Kenya region, schools are realising that more can be milked from the school cow than milk. It is the story of schools reaping from installing biogas plants.

Farmers will no longer grow and sell produce without a licence.

The thought of farmers not being allowed to grow maize, beans, potatoes, coffee, sorghum, millet, rice and other food crops, if not officially registered as dealers, is shuddering Fish is a delicacy that is no longer a preserve of the lakeside region. Quite promising is the lucrative raised new fish farming method that yields hefty returns. It has been tried out in Nyeri County and it works. Also, 100 poultry farmers are upbeat, having received training on the best use of vaccines and new drip irrigation kits are increasing yields and incomes. This edition is a full-package that confirms our commitment to providing the information to boost agribusiness to enhance food security and boost incomes.

Just sit back and enjoy the read!

Just landed from SA Some farmers from Eldoret are the happy owners of a high-yielding dairy breed from South Africa.

16-17

EDITORIAL editor-in-chief BERNADETTE MURGOR

Wonders of Garlic It is not only easy to grow and in most regions but is also said to be among top 10 most lucrative crops in the world... 46-48

Tel: 0724 446 647 editor@smartfarmerkenya.com

sub-editor MUCHIRI KARANJA contributors WAIKWA MAINA PETER MURUMBA MWANGI NDIRANGU GILBERT OCHIENG LENAH BOSIBORI ANNE GACHINA MWANGI MUMERO ANNE NYABOKE MUGO NDIARA KENNEDY LUMWAMU JOSEPH MUKUBWA design & layout MASHARIKI SANAA Busines development KEN BARTOO SHEILA WAIRIMU cartoonist IGAH

Bioslurry Revolution

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informing and inspiring farmers

46

Biogas in schools Biogas is the new trend in schools as institutions begin to discover that you can milk more from cows than milk 38-39

Potato varieties We bring you a list of certified potato seed by Kephis, their attributes, qualities and uses...49-51

We would love to hear from all of you.

Please drop a line to the Editor at :

Nuts about butternut

editor@ smartfarmerkenya.com

Or write to Editor Smart Farmer magazine 52103-00100 GPO Nairobi Check our website @

www.smartfarmerkenya. com

40

A hardy crop, is pest resistant, requires minimal fertiliser inputs and has great returns and yields..52-53

38

Write to: editor@smartfarmerkenya.com

49 4

Grow your crops with bioslurry and obtain amazing yields and income, while generating biogas for cooking ... 40-42

51 informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

Letters to the editor

What you said…

I have been enriched by your magazine Dear editor, thank you for your informative magazine that is transforming farming in Kenya. I am a farmer who just started reading them and so far, I have gotten a lot of ideas that I would never have had.

I am interested in dairy farming, but I am not sure if you have ever featured dairy farming in your previous editions.

Of particular interest to me and I am sure to other farmers too is a certain breed of dairy cow.

Could you kindly get more details and feature it in your next volume?

John Okanda, Kisumu

Editor: Dear John, thank you for your kind words and request for information on the breed we have not mentioned. We will do our best to have it in our next edition.

Young farmer causing ripples on less than a tenth of an acre Amazing stuff! Wow. Now imagine if this guy (Daniel Kimani edition 18 cover article) is contracted by the government to repelicate this system all acrosss the country.

Kenya would be food secure and have

enough for export. Just like the government is doing road construction annuity, why don’t we do this with agriculuture for the millions of small farmers

How can I get the two copies. Do you give expert advice on growing mushrooms and melons?

It6 (Response from www.smartfarmerkenya.com)

Editor: Thank you for your inquiry Anne. We do have the two copies only in soft copy as we run out of hard copies. On the issue of experts on the two plants, we can get you someone to advice on that.

Anne Mugo

We need more on poultry Thank you very much for the incredible job you are doing. Can l be be able to get a past magazine that was purely poultry related or if you have never produced one then consider doing one or advise me on a publication that is purely for poultry.

Where can I get groilers?

Owino Willis

Editor: Owino, thank you for your email. Yes, we do write about poultry in most of our editions. However, we do not have one that was purely on poultry , but with a focus on the subject. We will continue writing on the subject, so look out for our editions.

I need the editions on mushrooms and melons I am a constant reader and fan of your magazines. I missed two editions- the one with the mushrooms and melons on the cover pages respectively.

I read your October-November magazine issue 21 with great interest.

On page 45, the article titled ‘Tired of rearing broilers? Try groilers’ described the benefits of groilers’.

I have a small farm near Nanyuki and rear broilers and kienyenji chickens.The breed reared by Mr Kibaya is of interest to me. Please give me his contacts.

Salome Njeri Kariuki.

Dear Salome, thank you for your email. Mr Kibanya’s number is 0725 893

Kudos Farming is great with your informative magazine Yusuf Obote

Write to: letters@smartfarmerkenya.com

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Please return to Smart Farmer magazine Muthaiga Suites opposite Oilibya Thika Road Nairobi. Tel: 0724446647 P.O. Box 52103-00100 GPO Nairobi. Email: editor@smartfarmerkenya.com

6

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

Events

Nairobi hosts food packaging Expo

BY MWANGI MUMERO

O Send us a photo of your old or new John Deere products and the best selected photos will win a set of John Deere branded clothing

Hello John Deere fans To our fans, here is another opportunity for you to show us your prize John Deere machine. Old or new, we would like to see it. For each issue we will judge the best pictures and award the winner a John Deere clothing kit. shed somewhere or send us a picture of your brand new John Deere, we would love to see them all.

Rules: 1. The photo must be original and taken by yourself. No internet photos or copies will be accepted.

2. It must be a photo taken of John Deere equipment in Africa.

3. Serial number of the equipment must be sent with the photo for us to verify the equipment location in Africa.

4. Model number i.e. 5725, 9670STS etc….. And model year, if possible.

5. Your contact details so that we can call you if you are the winner.

6. And if you have a story about how this John Deere became a part of your life, we would love to hear about it.

7. All photos submitted are done so willingly and can be used by John Deere and the media without constraint.

8. Previous issue winners cannot re-enter in subsequent issues but will be taken into consideration for the grand prize winner at the end of the competition.

Submit a photo to either the following e-mail address: editor@smartfarmerkenya.com Or onto the Facebook page at SmartFarmer Magazine *Terms &Conditions apply.

Prizes to be won

An excited William Mayer (centre) proudly receives a gift hamper on behalf of his father (Jonathan Mayer) for winning the John Deere photo competition from Kevin Lesser at the offices in Nairobi. Looking on is Ms Bernadette Murgor, editor-in-chief of Smart Farmer Magazine.

ver 60 companies dealing in food packaging and processing converged at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi to showcase their products and services during this year’s Food Processing and Packaging Expo.

Organised by StarlingExpo Ltd, the three-day event ((Nov18-20) attracted participants from 11 countries in a spectacular display of how modern technology can be used to cut down on food wastage and improve food processing.

Among the technologies on show included analysis technology, automation, logistics, packaging materials, packaging production and technology, processing, quality assurance, refrigeration and air conditioning, transport and storage.

It brought together major service providers from various sectors including bakeries and confectioneries, beverages and water, farming and agriculture, horticulture, academia, foreign missions, government agencies, logistics, media and trade associations.

Exhibitors were drawn from USA, Switzerland, Kenya, Germany, Turkey, Tunisia, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Austria and Tanzania.

“This forum allows exhibitors to present the latest innovations and meaningful concepts, political and economic institutions demonstrating how they can support suppliers and buyers as well as local associations and manufacturers stating the needs and expectations from the visitor side,” said Mr. Ur Albert Ingold, Chief Executive Officer, StarlingExpo Ltd the organisers of the three day event which run from November 18 -20.

Among the exhibitors was Trepko packaging, a Swedish firm specializing in bottle filling, sealing machines, brick forming and wrapping.

The firm was introducing a new range of food packaging and processing machines in the Kenyan market.

“Value addition opens markets and it is important for firms to upgrade their packaging machines to fight competition,” observed Marta Rutynowska, the firm’s Account manager for the East African market.

Already, the company has installed processing machines in local firms such as Brookside Dairies, Pwani Oil, Githunguri Dairy Farmers Co-operatives Society and Excel Chemicals.

Also exhibiting for the first time in East

Clocwise: Ms Marta Rutynowska, Trepko Packaging (EA). Ms Leah Kimangi, iKapa Media, Ms Jillian Makungu, Agri-ProFocus and Mr Armin Ferschel, Azo. PHOTO| MWANGI MUMERO

We are seeking opportunities in this expanding markets.

Specifically, we are interested in getting sales agents to distribute ”

Africa was a German firm- Azo Limited, which manufactures machines for powder handling, food processing, pharmaceutical and plastics. The firm has agents in South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt and has been seeking entry into Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia markets.

“We are seeking opportunities in this expanding markets. Specifically, we are interested in getting sales agents to distribute our products into the market,” said Armin Ferschel, a representative of the company’s food division.

To enter the local market, foreign firms have been seeking the services of event organizers that are conversant with the market.

“Majority of the foreign entities have little knowledge on the market. We link them with exhibitors as well as facilitate their participation allowing them to meet investors and make deals,” said Leah Kimangi, a sales and marketing representative of iKapaMedia East Africa, an event organizing company.

According to Ms Kimangi, the exhibition allowed investors to meet new clients and boost foreign direct investment.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

News

News

Law on potato bag size to curb farmers’ exploitation welcome

By Lenah Bosibori

b.lenah@yahoo.com

T

he National Government, counties and the National Potato Council of Kenya (NCPK) have teamed up to implement a law that sets the maximum weight of a potato trading bag at 50 kilogrammes in a bid to save farmers from exploitation by middlemen.

Potato traders and middlemen have been exploiting farmers by increasing the size of trading bags and insisting on buying per bag instead of per kilogramme.

This, according to a survey conducted by the NPCK, has cost farmers up to 800, 000 tonnes in losses, which is equivalent to KSh12.9 billion a year.

Kenya produces 0.8 million tonnes of potatoes every year, and the tuber is the second most important food item on the dinner table, after maize.

On May 16, 2014 Nyandarua Senator Muriuki Karue tabled the Potato Produce and Marketing Bill before the Senate, seeking an end to what he described as the blatant exploitation of farmers by unscrupulous traders and middlemen in the multi-billion industry.

Part 5, Section 23 (2) of the Potato Produce and Marketing Bill that was signed into law states that the standard weight of a bag or package of seed potatoes shall be 50 kilogrammes with a tolerance of plus or minus two kilogrammes.

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informing and inspiring farmers

December 2014 - February 2015

The violation of this rule attracts a jail term of up to six months, or a fine of KSh200, 000 or both.

The laws also set up a national council that brings together the government, county representatives from eight potatogrowing counties, farmers and other key players in the industry.

The eight countries listed as major potato producers are Nyandarua, Narok, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Bomet, Kiambu, Nyeri and Meru. Nairobi, Mombasa

The standard weight of a bag or package of seed potatoes shall be 50 kilogrammes with a tolerance of plus or minus two kilogrammes...”

and Kisumu are recorded as the major potato consumers.

The NPCK says the law will help cut the huge losses suffered by farmers every year.

According to NPCK chief executive Wachira Kaguongo, 19 per cent of all the potatoes produced are lost due to poor packaging every season. Implementing the new regulations on marketing standards, he says, will be a first step towards better quality and the fair payment to farmers.

“The financial assessment of potato damage and loss along the value chain exposes the economic impact of this low performance in potato production,” Mr Kaguongo said.

Many traders prefer to buy the extended bags, as they are more profitable. This encourages farmers and brokers to pack all their potatoes regardless of quality. In addition, the material used to make the sacks causes further damage.

Through the new laws, the government has shown it recognises the critical role the potato plays in alleviating food shortages and raising nutrition standards.

According to a NPCK survey, having standard potato packaging bags will reduce losses incurred through spoiled potato and eliminate exploitation of farmers.

However, the NPCK warns that enforcing the new law must involve the entire potato value chain from brokers, local traders, wholesalers, retailers and the county authorities.

The new laws also propose the setting up of a Potato Development Fund to assist in the running of the sector. According to the NPCK, four in every 10 potato farmers cannot afford the costs of fertiliser, pesticides and wages. Lack of funds to purchase inputs was reported as the biggest challenge facing farmers.

The new laws also seek to regulate potato seed by edging out uncertified potato seed merchants.

The dominant potato variety, Shangi, which begins sprouting after only five to six weeks is neither suitable for long-term storage nor use as seed.

The NPCK says the country needs new seed varieties and storage technology.

Farmers also need comprehensive training in post-harvest handling, storage, processing and marketing of potatoes.

Relevant training of all operators in the wholesale and retail markets will also help maintain quality and reduce physical losses.

New innovation to boost crop production and dairy farming Dairy farmers are soon to benefit from a new innovation that is set to boost their crop yields and milk, besides providing them with biogas energy for cooking.

The environment-friendly innovation aims to help smallholders produce their own bioslurry to boost food production while reducing drastically on inputs like seeds or seedlings, labour and water, thus reducing on input costs.

The bioslurry / biogas system called Blueflame BioslurryGaz is a highIy-efficient, easy to install, portable, plastic system with an expected lifespan of 30 years.

Aaccording to Paul Madoc, a special projects manager at Kentainers, the bioslumy produced by this system contains nearly double the nutrient concentrations of NPK than those found in other organic sources like manure and can boost crop yields by two to three times than usual and cut down on fertiliser costs.

“BIueflame is a powerful tool for all stakeholders jncluding milk processors, banks and manufactures to help our smallholders bring... a real change In their lives within as short time,” said Mr Chandu Shah, Chairman of AquaSantec Group, the mother company of Kentainers during a meeting with stakeholders at the office premises recently .

To bring this innovation to the smallholder farmer, Kentainers has started an initiative dubbed, ‘ Bring your Own New green revolution - More is less’ where it has collaborated with NewKCC, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Kenfap and Kendbip (Kenya National Domestic Biogas Programme).

In this initiative KCB has agreed to provide loans to enable the first 6,000 NewKCC farmers to purchase the Blueflame BioslurryGaz system, while Kendbip will promote rapid adoption of the innovation among smallholders.

Kenfap will sell the system in its stores countrywide.

Don’t throw away excess fresh milk, turn it into butter

By Ben Oroko

W

ith diminishing land sizes in Kisii County, a sacco is pumping millions of shillings into mobilising farmers to embrace intensive farming using modern and innovative agricultural technologies for value addition to maximise returns.

Through its newly launched, Dairy Value Chain Loan, Wakenya Pamoja Sacco Society is encouraging smallscale dairy farmers to come together benefit from enhanced economics of scale and value addition.

Agri-business manager Fred Miruka says the value chain project focuses on assisting small-holders to move from subsistence farming and adopt modern farming technologies.

Speaking at Eremo Village during a visit to the Age Self-help Group farmers, who are beneficiaries, Mr Miruka said applicants for the dairy farming loan must be in a registered group of five and a maximum of 20 farmers. The group must be at least two years old for the members to qualify for the loan.

The members guarantee one another on group collateral basis, receiving a minimum loan of KSh17, 500 and a maximum of KSh51, 000 for three dairy cows.

This has enabled farmers to improve their dairy breeds with artificial insemination services financed by the sacco.

Sh82m

Amount of money that sacco project is currently worth

175

Number of groups covered by project

The sacco started giving out dairy loans after initially investing heavily in banana value chain credit, which was not as profitable due to scarcity of land and the slow uptake by local communities of the technologicallyproven tissue culture bananas.

The project, which was initiated in 2010, on a KSh10 million pilot study, has since grown into a KSh82 million venture covering 175 groups of dairy farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties.

Kisii received KSh47 million and Nyamira, KSh35 million this year.

Besides mobilising small-scale dairy farmers to form groups, the sacco also seeks to boost milk processing and transportation skills.

“The dairy value chain project enables farmers to convert their fresh milk into other products, such as mala, yoghurt, cheese, and butter,” says Mr Miruka.

Poultry farmers trained on best use of vaccines More than 100 poultry farmers received training on the best use of vaccines at a seminar organised by Kenchic Limited, East and Central Africa’s largest integrated poultry business. It was facilitated by Dr Reza Bentaleb, the poultry business unit manager (Intertropical Africa) for CEVA Sante Animale, one of the leading animal health companies in the world.

Dr Reza emphasized that great care is needed to avoid the huge losses caused by using incorrect vaccines, those that have not been stored properly and incorrect administration of the vaccines.

He urged the farmers to invest in quality vaccines to ensure profitable ventures.

He “Quality vaccines, well-bred chicks and good feed together with correct poultry management will give you very good quality birds. Money spent on reliable

vaccines will save you from a high rate of chicken mortality,” he explained.

“Vaccines have to be stored and administered correctly to be effective. The right temperature for storage is three to eight degrees. It is also important that water is not chlorinated and that you do not use metal containers. The age of the chicken gives reference for the amount of water per 1,000 birds and the ratio has to be followed correctly.”

Bio security, he added, was critical in poultry farming. The chicken house must be thoroughly cleaned with disinfectants as soon as the birds are removed. Chicken manure should be taken far away from the farm to prevent contamination that can happen from several kilometres away.

“Vaccines will only work well with proper bio-security,” Dr Bentaleb concluded.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

VALUE ADDITION

Handling Grains

Farmers turn to value addition to make more from their crops

T

he Kenya Horticultural Competitiveness Project (KHCP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have partnered to train horticulture farmers on how to use value addition to reduce postharvest losses.

Records indicate that Kenya losses up to Ksh50 billion every year due to poor food storage, inadequate processing and packaging. Post-harvest losses have been a big challenge to many farmers in the country, especially those producing perishable goods whose shelf life is limited.

“The UN estimates that 30-40 per cent of the global food products like vegetables and fruits is either lost or wasted, 1.3 tonnes is lost which is enough to feed two million people, this makes the value addition necessary,” says Dr Wilson Songa, the Principal Secretary Ministry of Industrialization and development.

The project has enabled microprocessors to reach at least 10,000 farmers, providing them with alternative markets to cut down on unnecessary wastage from seasonal production surpluses through value addition.

The product range of the value addition includes; orange-fleshed sweet potato, bananas and pumpkin, which are valueadded to flour. Others include assorted solar-dried fruits and vegetables and amaranth seed.

Traditionally, these foods consumed raw or cooked, and surpluses thrown away or left to rot. More losses were incurred during transportation.

However, thanks to value addition, the

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informing and inspiring farmers

December 2014 - February 2015

shelf life of these hitherto perishable products has been lengthened, giving them more time on the shelves of leading supermarkets in the country and other shopping outlets.

Now food processors want to expand the partnership to rope in established mainstream flour millers, breakfast cereal manufacturers, hotels, bakeries and other institutions.

“Farmers now have constant regular outlets for their products where they do not have to worry any more about the surplus production during the

The UN estimates that 30-40 pc of the global food products like vegetables and fruits is either lost or wasted...’

bumper harvests, their products are being preserved through various value addition processes and released to the market without the pressure of oversupply,” added Songa.

According to the processors, working with the experts from the project has helped manage and boost the quality and quantity of production.

One of the largest beneficiaries of the project has been Stawi Foods and Fruits whose processing production has risen fivefold through new international markets for their banana flour. Currently, the firm is piloting on development of a banana flour pizza with an American Restaurant in the USA. Value addition, the project’s players say, would easily address food insecurity in the country. “We can support people in Turkana who have been starving because through value addition, there is no pressure on perishability,” said Benson Njiru one of the beneficiary of the project.

Mercy Mwende, Director of Sweet ‘n’ Dried, a firm that specialises dried foods is full of praise for the project which she says has opened a new frontier for her firm’s products. “ I used to transport my dried banana chips for milling in Chuka town around a trip of 50 km away from my processing factory, I am now smiling since I can now dry my bananas using the solar drying capacity and milling equipment thanks to the project,” she says.

Her production has increased by a whopping 400 per cent. Besides bananas, her firm has innovatively milled dried ripe mango into powder natural sweeteners for breakfast cereals for potential clients in Dubai, and helped trained farmers on post-harvest handling of fruits.

“So far we have trained over 250 local farmers from the community especially women on fruits post harvest handling, the group has also registered 400 local farmers to plant bananas for processing,” says Ms. Mwende.

The project, she says, is not only about post-harvest handling and value addition but also training farmers on how to convert wastage into animal feeds and compost manure. Since the project’s inception, sales have increased from Kshs 17,839,959 in 2013 to Kshs 108, 234,438 in 2014.

Maize sheller for small scale farmers

By Peter Murumba

pmurumba@smartfarmerkenya.com

S

mall scale farmers greatly contribute to Kenya’s food busket yet they are oftenly not well taken care of in terms of technology, most technological innovations, although productive, they tend to focus more on the large scale farners.

Traditionally, it has been known that small scale famers will either use their bare hands to seperate grains from maize cobs, or at times use special designed sticks to hit to hit the crop in bags to seperate the grains from the cobs.

Ideally, such procedures work but they are not only time consuming but they do break (process) the grains which brings about losses, yet the farmers, considering they are small scale, already have insufficient maize in their granaries.

With this in mind, the Rural Technology Developement Centre (RTDC), a flagship programme under the Ministry of Agriculture in Thika, has come up with an innnovation that will improve the effeciency of maize shelling to small holder farmers.

“Able and innovative minds in our ministry have designed a maize sheller that is pocket friendly, long lasting and helps save time and energy.” Says George Muraguri, Sub County Agricultural Officer Mukurue-ini Sub County.

You want to shell five bags in one hour without breaking a single grain and at it, only use two people? As explained to by Mr Muraguri during a recent KLPA exhibition at Mukurue-ini, smart farmer magazine learnt that indeed this is the better option. “At only 2,600 shillings, all these is possible,” he says.

“One person places maize to be shelled, one at a time, while the other person manually propels the simple to use tool to shell the maize. It is not a myth, it is already in use and from testimonials of those who use it, at one hour,

The easy-to-handle, pocketfriendly maize sheller that can produce five bags per hour.

PHOTOS|PETER MURUMBA with dedicated people, you will have five bags of shelled maize.” Explains the Agricultural Officer.

He adds that you can manually adjust the machine depending on the maize cob’s size.

“However, it is important to note that any maize to be shelled must be dried enough to the right mois-

Able and innovative minds in our ministry have designed a maize sheller that is pocket-friendly, long lasting and helps save time and energy

Advantages It is faster than the conventional maize shelling methods.

Seeds do not break when shelling, hence limiting chances of fungal infections.

It is pocket friendly Does not require any expertise

ture conten t. Such services of measuring the moisture content are offered free of charge by the ministry.” Says Mr Muraguri.

According to Mr. Muruguri, currently the machines are only available in Ruiru but with orders, anyone from a different place can be supplied.

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Water & Irrigation

Our Knowledge, Your Success.

Farmers to get support for drip irrigation systems

INUA MAISHA NA AMIRAN DRIP

FARMER! FINANCE YOUR FUTURE

By Lenah Bosibori

b.lenah@yahoo.com

A

new initiative by Amiran Kenya in conjunction with Netafim, the Israeli multinational firm that invented drip irrigation systems, is set to help small-scale farmers improve efficiency and yields using Israeli agricultural technologies such as drip irrigation.

The ‘Inua Maisha na Amiran Drip’ initiative hopes to address farmers’ needs across the value chain by equipping them with a complete package that includes finance; technology, training, and agro-support, to enable them to grow quality produce in and out of season despite the unpredictable weather patterns.

Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of the initiative, Mr Nitzan Bauer, the company’s Head of Integrated Projects, said farmers needed “affordable modern agricultural solutions that come packaged with finance” to increase their production and profitability.

“This initiative will link farmers to finance. We have opted to bring on board several financial institutions because the biggest problem most farmers have is accessing finance for modern farming technologies,” he said. “If they can get finance to buy Amiran irrigation kits, they will boost their productivity.”

Under INUA Maisha na Drip, farmers will be assisted to get finance packages to purchase Amiran drip irrigation kits ranging from 90m, 250m, 500m up to one acre.

They will also be provided with growing guides, training and agro-support.

The drip system is also expected to contribute greatly to water conservation.

The Amiran Drip Kit comprises Netafim DripK, a user-friendly and gravity-based drip irrigation system, water

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informing and inspiring farmers

Top: Renowned Gospel Rapper Juliani shows Garissa residents about drip Irrigation systems.

Bottom: Cabbages under Drip Irrigation. PHOTOS|AMIRAN

tank, nutrients, chemicals, sprayer, installation and training, seedlings and support.

“Drip irrigation has been proven to be the most environment-friendly, waterconserving method of irrigation. It uses 30 per cent of the amount of water used in other methods, while at the same time doubling yields. A good

Drip irrigation has been proven to be the most environmentfriendly, waterconserving method of irrigation. It uses 30 per cent less.

drip system has to be long lasting, not easily blocked after 1 or 2 seasons and ensures even distribution of water and nutrients evenly on all the crops. With this, plants will have uniform growth and receive the Amiran soluble polyfeed fertilizer equally ,” said Mr Yariv Kedar, Amiran Kenya’s Deputy Managing Director, during the recent launch.

The lending programmes are meant to create more opportunities for all levels of farmers, by enabling them to use the new technology. Upon completion by farmers of the streamlined application, Amiran will install the relevant kits.

Some of the financial institutions involved in the initiative are K-Rep, Chase Bank, Rafiki DTM, Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF), Family Bank, K-Rep and KWFT.

CALL NOW! 0719 095257 All inclusive Amiran Drip Kits Amiran Agro-Support Accessible loans from:

afk@amirankenya.com

Join AmiranK on facebook

informing and inspiring farmers

Follow us @amiran_kenya

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www.amirankenya.com

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Dairy News

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The number of cows that landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airportb

30,000 litres of milk per day, the association was formed in September 2012. It has made inroads in expanding horizons for dairy farmers in the region. According to Kositany, EDFA is planning to open moreoutlets in neighbouring counties such as

The imported heifers awaiting collection by their owners. Right, Mr Kositany the chairperson of EDFA. PHOTOS| COURTESY

Farmers fly in pedigree heifers to boost milk production The cows that landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport straight from SA are renown for their milk production

BY PETER KENDA

A

flight landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with strange visitors — 23 pedigree heifers imported from South Africa by a group of dairy farmers.

Each worth about Ksh0.25 million, the 23 wide-eyed Freisan cows scampered out of the cargo plane after a long journey from Cape Easter Livestock in South Africa, straight into waiting trucks to begin another journey to their new homes in Eldoret.

According to Nicholas Kositany, the chairperson of Eldoret Dairy Farmers Association (EDFA) which flew in the heif-

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informing and inspiring farmers

ers, it had taken months of searching through lists of international livestock breeders before finally settling on the south Africans.

Based in Eldoret, EDFA has been spearheading campaigns to raise milk production in the North Rift through upgrading and introducing pedigree dairy

There is need for keeping up to date farm records so as to help farmers to improve their livestock breed for good production

breeds to its members. The association says it chose the airlift to address prevailing shortage of pedigree heifers in the country.

Farmers say the investment is a worthwhile as the breed is renowned for its milk production.

“The quality of these imported heifers is guaranteed. Most farmers have questioned us and I would like to tell them to embrace the dynamic move we are taking because this is the only avenue out of poverty,” said Kositany.

Farmers in the region, he said, are still rearing low quality dairy breeds that produce between 5 and 10 litres of milk per day, something he describes as un-economical. The imported heifers are set to be distributed to members of the association.

According to the chairman, these pedigree cows are capable of producing 28 li-

Nandi, Transzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Kericho.

With a well-coordinated team officials and staff, the association played a major role in educating small and medium-scale farmers through practical training centers where farmers converge for a days of intensive dairy farming training.

Top on the list of training topics is record keeping,which according to Kositany, has remained a major setback to the milk production in the region. He said poor breeds and even poorer dairy farming technologies only complicated the situation further.

“There is need for keeping up to date farm records so as to help farmers to improve their livestock breed for good production. The association targets to get quality fodder, cutting edge artificial insemination services and controlled breeding,” he said.

Ultimately, EDFA want to provide solutions for the economic challenges faced by dairy farmers. In line with this, the association has set up 50 hectare of land to grow fodder that shall be processed for both local and international markets.

EDFA is now in connecting its members with dairy farming professionals in South Africa and Netherlands through exposure trips.

tres of milk per day under normal grazing and even above 50 litres if well fed and maintained.

“We imported heifers because we want to fast track the availability of good heifers. It is not easy to get them and when you do they are more expensive,” he says, adding “we chose South Africa because of adaptability; we have almost similar climates. Also the heifers are high quality pedigrees that are also cheaper than the one’s bought her. One is also assured of quality,” he says.

With only 50 members producing up to Desley Holdings Kenya Limited is a supplier of food and dairy equipment that include milking machines, cooling and processing equipment among others. We have been in the market since 1995. We are importers of European dairy machinery from companies such as Fullwood, Packo, Interpuls, and rlMCSP Galactea etc.

Desley Holdings Kenya Ltd Food and Dairy Equipment Suppliers 2nd Flr, Serengeti Hse Factory St, Industrial Area Nairobi, Kenya +254 720495141 / 734288147 020 2066573 / 2397346 info@desleyholdings.co.ke

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

Insurance

December 2014 - February 2015

News

Amaco’s livestock mortality cover three and five per cent of the animal’s value.

Rabbit breeder launches vaccine

By Peter Murumba

What other products do you offer that will greatly assist them?

AMACO has several other insurance products. One can take cover for goods in transit. Here we have in mind products such as milk. We also have products that cater for injury of farm workers, travel (agri-tourism), includes fire, burglary (where farm buildings and fodder stocks are targeted), motor vehicles as well as farm machinery and equipment, including tractors, harvesters etc.

Mr Franciss Njenga, head of marketing, Amaco.

By MWANGI NDIRANGU

Like any other investment, farming has its share of risks. With a big number of people now venturing into commercial farming, insurance companies are coming up with products aimed at protecting farmers against potential risks. Amaco Insurance Company head of marketing, Francis Njenga, talks to writer Mwangi Ndirangu on their newly-launched product, the livestock mortality cover.

Tell us about Amaco Insurance Africa Merchant Assurance Company Limited (Amaco) is now 14 years old, having been licensed to do insurance business in 2000. It is 100 per cent locally owned and commands 2.5 per cent of the market share. Our fast growth can be attributed to dedicated management, energetic and young staff as well as excellence in client service.

Why did you diversify into livestock mortality cover?

Commercial agriculture is fast taking root, with heavy investments coming in.

Naturally, with such large investments, there are risks and that is where we are coming in. The importance of agriculture in our economy cannot be underestimated, with the sector contributing about 25per cent of our national GDP. It is also the economic lifeline of over 70 per cent of Kenyans. Secondly, one of our key pillars is innovation and we are always researching on products that can satisfy the expanding needs of our clients.

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informing and inspiring farmers

What qualifies one for livestock mortality insurance?

Anybody with livestock either for production or as a pet qualifies for this product. There is no minimum number.

However, we liaise with field professionals such as veterinary officers to know the economic value and also the environment in which one is rearing the animals.

Our livestock insurance covers accidental death of the animal, theft from an enclosure, terminal diseases and even emergency slaughter, where an animal may be hurt accidentally and a vet recommends its slaughter. However, loss caused by famine, malnutrition, food poisoning, impotence and infertility, prior diseases and deformities and any death due to neglect and poor husbandry practices are excluded.

What benefits should a farmer expect?

Key among the benefits is a peace of mind as in case the unexpected happens there is insurance as fall back on. Farmers are also able to access livestock improvement loans. Livestock insurance is accepted by financing institutions as an alternative form of security.

What are the requirements for signing up?

First, is the current veterinary valuation report. Secondly, a mode of identification by way of branding, ear tags, tattoos or any other practical mode of identification.

The client has to fill an application form and pay premium, which ranges between

Any plans to start crop insurance?

Plans are still at the research stage. On crops, there are challenges due to erratic weather patterns and the impact of climate change. However, these challenges do not mean that we shall not head that way. We believe it is a good product for commercial farmers. We are aware of various initiatives by the government and other organisations, including the World Bank and are very keen to be partners in offering insurance solutions.

Fraud is a serious issue in the sector with millions lost every year. Are there any precautionary measures?

One of the key principles of insurance is to be truthful all the time. However, it is unfortunate that some people seek shortcuts to riches and think insurance companies are easy targets. Though the authority has come out strongly to deter the vice, it is advisable for any insurance policy holder to observe moral values.

Many have tried to swindle insurance companies and are detected before the payment is made and they end up losing everything. As insurers, we have developed a mechanism to detect fraud.

I would advise farmers against making false claims.

What are AMACO’s expansion plans, including e-pay technology AMACO has been expanding fast and has a presence in 24 counties. The plan is to have representation in all the counties.

We have also embraced e-pay technology, having acquired a paybill number. This means even those who reside in areas where we do not have an office can pay their premiums in the comfort of their sitting rooms without incurring transport costs. The company is still looking for other innovative ways and products to meet the customers’ needs and continues to invest heavily in research.

O

ne of the leading rabbit breeders in Kenya says his firm has introduced a new vaccine from Australia that reduces mortality rates among the bunnies.

The vaccine, code- named ALLVACC, and imported by Alcare Kenya Limited, comes at a time when rabbit rearing is rapidly expanding across the country.

Now a lucrative agribusiness idea, rabbit keeping is attracting big money in investments, both in research and new hutches, as shown by this new vaccine.

A few years ago, the idea of vaccinating rabbits would have been inconceivable.

“I used to incur huge losses when I started rabbit farming in 2008, because of ignorance as I was new in this field.

My rabbits were dying, some even before reaching maturity,” says Mr George Kibanya, the Alcare Kenya Ltd CEO. Six years later, Mr Kibanya and other rabbit farmers have come to terms with the fact bunnies, too, fall ill, and that investing in their treatment is the best way of safeguarding one of the newest agribusiness ventures.

“You can wake up one morning to find all of the rabbits dead, but if vaccinated you have an assurance and are able to do your projections.”

Bunnies are especially prone to three viral infections - Mytxomatosis, Viral Hemorrhagic Fever and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD), also known as Rabbit Calicivirus Disease (RCD). They are so lethal that they are used in some countries to control rabbit populations.

“They are contagious and spread like bush fire. A housefly is enough to spread these diseases from one rabbit to another,” Mr Kibanya adds.

The ALVACC, or what he calls the ultimate antiviral for bunnies, is the solution. “Vaccination ensures kittens grow into healthy bucks and does that are able to withstand diseases because of an improved immune system.”

The vaccine should be administered once a year to minimise or avoid deaths from the viral diseases.

It should be done when the kittens have just been weaned so that the immunity is enhanced at an early stage and continued even after they mature.

“Serious commercial rabbit farmers are trained and follow everything by the book. However, there is nothing they

can do about the viral disease rather than vaccinate at least for now,” he says.

The ALVACC was tested on a herd in the pilot programme and confirmed its efficacy, before getting certification.

“To meet with standard regulations, I took a sample of the vaccine to the Ministry of Agriculture and after it was approved, it went through different veterinary labs who confirmed its effectiveness.

I then imported the vaccine,” he says.

“Agro vets will distribute it where rabbit farming is widely practised,” he says.

A rabbit exposed to disease does not grow to the required weight. Once vaccinated, it will have a smooth growth graph. “If you are a serious commercial rabbit farmer, vaccination is not a second thought but a necessity,” he says.

Alcare Kenya limited is a company that deals with rabbit breeding and poultry.

MYXOMATOSIS This is a fatal disease of all breeds of domesticated rabbits. It is caused by the

myxoma virus; The initial sign is conjunctivitis that rapidly becomes more marked and is accompanied by a milky discharge.

In acute outbreaks, some rabbits may die within 48 hours after signs appear.

Those that survive become progressively depressed and develop a rough coat. The eyelids, nose, lips and ears become oedematous, which gives a swollen appearance to the head. In females, the vulva becomes inflamed and oedematous; in males, the scrotum swells A purulent nasal discharge invariably appears, breathing becomes laboured and the rabbit goes into a coma just before death, which usually occurs within one to two weeks.

RABBIT CALICIVIRUS DISEASE Calicivirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted by direct contact with infected rabbits or indirectly by fomites.

Rabbits show few clinical signs and die within six to 24 hours of fever onset.

Rabbits are vaccinated at 10 weeks and annual boosters are recommended.

VIRAL HAEMORRHAGIC DISEASE It is a highly contagious disease caused by a calicivirus. It is often a very swift and a sudden killer, giving little warning. Rabbits may die without showing any symptoms at all.

Some bleeding from the nose, mouth and rectum is sometimes seen.

Symptoms may include loss of appetite, lethargy, high fever, spasms and sudden death.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

Innovation

December 2014 - February 2015

Apiculture

Honey’s varying flavours and sweet allure

Some honey varietals

BY SMART FARMER WRITER

H

How to use the good old African pot to rear chicks

Chicks gathered beneath a pot for warmth.

PHOTO|WAIKA MAINA

Farmer has discovered that the traditional African pot can do more than cooking — it can keep brooding chicks warm and save him thousands of shillings

BY WAIKWA MAINA

P

ersistent power blackouts and rising electricity bills pose a major challenge to poultry farmers. Mr Alex Mugambi, a groiler breeder in Mathioya, Murang’a County, has had his fair share of frustrations, leading to the loss of golden chicks in his brooder.

But not anymore! The retired mechanical engineer, who left Kenya Breweries Limited 18 years ago, after more than four decades of service, has joined a growing list of chicken breeders that no longer count on the unpredictable national power grid to warm their brooders.

He has discovered that the traditional African pot can do

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more than cooking — it can keep brooding chicks warm, too, and save him thousands of shillings in electricity bills.

Besides, the warmth from the pot is more reliable for his brooder than electricity.

“I used to spend between KSh2,300 and KSh3000 on electricity. I was always in a panic, fearing the frequent power blackouts. I had to remain around the compound monitoring the electricity,” he says.

So how does it work?

It is simple, all one needs is the traditional African pot and a handful of charcoal (Mugambi says he uses charcoal worth an average of KSh1, 500 for each generation of chicks). Fill the pot with glowing charcoal, hang it from the roof of the brooder about 10 centimetres from the ground using a strong wire, and leave it to warm the chirping chicks!

“I do this every morning and it supplies the heat for 24 four hours,” he says.

“When it is extremely cold, the chicks gather around the pot and move some away when they have absorbed enough. The most important thing is to ensure enough ventilation in the brooder.”

I used to spend between Sh2300Sh3000 when using electricity.

I was always in a panic fearing the frequent power blackouts. I had to remain around the compound monitoring the electricity’

informing and inspiring farmers

The chicks are placed in the brooder soon after they hatch. They will enjoy the pot’s warmth for three weeks, after which they are big and strong to survive without it.

Considering that each of his 3 by 6 foot brooder cubicles holds a minimum of 200 chicks, Mugambi will have saved at least KSh1,500 on electricity bills.

A simple pot costs less than KSh600, and he has used one for the last 12 months. So far, it shows no signs of wearing out and could serve him for the next decade.

The brooder also helps him to control the number of chicks as he only breeds enough to meet the market demand. He keeps up to 600 mature groilers that supply him with eggs for his hatchery, before transferring the chicks to their new environment.

With the demand for groilers growing, he plans to build more brooders, and buy a few more pots.

oney, and not just the word, but the product, is popular globally.

It has had a fanatical following for so long that it has earned the writers’ pen adulation, romantic attention, royal respect and more.

It is a versatile product that is magically sweet, medicinal, a recipe maker, status teller and much more.

In Kenya, it is loved for its distinctive flavour and use as a sweetener in teas and bread, cakes and also for medicinal value. It is also used to make a variety of foods and confectionery as well as a food preservative.

However, one thing many of us may not be aware of the different honey flavour varieties or what is known as varietals. Did you know that honey has over 300 flavours? The most popular one is the Acacia flavour.

Honey is made by bees from plant nectar of myriad varieties of flowers.

The flavour, colour, and variety of honey come from the nectar in the flowers they visit. Colours may range from nearly colourless to dark brown, while the flavour may vary from bitter, spicy, to mild, creamy and sweet. The odour of the honey may also be close to that of the flower.

Bees living in an area with a predominant flower will most likely produce honey that tastes and smells like that flower. Bees blend honey by combining the pollens from many different flowers.

Honey can be classified in many ways on the basis of floral source, country, region, processing, treatment, certification, filtration, healing properties, colour, taste, and flavour. They can be classified as blended, which is a mixture of two or more, polyfloral, which is derived from the nectar of many flowers, and monofloral that is made primarily from the nectar of one flower.

Most of our honey is produced using traditional methods, but some countries have gone a step further and now produce honey with specific flavours.

The most popular flavour in Kenya is the Acacia. It is also not difficult to find honey with multi-floral flavours.

In the US, farmers produce a variety of flavours. They include Alfalfa, Avocado, Basswood, Blueberry, Clover, Eucalyptus, and Orange Bloom.

The monofloral honey is highly prized in foreign markets. The fact that it is from a single source gives it a distinct taste, fragrance and flavour that give it this value.

Producing single-nectar source honey is not easy as bees cannot be herded or directed to collect nectar from a particular flower. However, farm-

The flavour, colour, and variety of honey come from the nectar in the flowers they visit. Colours may range from nearly colourless to dark brown, while the flavour may vary. ers in some countries have developed strategies that enable them to produce honey that is largely monofloral (it can never be 100 per cent monofloral).

Some place hives in areas with a high concentration of a desired floral source and harvest the honey immediately after the nectar flow from this source ends.

In Kenya, the greatest challenge in the production of distinctly flavoured honey is not only the cost, but also the area scale for the beehives. The orchards available are on smaller scale than in Europe. It is difficult to find a large farm that deals in beekeeping only, since most people practise mixed farming. As a result, this determines the flavour of honey harvested since it always has an assorted taste.

Demand for naturally flavoured honey exists. A business venture in monofloral honey would be lucrative with the opportunity of large plantations or orchards being available locally.

There are over 300 honey flavours below are a few

Acacia Acacia honey is very pale. In its pure form it may be as clear as liquid glass.

It has a mild, sweet, floral flavour

Alfalfa Alfalfa honey from its bluish-purplish flowers is white or extra light amber in colour with a fine flavour. It makes a perfect table honey for everyday use.

Avocado Avocado honey is dark in colour, with a rich, buttery taste. It is wonderful in dressings and sauces.

Cotton Honey is white to extra light amber with a good, mild flavour. Cotton honey is an excellent table honey.

Eucalyptus Eucalyptus honey varies in colour and flavour, but tends to be a boldflavoured with a medicinal aftertaste.

Orange Blossom A white to amber honey with a distinctive aroma of orange blossoms.

It hasa sweet, fruity taste with a flowery perfume aftertaste. Used for everyday table use in cakes and cookies.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Water management

Drilling a borehole? Some tips

BY LENAH BOSIBORI

b.lenah@yahoo.com

N

airobi County requires a whopping Ksh42 million to sort out the city’s inadequate water sup-

ply.

According to the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA), Nairobi, which has 4,000 boreholes, needs to sink more to boost its water supply and curb water shortages in future.

Data from the WRA indicates that there are 16,000 boreholes countrywide, with 25 per cent of them in Nairobi.

The notion that boreholes are exclusively for industrial use has hampered the development of this vital water source.

There is also fear of hidden charges for extracting water, yet the only cost is the upfront fee for the borehole and regular maintenance, according to a British water drilling company, Dales Water Services.

Dales says a tour of the site is necessary to determine whether there is sufficient space for the borehole and the best location to construct it.

A borehole, according to the dictionary definition, is a deep vertical hole of small diameter bored into the earth to ascertain the nature of the underlying strata or to obtain water.

The key factor considered before drilling a borehole is the cost. This largely depends on the depth required and the geology of the area for sinking the borehole, according to Kisima Drilling (EA) Limited.

There are more than 10 borehole-drilling companies in Kenya.

Due to an ultra violet (UV) sterilisation unit and pre-filter installation, no treatment is required when drilling.

One borehole can take about three to five days to complete, according to Dales Limited. The average range of a borehole is between 30 and 60 metres, though sometimes it can go to over 200 metres or more if required.

Most of the bottled water sold in shops comes from boreholes.

The natural quality of ground water is good, says a World Bank report, except for the presence of fluoride that may result in dental skeletal fluorosis, leading to discoloring of the teeth and weakening of bones.

A borehole’s diameter ranges between 100 and 500mm. Once completed, the installation is carefully sealed (grouted)

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informing and inspiring farmers

Borehole drilling procedure: 1. Carry out a geological survey to find a source of water; 2. Once granted permission by the authorities, drilling process can begin. Boreholes are sometimes 250 feet deep; 3. Pipes are then sunk and filtration system added; 4. Electrical pumps, a control unit and a variety of electric motors and valves are set up at the surface; 5. Debris is removed from the borehole by forcing water down the pipes and then back up; 6. The purity of the water is tested before it is ready for use.

Borehole drilling requirements: 1. Borehole drilling licence from the Ministry of Water and Natural Resources; 2. Nema report, mandatory requirement for environmental impact assessment test; 3. Geological/hydrological survey done by a registered geologist.

This is to give the accuracy of the depth of the water and the best site.

4. Authorisation from the Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA).

5. A water analysis report.

from ground level into rock head to lock out surface pollutants.

An electric pump is set at the bottom of the borehole to channel water to the surface.

However, when there is subtle pressure in the underground supply, an artesian well where water simply flows out, is created.

Experts also warn of underground collapse or water contamination risks in failure to adhere to the recommended borehole drilling procedure.

There are several applicable methods for water accessibility.

The air flush method that involves the use of compressed air to drive the drilling tools attached to a rotary drilling rig is one example.

The air enables the drilling residue to be swilled out of the whole flush, as the driller monitors the flow of water from the hole.

The data obtained is vital for estimating the level of water, quantity and recharge rate of the borehole.

A person who wishes to drill a borehole must obtain a licence from the Ministry of Water, a National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) report, a geological/hydrological survey done by a registered geologist and authorisation from WRMA. The hydro-geological report gives the accuracy of the depth of the water and best site to drill a borehole. A Nema report is a mandatory requirement before drilling for conducting an environmental impact assessment test.

A water analysis report is required to enable a drilling company to take samples to the government laboratory to test whether the water is safe for domestic or industrial use or both.

Boreholes can last for more than three decades.

“A well-constructed borehole can last many generations. We regularly encounter boreholes from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970’s that are still operational,” says Dales Water Services.

With modern technology, newly constructed boreholes can last even longer due to advancements in borehole lining material and drilling techniques to prevent collapse.

Mr James Teko, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Natural Resources, says: “For us to have access to water we need to go back to the basic.”

According to Mr Teko, the government will establish areas in the counties fit for drilling the waterholes.

“We want our people to use the water in their lands to feed themselves and create wealth,” adds Mr. Teko.

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informing and inspiring farmers

23

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Coffee Management

Will Batian meet the test after Ruiru 11?

Fast-maturing, Batian produces her first cherry in 18 months to two years, one year faster than other types, and is suitable for all coffee areas

New variety is winning over farmers who are rushing to grow it, but will it be better than the latter which has been disappointing some?

BY WAIKWA MAINA

S

till smarting from losses incurred from investing in what they describe as overrated ‘disease resistant’ coffee varieties, farmers in Murang’a are crossing their fingers that the latest introduced variety will not disappoint.

Hailed as the truely-bred disease resistant varietyBatian, was unveiled by the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) in September 2010 after four decades of research.

It was the latest in a series of disease-resistant varieties released by public funded coffee research institutions.

But skeptic farmers are now hoping that this new variety will be truly disease resistant.

Batian is the fifth variety from the CRF basket after K7 variety for low altitude coffee growing areas with serious Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) threat, SL 28 for medium to high attitude coffee areas without serious CLR, SL 34 for high attitude coffee zones and Ruiru 11 for all coffee growing areas.

It is said to be rich in aroma and low on caffeine, and cuts production costs by over 30 per cent compared to traditional coffee varieties.

But it is Batian’s precursor, Ruiru 11, that a number of coffee farmers are using to gauge the effectiveness of disease-resistance. Released in 1985, Ruiru 11 was received with excitement by coffee farmers who had suffered heavy losses due to coffee berry disease.

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Excited that Ruiru 11 was resistant to Coffee Berry Disease and Leaf Lust, Alex Muthumbi from Wahundura village in Mathioya Sub-County was among thousands of farmers quickly embraced the new breed.

He says it did not turn out that way and hopes Batian will not disappoint. Like a number of farmers in the area, Mr Muthumbi says he will be embracing the new variety but guardedly.

“I planted 250 Batian seedlings in May last year, they are doing fine, but I will not take a risk again like I did with Ruiru 11, I never sprayed like I used to do and as you can see, the bushes are heavily affected by the two diseases leading to aborted cherry and flowers,” Mr Muthumbi told Smart Farmer.

CRF’s head of research, James Maina is oozing with confidence that Batian shall not disappoint. The new variety, he says, is a result of decades of research, and is more advanced than its precursors.

“After the 1967/68 serious attack on coffee by the Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) and Leaf Rust, breeding work started in 1971 to develop cultivars that combined resist-

The new variety is a result of decades of research, and is more advanced than its precursors

informing and inspiring farmers

Clockwise: A flourishing 17-month-old Batian coffee tree. Agricultural officer Mr B. Mwaura inspecting a Ruiru 11 bush with leaf rust. Mr Muthumbi PHOTOS|WAIKWA MAINA

ance to the two diseases with improved yields and quality.

In 1985, the first disease resistant cultivar, Ruiru 11, was released. Further research and development culminated to the release of true-breeding disease resistant varieties namely ‘Batian’ in 2010,” says CRF Head of Research and Liaison Advisory, James Maina.

Fast-maturing, Batian produces her first cherry in 18 months to two years, one year faster than other varieties, and is suitable for all coffee agro-ecological zones.

Described as True breeding Arabica coffee, this new variety grows higher than Ruiru 11, and shares similar features

with Cultivar SL28.

Batian’s mature beans are large and bold; her endosperm green and the centre cut mostly singled and straight. The variety is rich with primary branches, with horizontal but occasionally erect branching, a habit which tends to become semi-drooping after successive crop bearing.

The variety produces average to profuse secondary branching, and is ever green throughout the year under good management.

Its young leaves have medium purplish colouration giving a bronze colour but occasionally absent or weak, giving a green-bronze colouration,

while mature leaves have medium width which compares closely with SL28.

“The cultivar has long internodes on both the main stem and branches that compares closely to SL28, while ripe cherries are larger than those of SL28, elliptical in shape and deep red in colour,” says Mr. Maina.

According to the coffee researcher, the success of the new breed will also depend on the amount of care and attention given to it by individual farmers. The variety, he says,

is not entirely immune to all diseases and pests that afflict coffee.

“Batian is resistant to CBD and Leaf Rust. Bacterial Blight of Coffee (BBC),Fusarium spp, Berry blotch, Crinkle leaf and other diseases should be controlled as recommended for the other varieties,” he says.

It is possible to cross-breed traditional, disease-susceptible varieties with Batian through top-working on mature plants in the field, which can be done when the suckers are at pencil thickness stage.

Its management at the nursery and in farms is similar to other nursery traditional coffee varieties. Planting spacing of 2m x 2m is recommended, translating into 2500 trees per hectare compared to 1300 for other varieties.

“Nutritional requirements are similar to those recommended for traditional varieties, while on canopy management; Batian should be raised on a single head in the first cycle and then one or two heads in subsequent cycles.

Growers should remove primary branches that touch the ground. Due to the profuse vegetative growth, frequent handling is necessary,” says the coffee researcher.

Change of the crops cycle can be done by stumping or side-pruning system at 5-yearintervals, while sequential replacement of old varieties with Batian is ideal to enable attainment of the right population per hectare.

Proper insect pest survey and monitoring is essential before appropriate control measures are taken, and, where chemical control is

1967 Year when there was a serious attack on coffee by coffee berry disease and leaf rust

considered best, the rates are similar to those for traditional varieties.

With proper management, Batian can produce up to 40kgs of cherry per bush, compared to other varieties that produce about 20kgs with best management.

Batian is winning over coffee farmers in Murang’a, including skeptics like Mr Muthumbi, who is among the new variety’s pioneers. He plans to replace all of the 500 Ruiru 11 coffee stems with Batian, but only when he is certain that about the new variety.

Last season, Murang’a County distributed 60, 000 free Batian seedlings to farmers, and plans to increase this to 320, 000.

“The County government has contracted a farmer in each of the eight sub-counties to propagate the seedlings, which the government will buy and distribute to coffee growers. Each of the selected farmers was supplied with 10kgs of seeds which will produce a minimum of 40, 000 seedlings,” says Mathioya subcounty agricultural officer Mr Mwaura B.M. Murata Sacco Society-one of the leading SACCO societies in Murang’a, is offering support for individual and member cooperative societies willing to try out the new variety.

According to the SACCO’s chairperson, Mr Hiram Mwaniki, 100s of young farmers in the region have embraced Batian.

informing and inspiring farmers

25

December 2014 - February 2015

Legislation

December 2014 - February 2015

Legislation

New laws spell doom for small scale farmers

In summary

Lobbyists argue that once Crop and AFFA Acts are implemented they will cripple smallholders

By MWANGI NDIRANGU

F

rom time immemorial, small-scale farmers, including our grandmothers, mothers, aunts and neighbours, have been growing maize, beans, potatoes and vegetables for domestic consumption and as cash crops.

In many communities, small gardens are set aside to ensure food security in homes. Once the crops are harvested, they are stored for food and, in most cases, some produce such as beans and potatoes preserved as seed for the next season, with the surplus being sold.

This produce not only acts as food security, but also caters for many other family needs. In emergencies, beans or maize are sold mostly at the local trading centres or to neighbours. School fees and other expenses are also met this way.

This practice ensures that there is always food for the majority of Kenyans.

After all, about 70 per cent of the population relies on agriculture, which accounts for more than a quarter of the gross domestic product. Most of the producers are small-scale farmers.

However, the situation for small-scale farmers, who have been feeding the country for decades, is set to dramatically change for the worse.

Three new laws, crafted with the intention of boosting agriculture, could just achieve the opposite. “They are draconian and will cripple the small-scale farmer,” say lobbyists from the Kenya Food Rights Alliance (KeFRA).

When the laws are fully implemented, a farmer will no longer grow and sell any produce without a licence. Farmers will

26

informing and inspiring farmers

Ms Esther Bett, a farmer, is worried that the new laws will affect her normal way of life.

PHOTO|MWANGI NDIRANGU not be allowed to grow maize, beans, potatoes, coffee, sorghum, millet, rice and other food crops, a total

Farming will never be the same again.

The majority of farmers, who are still in the dark over what the new Act entails, will be shocked

of up to 17, if not registered as a dealer.

They will be expected to buy certified seeds to grow these crops. And if they don’t, they could be arrested and jailed or fined millions of shillings. To make sure the laws are obeyed, there will be inspectors on the ground.

For some 26 years, Ms Esther Bett has been a farmer. She considers herself successful despite the occasional ups and downs associated with agribusiness. She has been growing maize in Uasin Gishu, tea in Nandi and beans in Nairobi.

She now is bracing herself for the consequences from the newly introduced pieces of legislation that will drastically alter the way farmers have been traditionally doing things.

The Crops Act 2013 and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority Act 2013 were passed a few months before the current government came into power. Having been gazetted by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei, it is now a matter of time before it is implemented.

“Farming will never be the same again.

The majority of farmers, who are still in the dark over what the new Act entails, will be shocked,” says Ms Bett, who resigned from the Ministry of Agriculture to venture into full-time farming.

Ideally, the legislation is meant to promote the development of the agricultural sector to achieve what other countries have done.

But the source of worry among stakeholders in the food industry is that the laws are going to erode the crucial traditional attachment to some valuable crops.

The Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Authority will now keep an eye on certain selected crops and regulate how they are grown, stored and marketed.

Those who go against the guidelines may find themselves in jail or with hefty court fines. The axe is bound to fall on small-scale farmers, who grow subsistence crops to feed their families and occasionally sell or exchange with their neighbours.

Under the new rules, anyone dealing in the 17 crops classified as “scheduled” must register with the authority. The farmer will then be required to only plant certified seeds from a licensed dealer and not convert part of his harvest into breeding materials. A number of staple foods have been classified as “scheduled

crops”. They include maize, beans, Irish potatoes, rice, wheat, sorghum, pearl and finger millets and soya beans.

Though the regulations sound good for growth and development of the sector, stakeholders are warning there is more than meets the eye.

“I occasionally purchase maize seeds, but for beans or potatoes I get seeds from my harvest. The new regulations are punitive and not likely to achieve the goal of developing agriculture,” Ms Bett says.

She sees the regulations leading to decreased food production, eventually forcing the government and aid agencies to provide relief assistance even in areas where communities have always fed themselves.

“I know only a small number of smallscale farmers who buy certified beans and Irish potato seeds. Once the regulations become fully operational, the major beneficiaries will be seed manufacturers,” says the former Baringo District Agricultural Officer.

Alarmed, KeFRA has sent a memorandum to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Koskei detailing their worries.

The director of Growth Partners Africa, Mr Daniel Maingi, says: “Poring through the new Crops Act 2013, it is in anyone’s guess what to expect. The legislation sailed through Parliament without any consultations.”

Mr Maingi and officials of other organisations and farmers mainly from North Rift and western Kenya had an audience

17 The number of crops classified as scheduled in the new Act

The Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Authority will now keep an eye on certain selected crops and regulate how they are grown, stored and marketed.

Those who go against the guidelines may find themselves in jail or with hefty court fines.

Anyone dealing in the 17 crops classified as “scheduled” must register with the authority.

The farmer will then be required to only plant certified seeds from a licensed dealer and not convert part of his harvest into breeding materials.

A number of staple foods have been classified as “scheduled crops”. They include maize, beans, Irish potatoes, rice, wheat, sorghum, pearl and finger millets and soya beans.

A person who contravenes the act is liable to imprisonment for upto three years or to a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or both.

The crops inspector will be free to visit a registered farmer to ensure he or she is compling. They can inspect premises whose owners they suspect are operating as dealers while not registered.

It is an offence to prevent, hinder or obstruct an inspector and if convicted of that, one is liable to a fine not exceeding Sh2 million or a jail term not exceeding three years or both.

with the minister early this month to present their concerns.

But he feels their concerns were not adequately addressed.

“When laws are made, it is essential to consult all stakeholders to ensure a suitable balance is struck between the rights of the business community, local and international and farmers, particularly the smallholders, as well as the consumer.

This is so as to achieve the basic progressive economic, social and cultural rights guaranteed under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” he adds.

Mr Maingi and other members of KeFRA are aware the passing of the Crops and AFFA Act 2013, is in conformity with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), which Kenya signed in 1989. The objective of the convention is to protect new varieties of plants by an intellectual property right. By codifying intellectual property for plant breeders, UPOV aims to encourage the development of new varieties of plants for the benefit of society. >>

informing and inspiring farmers

27

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Soil management

Bringing soils back to life

BY ANNE GACHINA

I

Ms Esther Bett.

PHOTO|MWANGI NDIRANG >> But KeFRA fears Kenya may not benefit as envisaged.

“Adoption and implementation of UPOV ’91 (plus) compliant legislations have imposed criminal sanctions, unnecessary restrictions on smallholder farmers’ capacity to save, gift, exchange and sell seed or propagating material of protected plant varieties. This, in effect, will hamper farmers’ access to God-given biological resources for propagation. The national food security will be compromised,” reads part of the KeFRA memorandum.

Farmers will be subjected to a myriad of fees, taxation and double-taxation on their crops, and value addition. This is likely to discourage them from these economic and livelihood activities. Both the national and county governments will tax farmers.

“I still do not understand if I qualify to be a dealer or not. If, for instance, I produce one bag of beans which I may decide to sell or exchange with two bags of maize with another farmer, I could be victimised,” says Ms Bett.

The Act states that a person who contravenes is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or both.

The crops inspector will be free to visit the premises of a registered farmer to ensure that the terms of registration are

28

informing and inspiring farmers

complied with. They also have authority to inspect premises whose owners they suspect are operating as dealers while not registered.

It is an offence for anyone to prevent, hinder or obstruct an inspector and if convicted of that, one is liable to a fine not exceeding Sh2 million or a jail term not exceeding three years or both.

If ... I produce one bag of beans which I may decide to sell or exchange with two bags of maize with another farmer, I could be victimised’ “This provision is subject to abuse by inspectors who can demand to enter your house even at night and they are not required to obtain a search warrant from court. It means an inspector can order me to open my house at 10pm and inspect if I have hidden bags of potatoes under my bed,” says Ms Bett.

The movement of farm produce is strictly monitored. The Act says this is meant to prevent crop diseases or pests.

But Ms Bett is worried she will not be able to transporting beans from Nairobi

to her rural home in Nandi Hills.

“I grow beans in Ruai in Nairobi and transport the crop on my pick up for sale to Eldoret Town and its environs, where prices are good. It now means no more movement of foodstuffs without a licence, just like we do for livestock,” she says.

To protect small-scale farmers, KeFRA recommends that food be removed from the list of first scheduled crops.

The list should only have cash crops and other high-value exports such as flowers since they attract foreign investors, as envisaged in the preamble of these laws.

The stakeholders want farmers’ right to their resource of production that is seed protected in the law. They also want a law to protect farmers’ seeds as provided for in the Kenyan Constitution Art 11(3) (a) and (b) The memorandum is in agreement that quality and healthy seed is critical to increased food and incomes in smallholder agriculture. Supporting farmers to rid their seeds of degenerative diseases and obtain open pollinated biodiversity is a sound and viable scientific option though not profitable for investors. Such a constitutional mandate should be left to Kenya Seed Company and other public institutions, the lobby appeals.

t is no longer a secret that Kenyan soils have become acidic and that the rate of production has been on the decline. Studies and tests have shown that the soils have degenerated and become exhausted. And as the world quickly moves away from chemically produced food crops and horticulture, many farmers are realising the need to replenish and reinvigorate their soils by going organic.

They want to keep up with the trends, repair their soils and boost production.

To achieve this, a number of ingenious agripreneurs are providing inputs and information. Many are supplying organic fertilisers and pesticides and educating farmers on how to use them and giving tips on soil management.

Among the agripreneurs is Ms Francescah Munyi, a mother of two, who graduated from an affiliate of Texas University in the United States. Francesca, who holds a diploma in entrepreneurship, studied soil at Texas Women University.

Together with some partners she set up the Kenya Organic Finest Aromas Limited. KOFAr, as it is popularly known, has a single goal - to create healthy, natural, organic products to make Kenyan soils healthier.

Ms Munyi and a group of other women have pitched camp in Sagana Township, between Nairobi and Nyeri.

Fertilising soils, she says, is big business and the only shortcut to food security and overall nutrition in Kenya.

“Healthy soils lead to healthy feeds.

Whatever is fed to the soil is what human beings consume and that determines their overall health,” says the economics graduate, who ventured into agriculture after going through soil handling training.

According to Ms Munyi, yields from

Inset, fruits from a retarded passion fruit farm in 2012 and from the same farm after using Rotuba, Seedboost & Microplus organically fertilised soils increase by at least 40 per cent.

KOFAr’s main objective is to have chemical-free soils in Kenya and beyond.

Before supplying organic fertilisers, KOFAr takes time to assess every client’s farm and train them. The

Healthy soils lead to healthy feeds.

Whatever is fed to the soil is what human beings consume and that determines their overall health’ firm takes soil samples for tests to determine what fertiliser the farm needs and the level of moisture.

Ms Munyi’s firm then evaluates the overall topography of the farm to deter-

mine what conservation methods ought to be used to sustain the organic inputs added to the soil. If, for instance, the topography is sloppy, KOFAr recommends terracing to boost soil conservation, or else the fertiliser would be end up downhill during heavy rains.

Once soil analysis and farm assessment are done, the firm helps farmers to choose suitable crops for their soil types before unveiling a menu of organic fertilisers.

KOFAr offers a wide range of readyto-use organic fertilisers. There is Rotuba Bio, an organic compound fertiliser used during planting and for topdressing. Also known as Compost Green, Rotuba Bio boosts water retention and >> turn to page 33

KENYA ORGANIC FINEST AROMAS LTD KOFAr offers high Quality, Affordable Organic Inputs for Healthy Soils and Best Agricultural Services for your farm.

KOFAr Products Fertilizer

KOFAr Services KENYA ORGANIC FINEST AROMAS LTD P.O BOX 337 – 00230, SAGANA. TEL: +254 727 690370 EMAIL: info@kofarltd.com WEB:www.kofarltd.com

informing and inspiring farmers

29

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Conservation

Making charcoal from rose flower roots

>> turn from page 31

By Peter Murumba

A

n overdependence on charcoal as a source of fuel continues to threaten our forest cover and environment, as some irresponsible individuals continue with illegal charcoal burning.

To meet the demand for energy and save the environment from further destruction, Teddy Kinyanjui, the CEO of Cookswell Jikos has come up with yet another brilliant idea - Making charcoal from the roots of rose flowers. ln our previous edition, we featured specially designed drum kilns that provide a simple, fast and sustainable way to make charcoal without cutting down trees from the same company.

Now with this innovation, a farmer can maximise on plant roots like the rose plant and any other woody biomass like maize cobs, twigs, and coconut husks.

“With a Cookswell kiln, one can use just any hard woody biomass to make charcoal with (maize cobs, twigs, coconut husks etc) and now rose flower roots,” says Mr Kinyanjui.

He says the immediate advantage of using rose roots as charcoal is that they are not forest products and help flower farmers to maximise on the benefits of flower farming.

“Every few years when the rose crop is finished and the farmers replant their greenhouses, the roots and stems are thrown out. While the stems decompose faster and make good compost, the roots take longer because they are hard. Why not use them to make charcoal?” he says.

“This adds value to what is otherwise considered waste and produces an exellent clean burning and longlasting fire,” he adds.

To flower farmers, this comes as a reprieve because nothing from their farms will go to waste, while for those who care about our forest cover, there will be a reason to smile because less trees will be cut down.

30

informing and inspiring farmers

Rose roots and roses growing in a greenhouse. A Cookswell charcoal kiln. PHOTO | PETER MURUMBA

2013

The year that Mr Kinyanjui got the idea of rose charcoal

Mr Kinyanjui says that not only can this innovation be able to help save our forest cover but can also be used to generate income.

“The input is minimal, the capital outlay is the cost of a large kiln, which from Cookswell costs Sh14,500, some gloves and sacks for packaging. With these one can assume a large supply and make about 1.5 large sacks (of about 20-30kgs) of charcoal per 9 hours,” he says.

However, the kilns vary in sizes and depending on one’s financial muscle, there are different varieties.

The CEO adds that the rose charcoal is excellent for the traditional cooking of maize, nyama choma and almost every kind of food. “l obtain the roots, grade them in various sizes and anything too small for a small jiko (5mm) is incorperated into compost,” he says.

The rose charcoal idea came to Mr Kinyanjui in 2013 from a friend working in a flower farm in Naivasha.

“I have heard of people using charcoal to make cold rooms as is the case with

Finlays farm, where it helps keep cut flowers cold. Why not from the roots of the same flowers, make charcoal to be used in the cold rooms instead of cuting down trees to make the same charcoal?” he says. “ I decided to do a small experiment with the woody biomass (the roots) left over and which are difficult to compost,” he says.

The process of making the charcoal is simple.

As we featured in our previous edition, just like when using tree branches, light a small fire at the bottom of the kiln and when it lights up fill to the top with the graded flower roots and wait for the smoke to change coloµr from white to a light blue.

Currently, Mr Kinyanjui sells the charcoal on order and uses some at home. He buys roots from anyone ready to sell.

“My aim is not to make money but to have people benefit from what is regarded as waste. Someone will pocket money from either selling the charcoal or roots and while at it, we will be saving our forests.” he says.

helps to increase organic and humic matter in the soil. Rotuba must only be used in wet soil or irrigation.

Fruit trees, coffee and pineapples require a maximum of 350kg per acre, while cereals consume 150kg per acre.

The soils should only be top dressed with Rotuba at the start of the rains.

Vegetables need a maximum of 10g of fertiliser per planting hole.

Other crops that can thrive on Rotuba are potatoes, tea, bananas, flower, sugarcane, Napier grass, passion fruit and tree seedlings. KOFAr’s package comes with free training on application method and amounts.

NANO AG is an activator and stabiliser of soil nutrients, especially those that have turned too acidic due to excessive use of pesticides and herbicides. NANO helps the soil repair by correcting the PH and improving its water retention rate.

It provides the soil with the nutrients required to repair deficiencies and boost plant growth. Five grams of NANO mixed in four litres of chlorinefree water and stored away from light for two days, to protect it from interference in its composition, is sprayed on the soil before planting or around the plants. The spraying must be done when the sun is not too hot. NANO AG is sold in sachets or capsules to make it user friendly.

The Seedling Vigour Booster- perhaps the most crucial product from the firm- gives the much-needed preplanting seed treatment- a must-have for farmers. The booster helps in root formation and improves the seed germination rate.

The seeds should be treated and dried shortly before planting, but must never be soaked. Small-scale farmers need a sprayer, non-chlorinated water and skill!

The sprayer should be cleaned thor-

oughly before use to avoid contaminating the fertiliser. The firm’s other organic feeds for plants, include Micro Plus, a foliar feed that facilitates soil development and stimulates crop’s health.

Once mixed in the right amounts, Micro Plus should be used on the same day and not stored.

There is also a product to detoxify soil. Reclaim Organic fertiliser detoxifies and conditions the soil, cleaning it of impurities known to cause biological degradation. It should not be sprayed on crops or foliage.

“We intend to be the key distributors of organic fertilisers in central Kenya.

Our aim is to boost food security and help farmers understand that there is money in the business aspect of agriculture,” says Ms Munyi.

KOFAr is targeting youth, as agriculture is regaining its allure as the major employer in Kenya.

Other programmes that KOFAr intends to introduce include farm tours for farmers and children in urban areas.

“If the people can see tangible results and hear directly from farmers that agriculture generates income, they will be inspired to venture into the industry,” she says.

Children, she says, should be exposed to farming early enough to teach them that it is not a dirty job.

informing and inspiring farmers

31

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Steps to a successful harvest Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Soil Compaction

between 150 to 170mm below the surface.

Avoid soil compaction at all costs Reduced productivity on the farm could be due to effects of compaction which hampers root growth and water penetration

BY KEVIN LESSER

S

oil structure is important for successful crop production. It determines the ability of soil to hold and conduct the water, nutrients, and air necessary for plant root growth. Bad soil structure means poor harvests and losses or reduced returns.

In our last edition, we discussed the importance of residue management to soil, especially after harvest. We talked about how it provides ground cover that prevents soil ero-

32

sion and protects water quality.

Residue improves soil tilth and adds organic matter to it as it decomposes.

It also helps to reduce soil compaction.

In this edition, we look at soil compaction, an enemy of good farming soil and how it affects your productivity.

Soil compaction happens when the particles are pressed together, thereby reducing pore space between them.

When compacted, the movement of water or infiltration and drainage through the chunkier and blockier soil becomes problematic, increasing runoff and erosion during rainfall. It also affects aeration.

Root penetration is hampered and this can lead to stunted growth as the plant is not able to take up nutrients and water.

Soil compaction on the farm can be caused by the animals you continuously let out to graze in the field after harvest, or those tractors or heavy machinery you allow to crisscross

informing and inspiring farmers

Clockwise: A heavily compacted soil , a ripper in action, tips of the ripper, testing for compaction, using a penetromter and bottom, a penetromer. your farm; and, even rain!

These causes can be regarded as mechanical, animal and rain.

Soil compaction is not just “hard soil” and there are many places where it can occur.

Surface compaction 1. This is the hard top or crust on the surface of the field. The depth of this compaction depends on what caused it.

As was stated in the last edition on residues, if you applied some form of this management in your field you would not be suffering from too much RAIN compaction. Rain is a major contributor to surface compaction. It occurs when a force is exerted on a soil that exceeds its bearing strength. As this force increases, soil aggregates are re-arranged. Because the soil bulk density now increases and porosity decreases, the soil no longer allows water to penetrate it and compaction steadily increases as more rain occurs.

2. Animal compaction Livestock grazing on the fields compact the top layers of the surface. Imagine a 300kg cow grazing. That is about 75kg of pressure on a 10cm patch of soil x 4cm with every step of just this one animal. Multiply this with a heard of animals and include some sheep, goats and donkeys and you have a huge problem on your fields!

3. Mechanised traffic Too many unnecessary operations across your fields by tractors, harvesters, sprayers, weeding implements, fertiliser spreaders, etc., can also compact your soil. So, keeping it down to the minimum required or using a controlled traffic method will greatly reduce the compaction in the field.

Under surface compaction Under the surface soil compaction can be the ugly abnormality created by decades of ploughing year on year. The smearing effect created by the plough has left a compacted hard-pan layer at a depth of

Testing for soil compaction This is not a highly scientific experiment and you do not need expensive equipment.

There are fancy tools available out in the industry called Penetrometers, which work excellently, but there is an easy and far more cost-effective method.

A few days after the first rains of the new season test the soil for compaction. Don’t go out on the day it rained or if the field is still carrying water. You won’t be testing for compaction under those conditions. So a couple of sunny days after the first rains, put on your hat and spend some time in your field studying compaction.

You have two options.

One: You can make your own compaction tester using a 10mm or 12mm thick round metal bar, about 500mm long.

Add a handle of about 300mm long and sharpen the point of the probe to ease penetration into the ground.

Insert the probe into the ground at a slow and steady pace, keeping your arms slightly bent. Record the depth at which the tip of the probe meets soil resistance. Keep in mind that moisture plays a large part in soil strength. A dry soil will resist penetration more than a wet soil regardless of soil compaction.

The second method is to dig a hole of 500mm deep in your field and then using

1. Causes nutrient deficiencies; 2. Reduces crop productivity; 3. Restricts root development; 4. Reduces aeration; 5. Lessens available water; 6. Reduces infiltration rate; 7. Increases bulk density; 8. Increases sediment and nutrient losses; 9. Increases surface water runoff; 10. Damages structure.

a sharp knife cut downwards until you feel resistance. Then go to the bottom of the hole and cut upwards until you feel a distinctive resistance.

The distance measured from the top will tell you were the plough-pan starts and you will also see the width of the plough-pan by measuring the top cut to the bottom cut.

You have now discovered a compaction layer in your field that will seriously hamper your crop’s potential yields – so what do you do about it?

You may well have to abandon your plough this year and there are a few reasons for this: 1. It was the plough that created the problem in the first place, so why continue with the problem.

2. We typically find the plough pan to be at a maximum depth it can reach so a new setting on the plough will not get past that depth and relieve the compaction layer.

If you do get a plough to now get deeper into the soil, you are only shifting the problem deeper into the ground.

3. Turning the soil over cause a break-up of the structure, so if you had earthworms

When compacted, the movement of water or infiltration and drainage through the chunkier, blockier soil becomes problematic, increasing runoff

working hard in your field to develop channels in the soil for water and root penetration, then by turning over the soil you have effectively destroyed their good work.

To break up the hard-pan layer, opt for a ripper or subsoiler to penetrate down to 200mm or if you measured with the one of the above methods, then at least work down to the depth of the bottom of the hard pan.

Rippers or sub-soilers have been designed to have minimum impact on the soil structure. If you are using a ripper or sub-soiler and you are pulling up huge clods of earth – stop immediately. Your soil is too dry and you will need to wait for some more moisture in your soil before you continue.

To make this economical, you need to set the widths between the tines to the row spacing you want to plant at.

You need to plant along the newly created channels, but with an off-set of 50mm to 70mm to either the left or the right. The reason for this is due to the soil now being loose and at the first rains it will collapse slightly. If you planted in the channel your seed will have dropped in depth and will now be burred too deeply to emerge as quickly as it should.

Your crop’s roots will still find the channel and head straight down the channel to retrieve the needed nutrients and the water now stored in the deep channels. The ground water will also be able to permeate through the previous hard-pan layer and the moisture content in your field should be higher than in previous years.

I hope I have planted a seed of thought in your minds

to take this soil compaction into consideration for your next crop season.

Jonny D @JD_GreenTribe Definition of a farmer: a person who is outstanding in his field.

informing and inspiring farmers

33

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Crop management

Use IPM methods to bring down pesticide residues Kenya’s reputation has been tainted by persistent reports of chemical pesticide residues in fresh produce and unless something is done quickly, the EU may invoke the right to ban imports

By Louise Labuschagne

J

ust before Va l e n t i n e ’ s Day this year (2014), environmentalists published damning results of tests done on flowers sold in the European Union market. The results were widely covered by the European Press, with one of the headlines reading: Would you give your Valentine all these pesticide residues?

In Kenya - a country that has in the last two decades built a reputation for high quality fruits, flowers and vegetables December is usually the high season for horticultural exports to the EU. But a dark cloud of uncertainty now hangs over the main driver of East Africa’s largest economy, threatening its major source of foreign exchange and, ultimately, thousands of jobs.

According to the EU, Kenya’s horticultural reputation has been tainted by persistent reports of chemical pesticide residues in fresh produce.

Unless something is done quickly, the EU may invoke the right to ban some fresh produce imports from Kenya, dealing a major blow to both large and smallscale farmers.

By the stroke of a pen, the EU could bar imports that do not comply with the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) in edible crops. And although it cannot interfere with exports of flowers with high levels of pesticide residues, many European supermarkets are urging farmers to drastically reduce the level of detectable residues in their flowers.

Suppliers of biological control services in Kenya have been working with EU supermarket suppliers to reduce pesticide

36

informing and inspiring farmers

residues in roses, where farmers implement a full prophylactic preventative programme that leaves the flowers free of pesticide residues and able to pass the stringent KEPHIS inspections.

A strong biological Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme is essential for resistance management – without it, the risk of pests and diseases will increase, further jeopardising the future of horticultural growers.

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (KEPHIS), the main regulator in quality control of agricultural input and produce, is now warning exporting companies risk a one-month ban if pesticide residues are detected in their products. This is perhaps one of the most drastic steps taken by the government so far to address the EU’s fears.

Integrated Pest Management Biological pest and disease control methods have been known to reduce pesticide residues. Kenya boasts some of the best quality, locally produced biological solutions for most of the main pests and disease that afflict crops.

Unfortunately, a number of farmers may not be implementing the IPM programmes, either because they are not aware of the opportunities or because the required Extension of Label permissions by the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) takes too long or is too expensive to obtain. Either way, farmers will pay the ultimate price should their crops be banned.

An excellent example of an angel waiting in the wings is the Real Bacillus

Biological pest and disease control methods have been known to reduce pesticide residues

BEFORE: Beans after being sprayed with conventioanl sprays

AFTER: Beans after using a Real IPM programme

a high level of Fusarium.

This confirms one fact: That IPM solutions do exist in Kenya.

But are they in use?

residues. Not only were pesticide residues reduced significantly, but also the yield was 21 per cent higher. LecoFruit has a network of 13,500 small-scale farmers.

Madagascar authorities were in Kenya recently and will be fast-tracking registration of real IPM products in Madagascar

by July 2015.

2005

Nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx When Real Trichoderma was xxxxxxxxxxxxx proved

by Kari scientists to reduce fusarium in passion

Suppliers of biological control services in Kenya have been working with EU supermarket suppliers to reduce pesticide residues in roses.

Subtilis to control Alternaria in passion fruit, instead of using fungicides such as Mancozeb, one of the major sources of pesticide residues in passion fruit exports.

The EU Pesticide Initiative Programme funded an independent efficacy trial by Icipe scientists in 2013.

Independent trials indicate that both Real Trichoderma and Real Bacillus subtilis will significantly reduce the incidence of Alternaria in the passion fruit and,

where it does occur, lower the severity.

These trials also revealed that the same treatments were able to reduce a number of other diseases such as Septoria, Colletotrichum and Woodiness Virus.

As far back as 2005, KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Centre Scientists scientists proved that Real Trichoderma could also significantly reduce the level of Fusarium in pot-grown passion fruit that had been artificially inoculated with

PCPB bans dimethoate Early this year, under pressure from the EU, due to the persistent high levels of residues, the PCPB banned the use of dimethoate on French beans. Was the problem due to the fact that the dimethoate was only available in large pack sizes and small-scale farmers were unable to calculate and measure the small amounts necessary for a 15-litre knapsack? Was the problem due to lack of information or registered biological control agents for French beans?

Real IPM-Kenya has been carrying out trials with LecoFruit in Madagascar, where the full range of products has been trialed in fine beans to reduce chemical

Training Real IPM (Kenya) Ltd has also developed a wide range of courses to help farmers reduce chemical residues. Every Wednesday, the company runs a one-day IPM awareness course at its demonstration farm in Thika, offering farmers practical solutions to reducing pesticide residues in their crops through biological pest control or prudent use of chemicals.

Due to the high demand, interested farmers must book for the course in advance as places are limited to 20 persons.

Kenya’s reputation and future prosperity can be safeguarded with the right tools in the hands of trained farmers.

For more information about the trainings on offer, visit our website www.realipm.com.

informing and inspiring farmers

37

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Clean energy

Schools reaping from biogas units

30,000

Amount saved by the school from firewood after installing a biogas system

Institutions are beginning to realise that there is more to be milked from cows than milk

T

he bright warmth of biogas is slowly spreading from households to learning institutions in the Mount Kenya region as more schools realise that there is more to be milked from the school cow than milk.

A growing number of schools are reaping enormous benefits - in their kitchens and on the farms - from installing biogas harvesting units.

Some are contemplating increasing their herds to tap more biogas and related products from the bovines, or even better, bringing more biogas producing domestic animals such as pigs into their farms.

“We are thinking of investing in pig farming as pigs produce larger quantities of biogas,” says the principal of Ihithe Secondary School, Mr Karanja Muriuki.

The veteran principal is proud of a project he fondly refers to as the golden circle - one that starts and ends with the school cow.

The cycle is simple yet profitable and self-sustaining. The school cow’s dung is channelled to biogas producing units.

The remains of the dung after squeezing out the last gram of biogas, are channelled to the Napier grass on the school farm. This ensures the cow is fed well enough to produce more dung…and more milk.

In a nutshell, nothing goes to waste, and the institution saves thousands of shillings that go into improving learning facilities.

The school saves at least KSh30,000 a month that would have been spent on firewood. Besides, the school farm is blooming with a healthy crop of Napier

38

informing and inspiring farmers

Principal of Ihithe Secondary School, Mr Karanja Muriuki at the school kitchen.

PHOTO|WAIKWA

We are also fighting usage of chemical fertilisers, which have destroyed our soils. Farmers have for a long time over-relied on fertilisers ... destroying soils

grass, further cutting the fodder needs.

The Napier grass is ready for harvest in a shorter time than in the past, when it took three to four months to grow.

Since the biogas unit was established in August, the seven cows produce enough biogas to prepare meals for the 300 students.

The school initially had 14 cows but had reduced the number by half due to lack of grass.

Biogas has been embraced by many

households and other institutions. Other schools that have installed biogas units include Giakanja Boys High School, Wamagana Secondary School, Dr Kamundia Girls High School, Githakwa, and Kiriti, Dedan Kimathi Memorial, Wandumbi, Huhoini and Kihatha secondary schools.

According to the Kiangure Springs Environment Initiative (KSEI), which is co-implementing a biogas production project with the European Union, under its Upper Tana catchment environmental education programme, central Kenya is waking up to the potential that has for years remained untapped.

KSEI director Jorum Mathenge says farmers have a lot of agricultural, animal and kitchen wastes, which, if not properly used and managed, contribute to emissions. Human and animal wastes contribute to methane, which is one of the greenhouse gases.

KSEI plans to expand the venture to enable farmers and institutions to do more with biogas production than just cooking and fertilising fodder. The objective is to generate enough power to light up homes and boost Napier grass growing.

Domestic units range from eight cubic metres for the tube biogas to 12 cubic metres for the fixed dome. For schools it is between 54 and 70 cubic metres.

An underground permanent biogas production dome can be easily constructed from stone and concrete. It involves digging a hole, and building a circular base before molding it into a dome-shaped top.

Once dung is fed into the dome, the waste goes into a chamber, where the gas is formed before being channelled into another chamber connected to the kitchen supply pipe.

Used dung waste that has already produced gas floats and spills out into the farms.

The whole plant is self-regulating. As used waste (also known as slurry float) spills out, new waste, which is heavier, flows into the biogas making chamber to occupy the bottom space, ensuring continued baking, production and supply of the gas.

“We are also fighting usage of chemical fertilisers, which have destroyed our

KSEI director Jorum Mathenge at the biogas system outlet.

PHOTO|WAIKWA soils. Farmers have for a long time overrelied on fertilisers as they grow tea and coffee, destroying soils,” he says.

Increased biogas consumption is also saving trees.

Although the total cost per household unit is Sh150, 000, the donor meets 70 per cent of the total cost per unit, while the farmer pays 30 per cent in instalments under the KSEI-EU partnership.

KSEI’s main focus has been a comprehensive and sustainable approach in environmental protection.

To achieve this, the organisation promotes the rehabilitation of forest cover through community initiatives such building tree seedling nurseries, which are later bought by the Kenya Forest Services, Nyeri County government and other supporters.

Farmers have 200, 000 tree seedlings ready for planting this season.

The organisation is also promoting the use of renewable and solar energy as over 90 per cent of the community relies on wood fuel and 80 per cent on kerosene.

Over 50 households have also been trained on assembling and installation of energy-saving jikos to reduce wood fuel consumption.

informing and inspiring farmers

39

December 2014 - February 2015

Organic Fertiliser

Organic Fertilier

TECHNOLOGY

More with less: Start your own new green revolution

Mr Robert Rotich, a dairy farmer in Siongiroi, Bomet, has been using bioslurry to grow his fodder and maize. He says his milk and maize yields have risen significantly, making his milk deliveries more consistent

Grow your crops with bioslurry and obtain amazing yields and income, while generating biogas for cooking

BY WAIKWA MAINA

F

ood insecurity, malnutrition, climate change, rural poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, have become matters of serious concern and discussion. In Africa, the population

December 2014 - February 2015

is growing fast, while food production has stagnated in many areas due to poor soils after many years of planting crops without replacing the nutrients and organic matter.

Fertiliser use in Africa is the lowest in the world, as most farmers cannot afford it. The result is that many people go hungry. According to avail-

The system is, in essence, every smallholder’s own fertiliser and biogas factory that uses entirely the smallholder’s own farmyard resources

able statistics, the number of hungry people rose to 239 million in 2012, and 40 per cent of children are stunted due to malnutrition. Kenya has had serious cases of food insecurity, with millions going hungry and some dying of starvation.

“Many efforts aimed at addressing these problems have been sought. They include the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification concept, which involves producing more crops, better nutrition and higher rural incomes, with the same set of inputs – land, water, credit, knowledge - while reducing environmental impacts on a sustained basis,” Ms Camilla Toulmin, deputy chair of the Montepeller panel and director of the International Institute for Environment and Development, says in a recent report.

Guided by this concept, the AquaSanTec Group of companies, which includes Kentainers, the manufacturer of Kentank, and sister companies in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, has come up with an environment-friendly innovation and aims to help smallholders produce their own nutrient-rich organic fertiliser – “bioslurry” – to boost food production while reducing drastically on inputs like seeds or seedlings, labour and water, thus reducing input costs.

The bioslurry/biogas system called BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz is a highly-efficient, easy to install, plastic system made of UV stabilised polyethylene compounded with 2.3 per cent carbon black to protect it from the sun’s ultra violet rays and give it the expected lifespan of 30 years.

Group Chairman Chandu Shah said during a meeting with key stakeholders in his Nairobi office recently that his organisation has been searching for years for practical ways to assist small-scale farmers “to stand on their own feet. Smallholders form nearly 80 per cent of our population.

They own land. Most of them have cattle and surplus family labour, yet they engage only in subsistence farming and continue to grossly underuse their resources and remain caught in a poverty trap,” he said.

“My family and I, as well as top managers in the company have pondered over this troubling issue and have consulted widely with eminent experts on possible solutions for raising smallholder yields and incomes sustainably,” he added.

The Group finally settled on the System of Crop Intensification (“SCI”) which calls for use of organic fertiliser, with nutrient-

Bioslurry system yields dividends for farmer

M

r Wanjihia Gathumu, a 32-yearold farmer in Gatundu, does not own a single cow yet a visitor is welcomed by the evergreen farm scented with the smell of fresh cow dung.

He is a cow dung scavenger.

He earns far more than most dairy farmers, courtesy of BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz strategically positioned about five metres from his just completed permanent house.

Mr Gathumu uses his Blueflame BioSlurriGaz to produce organic fertiliser for his crops and biogas for his domestic use saving him thousands of shillings every month that would have gone into buying fertiliser and fuel.

Mr Gathumu paid Sh95,000 to buy BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz in May this year.

The price included delivery and installation and the biogas cooker. It was installed in just two hours. The technology uses two vessels, the digester placed at the bottom and the gasholder on top.

“The digester has a 3,200-litre capacity, while the gasholder capacity is 3,000 litres. I got the initial 1,500 kg of cowdung from a friend, since then, I just add 40 kg of cow dung and 40 litres of water each morning and also each evening. I get enough biogas for my mother’s house and

Mr Wanjihia Gathumu with his Blue Flame BioSlurriGaz

my house and about 120 litres of bioslurry everyday” says the farmer.

He gets the fresh cow dung from a neighbour and his mother’s cows everyday for daily feedstock.

“My mother and I used to spend Sh8,000 a month on firewood which I now save. I also use bioslurry on my half-acre farm, earning an average of Sh10,000 a week.

The bioslurry is a great organic fertiliser and saves me more than Sh3,000, which I would have used for inorganic fertiliser on the farm,” he says.

The entire Kairi Village in Gatundu North depends on vegetables supplied

from Mr Gathumu’s farm. He grows kales, cabbages, coriander, tree tomatoes and other horticultural crops.

Mr Gathumu adds that BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz is not labour or cost-intensive as one need not dig a pit, or use concrete, cement or other materials.

“It is very easy to operate and I learnt it on the same day it was commissioned.

The bioslurry flows out of the digester and is stored in a container giving me full control of how, when and where to use it on my farm,” he says.

“Farmers should not miss the agricultural shows, as they are rich in knowledge and most of them charge no fees,” adds the young Kenya Polytechnic trained printer-turned farmer. Though he still does some printing work, his heart is now fully in farming.

His dream is to keep his own cows so that he can also become a NKCC dairy farmer, supply a lot of milk, use the technology and SCI method to cultivate a much bigger parcel of land and grow fodder, vegetables and coffee. He urges banks to make it easier for farmers to obtain loans to buy such systems.

long-suffering, small-scale farmers to help them raise the yields of fodder and milk, food and cash crops sustainably.

“The system is, in essence, every smallholder’s own fertiliser and biogas factory that uses entirely the smallholder’s own farmyard resources (dung of animal and agricultural crop residue) and does not require imported or outside input for daily bioslurry and biogas production,” said Mr Machira Gichohi, MD Kenya Dairy Board.

However, VAT imposed on the systems is a hindrance to its roll out, yet the tax collected is very little, they added.

“The opportunity costs of foregoing the

benefits of such systems due to slow adoption runs into trillions of shillings every year, which would be earned by the expected rapid rise in the yields of crops and incomes, and savings of some six to seven million smallholders in Kenya if they instead were encouraged to buy these systems,” said Mr Gichohi.

The petitioners feel that zero-rating the systems will facilitate accelerated adoption of this technology and reduce the use and cost of imported fertiliser; and overcome food and nutrition insecurity for farmers and their livestock, cooking energy and environment degradation.

VAT a big hindrance to rollout Among the challenges the partners are faced with is the issue of VAT. All bioslurry and biogas systems are subjected to VAT, making them expensive and forcing smallholders to borrow more to pay for the price and the VAT. This issue led to a petition by Kennaf, Kendbip, K-Rep, Heifer Project International, Microenterprise Support Programme Trust (MESPT) and Kentainers to the Government in April 2013, to zero rate all types of bioslurry and biogas systems and biogas appliances.

The petitioners felt that production and use of bioslurry provides an answer for the

>> turn to page 42

40

informing and inspiring farmers

informing and inspiring farmers

41

December 2014 - February 2015

BlueFlame

BioSlurriGaz

transforming lives with organic fertilizer and biogas

A New Green Revolution - “More with Less” - by, of and for the Smallholders Grow more, earn more, save more .....with LESS

BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz solves multiple growing crises:

Benefits of BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz

• Produce daily Nutrient Rich Organic Fertilizer (”Bioslurry”) and Biogas • Round The Year Dairying and Farming • Higher yields of fodder, milk and crops, higher incomes and savings

Biogas for Cooking

fertilizer, malnutrition, hunger, food insecurity, unemployment, poverty, fuel and environment crises

Bioslurry Improves yields

Nutritious Fodder - Increased Milk Production

informing and inspiring farmers

Your own Bioslurry and Biogas Factory

42

Save our Trees

Dominic Menjo, New KCC “This technology brings invaluable socio-economic benefits to the country and society. I urge the Government to zero-rate such systems as soon as possible

According to Paul Madoc special projects manager at Kentainers, Bioslurry contains nearly double the nutrient concentrations of N.P.K than those found in other organic fertilisers such as cow dung or compost because of the process of second digestion that takes place in the digester.

Use of bioslurry and other SCI practices in growing crops have raised yields - two to three times - with lower inputs, less water and lower costs of labour.

The BlueFlame system is easy to install in just two hours, anywhere and in any type of soil. It is installed on the ground and does not need a pit.

Bioslurry and biogas generation normally takes about four to seven days. It requires hardly any maintenance.

Cow dung and water are fed into BlueFlame twice a day to produce bioslurry and biogas daily. This enables smallholders to practice round-the-year farming with high yields and superior quality fodder, milk, food and cash crops.

Biogas produced is enough to meet the needs of most households.

Maize 3 and 4 cobs

Charles Gitau CEO of Kenfap “Kenaff distributes seeds, fertilisers and other inputs to two million farmers and will also sell Kentainers’ products like BlueFlame, the Aquatank, grain silos and an ecological indoor sanitation product from our stores

Bioslurry and BlueFlame system

- made by the manufacturers of KENTANK Kenya’s No. 1 Water Tank

George Nyamu, Kendbip/Kenaff “It is encouraging to see smallholders turning to “on-farm” production and using bioslurry. They are ensuring long-term sustainability of agriculture.

Millions of farmers in Asia and thousands of farmers in Africa have already adopted SCI (the ‘Grow more with Less concept’) practices successfully. Our farmers can also adopt them easily...”

tion of BlueFlame BioSlurriGaz among smallholders. Kenfap Services Limited (owned by Kenaff) has signed an agreement with Kentainers to sell BlueFlame in Kenfap stores countrywide, for easy access by farmers.

Kentainers will provide further training to the masons trained by Kendbip to install and service these BlueFlame systems and to train the farmers to use them properly.

“BlueFlame is a powerful tool for all stakeholders including milk processors, other product buyers, banks and manufacturers to help our smallholders bring a New Green Revolution – “More with Less” and a real change in their lives within a short time while ensuring long-term sustainability and making Kenya rich – at no cost to the Government,” Mr Shah said.

“There are many other monetary and social benefits of BlueFlame to smallholders and to society including dramatic increases in food production and security, improved nutrition and health, reduced reliance on and costs of imported food chemical fertilisers and pesticides; lower greenhouse gas emissions, and increased long-term soil fertility among others,” Kalpesh Patel, CEO of AquaSanTec Group and Kentainers said.

Century DTM Limited

rich bioslurry being the best of them.

The group’s aim is to promote, using its innovation, the full-year use by the farmers of their farms and family labour, make daily their own bioslurry and use it with the system of crop intensification to produce plentiful and high quality fodder, milk and crops, become prosperous entrepreneurs and make our nation rich.

SCI is based on the principle of “More with Less” where you use organic fertiliser and you “Plant with Space” (planting far fewer seeds or seedlings in a given area than has been the norm).

The former World Bank President, Robert Zoellick Robert Zoellick says “SCI is an emerging technology that not only addresses food security but also the water scarcity challenge that climate change is making all the more dangerous.

In the technology, each plant is fed plenty of bioslurry and given plenty of space to grow and provide double or more yields while significantly reducing inputs and input costs.

Mr Shah adds that “smallholders have been constrained, until now, to make full use of their land, labour and favourable climate because they are unaware about the availability even near their doorstep of the solutions for water, bioslurry and biogas for cooking, as well as safe sanitation, or they do not have ready money or access to loans to buy them.”

To overcome these challenges, Mr Shah said he found it necessary to bring together stakeholders such as suppliers of such products, banks willing to lend easy to repay loans and ready buyers of milk and other produce to ensure repayment of loan instalments and the smallholders.

“Kentainers decided to take and has taken the lead to bring these stakeholders together,” he said.

“One outstanding example is the collaboration between New KCC, the oldest milk processor in Kenya, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), the oldest bank in Kenya and Kentainers, in an effort to make BlueFlame accessible to farmers. Under it, KCB has agreed to provide loans to enable the first 6,000 New KCC dairy farmers to buy their BlueFlame in the first year,” he added.

Among the stakeholders who were at the meeting included Mr Gichohi of Kenya Dairy Board, A KCB representative, Mr Dominic Menjo of New KCC, Mr George Nyamu of Kenya National Domestic Biogas Programme (Kendbip), Mr Charles Gitau CEO of Kenfap Services Limited, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, among others.

KCB has agreed to provide financing for the NewKCC farmers, while Kenaff and Kendbip are to promote the rapid adop-

• 30 years’ expected lifespan • Compact and Portable • Installed above ground in 2 hours • No pit required • Easy to operate and maintain • Acceptable security for bank loan

Clarisse Aduma, KCB “Financing of masonary units (concrete biogas systems) has been a big challenge for banks because they are immobile and cannot be taken as a security.

There has, therefore been very little lending for such systems.

BlueFlame, on the other hand, is a portable, factory manufactured, well-engineered, industrial product, with the manufacturer’s warranty. It is an adequate security ...”

blueflame@kentainers.co.ke complaints@kentainers.co.ke www.kentainers.co.ke

>> from page 40

Embakasi Road, off Airport North Road, Nairobi Mobile: 0722206378, 0707490699, 0722206372, Tel: 020 239 8082 / 3

What the partners say

KENTAINERS LTD

Organic fertiliser

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Crop management

Canola plants on Mr Kimondo’s farm. Right, Mr Kimondo holding processed canola oil.

PHOTOS|JOSEPH MUKUBWA

He ditched his posho mill for the Canola, a little known vegetable The plant that can be grown four times a year produces healthy edible oil and can bring you handsome returns

By Peter Murumba

pmurumba@smartfarmerkenya.com

A

sk any farmer in Kenya what the Canola is, and you will most probably get a blank stare yet this tiny, flowery plant has the potential of raking in thousands of shillings for any farmer that dares to know it.

Despite the fact that Kenya has a favorable climate and good soil for its growth, Canola farming is not widely practiced in our country and Africa at large, in fact, very little is known about this crop that produces healthy cooking oil.

In countries like Canada, USA, India and European Union which are the major producers and users of this oil, the plant is not a new thing.

Closer home in Kenya, David Kimondo,

44

informing and inspiring farmers

a 57-year-old former posho mill owner has been trying his hand on this plant at his four acre piece of land in Nyeri.

From one acre piece of land, he says, the least a farmer can earn from a harvest of one to two tonnes is Sh60,000 only after three months. This explains why he has taken to growing Canola and abandoned his posho- mill business.

The United States Canola Association defines the Canola as a three to five feet tall plant which blooms with small, yellow flowers that produce pods from whose seeds, when harvested and crushed make canola oil-famous as the least saturated fat of all culinary oils.

The name Canola is a creation of Canadian scientists who in the 1960s used traditional plant breeding to eliminate the undesirable components of rapeseed

Canola is one of the best quality sources of animal protein for livestock. Apart from cooking oil, it can also be used as skin ointment

to create Canola, a contraction of “Canadian” and “ola.”

“Canola farming is very viable and one can plant it four times in a year with no extra costs, apart from those incurred in purchasing the seeds and paying the manpower for planting and harvesting. There is no weeding, maybe at some instances you will be forced to spray when aphids attack but this does not happen often,” says Mr Kimondo, perhaps the first ardent Canola farmer in Kenya.

The startup capital for Canola farming cannot be more than Sh10,000, he says, since with a paltry Ksh1,200, a farmer can get enough seeds to sow one acre.

Mr Kimondo does not stop at growing and selling canola seeds; he also extracts edible oils from the seeds using a machine acquired from his savings.

At first, he was using a homemade machine, but it earned him enough money to enable him buy a new oil press machine from China at a cost of Ksh500, 000 shillings. He is now able to produce up to 400 litres of edible oils in a month which he sells at Ksh400 shillings per litre.

The market demand for Canola oil, he says, is insatiable.

Mr Kimondo says that he stumbled on the Canola four years ago, when, he met a European farmer who was growing the crop in Kenya but exporting the seeds.

Upon learning the wonders of the little yellow flowered plant on the general health of its consumers, he decided to experiment. He went on to record history as the pioneer Canola farmer in Kenya.

According to Mr Kimondo, a comparison between Kenya and other Canola consuming countries indicates that this tiny plant would raise the bar in preventing lifestyle diseases such as cancer, diabetes, ulcers and arthritis.

He bought the seeds from the European farmer, which he initially sowed on a quarter of an acre. He then started using improvised machines to extract oil from the seeds which he consumed with his family. After some time, curious neighbours and friends flocked to his farm to learn about the ‘strange’ yellow flowered plant. Mr Kimondo then sold them the

seeds which he bought back from them to continue making the oil.

In the last four years, he says, the Canola has oiled his life and that of his family.

He now owns and runs Kieni Canola and Food Industry, which specialises in extracting, packaging and selling canola oil.

“Since I started Canola farming, my life has really changed because it is my only source of income and with its proceeds, I was able to educate my children to universities and colleges which I did not have the privilege to advance to. One can be forgiven to doubt my story because of my level of education (he is a Form Four drop out), but I consider it a gift from God because such discoveries are associated with the learned,” says the father of six.

The Canola, he says, stands out as a promising cash crop for any aspiring farmer that has little capital and a piece of land. It not only provides for his family but for a number of other households too, whose relatives he has employed in his budding firm.

“At the factory, we have 10 people employed on permanent basis and several others indirectly who partake most of the manual duties. The company has outlets in different parts of the country, including Thika, Nairobi, Nakuru, kisii, Bungoma, Kitale, Meru, kirinyaga and Muranga, where in all these, there are people in charge of the outlets,” he says.

The goodies that come with the Canola is not limited to the oils in the seeds alone, he says. It is also a rich source of vital vitamins for livestock.

“Apart from the oil, which is low in saturated fats, cholesterol free, a good source of vitamin E and K and high in omega 3, 6 and 9, there is canola meal which is produced from the seeds after oil extraction (bi-product). It is one of the best quality sources of animal protein for livestock, poultry and fish. Apart from cooking oil, it can also be processed and used as skin ointment,” he says.

Available research indicates that including a canola meal in dairy cow rations can increase milk production by up to one liter per cow per day.

Bee farmers would also be interested to know that the Canola’s yellow flowers and the honey-makers have a symbiotic relationship-the bees pollinate the plants, and get rich pollen to make more honey in return.

Mr Kimondo’s love affair with the Canola is spreading fast in his village. Since he started his own cooking oil factory in Mueiga, Nyeri County, more farmers have ventured into Canola farming, albeit on small portions of land. As such they do not have the capacity to process its oil. Instead, they sell the seeds to his company, Kieni Canola and Food Industry.

Planting Canola seeds Canola can be grown on a wide range of soil types. It is best suited to clay-loam soils that do not crust.

It cannot tolerate standing water or water-logged soils. It should not be planted on salt affected soils.

Plant canola seeds ½ -¾ inches below the ground; do not plant them any deeper than one inch or else they will not germinate. Space the row six to nine inches apart, as spacing them any wider will make canola plant unable to compete well with weed.

Water canola seeds only as necessary to keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet. Canola is susceptible to over watering and too much water can kill the plants.

Fertilise canola with sulphur-rich fertilizer after planting. Direct contact of the seeds with fertilizer can damage them.

Weeding may not be required as it competes well with most weeds.

Should the weeds become more persistent, spray with herbicide.

Treat diseases and insect infestation as necessary. Common Canola diseases include black-leg disease and white mold. Birds also attack during pod-filling stage where they eat the green seeds as they form.

Periodic monitoring of insects, weed, diseases and fertility can often reduce crop losses if problems are corrected in timely manner.

Points to note One acre requires 3-kilos of Canola seeds.

Maturity period from planting to harvesting ranges between 75-100 days. Depending on climate and method of farming.

Even though canola leaves may be eaten as leaf vegetables, this interferes with seed formation, hence lower yields.

Depending on climate conditions, farming techniques and seed quality, on acre yields between one to two tonnes.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Crop Management

Garlic is among top most profitable crops on earth With this spice which is not only considered to be the second most used in the world after pepper, you can earn not only a myriad of health benefits but also impressive returns

By Anne Gachina

I

It has a sharp, pungent smell and its taste makes it one of many people’s most favourite spices. In fact, it is considered to be the second most-used spice in the world, after pepper.

Garlic is quite easy to grow in different types of soils, environments and climatic conditions. It is also believed to have a myriad of health benefits.

The crop has been used for ages for its antibacterial properties and as an aphrodisiac. Some people use it to prevent or treat pimples, boils and colds.

Raw garlic is said to repel mosquitoes. Garlic is packed with vitamins and nutrients. They include protein, potassium, Vitamins A, B, B2 and C, calcium and zinc.

But what should interest most farmers is that it is considered to be among the top 10 most profitable crops in the world.

According to Mr Moses Karimi, a farmer in Kirwara, Nyeri County, who has been growing garlic for two years now, one can earn up to KSh1million per acre within four months.

“The average yield per acre is 4,000kg and you can even harvest as much as 6,000kg. A kilo sells at between KSh150 and KSh250. You need KSh100, 000 as capital for an acre,” he says. “There is also great potential in growing garlic in Kenya.”

However, despite having good soils and a favourable climate, most of the garlic consumed in Kenya is imported from China and Tanzania because not enough of the crop is grown locally.

Kenyans have not been keen on growing garlic because they lack information and seeds are not available in the agroshops. Original garlic seeds are difficult to obtain because they are not commercially viable to produce.

In Kenya, garlic is grown in Mt Elgon, Meru (Timau) and Kieni West, Nyeri.

Most farmers grow the soft-necked gar-

46

informing and inspiring farmers

lic, but Moyale has another variety.

The lack of seeds and length of time it takes garlic to germinate encouraged Mr Karimi to propagating the seeds for farmers.

We met Mr Karimi at an event recently organised by Growth Africa at Strathmore University, Nairobi. He was among the people showcasing their business ventures in agriculture.

He has been recognised by the organisation for promoting garlic farming and for his innovation that reduces garlic dormancy by four months.

The average yield per acre is 4,000kgs and you can even harvest as much as 6000kgs. A kilo sells at Sh150 to 250. You need Sh100, 000 as capital

A garlic bulb. Germinated garlic in a farm. Bottom: Mr Karimi with his wife, Marion Wamuyu at the farm.

PHOTO|PETER MURUMBA

2012, and began as a business producing and selling germinated garlic cloves and fresh marketing bulbs, training farmers and offering consultancy services. The company was incorporated in 2014.

“We promote garlic farming in East and Central Africa to help fight poverty, create and promote health,” says Mr Karimi.

“We are the major garlic bulb dealers in Africa, and are working with 1,000 farmers in the region. In the next four years, we hope to improve the livelihoods of two million farmers,” he adds.

Saumu Centre produces high quality germinated garlic cloves on order and delivers them to a farmer’s nearest town using public transport and couriers. Ordering and payment are made through the phone.

“We also offer agronomist services and link our customers to lease landowners,” Mr Karimi says.

The centre buys fresh garlic from farmers, transports it for processing facility at Kiawara. Garlic bulbs are sterilised using organic disinfectant.

“We increase the germination rate of garlic, thereby shortening the time for sprouting from two months to one week. >>

“Reducing dormancy means the maturity period of garlic will be shorter, while germinated seeds become more available. Promoting garlic farming will improve farmers’ livelihoods and create employment for youth,” he says.

He has also been recognised for linking farmers with land leasers and creating markets for garlic farmers.

The 29-year-old farmer is passionate about the herb. He ventured into garlic farming in 2012, and is grateful that it has been fruitful. “I started by hawking garlic when I realised there was demand for ready- to-plant garlic.”

His Saumu Centre was established in

informing and inspiring farmers

47

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Seed potato varieties

Crop Management

How to grow garlic There are two types of Garlic: hard neck and soft neck. The difference is in storage capacity. The hard neck does not store well and an example of this is Tanzania’s purple garlic. However, Kenya’s local garlic production is soft neck.

Garlic takes four months to mature.

Shortening dormancy period is making germination occur at an earlier time than the natural germination period.

Climate Garlic prefers warm climates but in earlier stages cool temperatures are necessary for vegetative growth. Too much rain and humidity is bad for vegetative growth and bulb formation.

Good sunny weather encourages development rich flavour. Growing garlic in rainfall areas with irrigation in early stages is suitable. The temperatures should not be too cold as this will interfere with germination and growth of Garlic

Soil preparation Grow in well-drained, fertile and loamy soils. Waterlogged soils can cause rotting of the plant. Clay soils are not suitable. A soil Ph of about 6-7 is required.

To prepare the land, start by ploughing using a tractor or manual labour depending on the scale of land.

Follow with harrowing and then create basins. When using a basin, flood irrigation is the best method to use for the seed cloves, however, if beds are used then drip irrigation or use of sprinklers is the best tactic.

Furrows made should be 8 inches apart while the spacing from plant to plant should be four inches apart.

Deep land preparation is required to ensure adequate rooting depth.

Fertiliser Garlic requires a lot of manure and

Garlic seed cloves ready for planting. Mr Karimi on the farm.

PHOTOS|COURTESY

48

informing and inspiring farmers

3 split applications of N: P: K based fertilizer.

The best manure is either chicken or sheep droppings and fertiliser application should follow where 150kg per acre is required of N: P: K. Apply manure at least 10 tonnes per acre.

The fertilizer should be mixed with soil in a ratio of 23:23:0.

Planting Bulbs are cut off from the roots and system? and left to dry for two days before planting. One bulb of garlic is made up of many smaller pieces known as gloves. Individual cloves are used for growing the garlic and they must have matured and already germinated. The largest cloves often yield the biggest bulbs.

Sow the seed/cloves2.5cm deep in a hole or furrow with the flat or root end down and pointed end up, with each tip 2 inches beneath the soil. After sprouting, farmers should prevent blight and rust by use of chemicals or selective herbicide to deal with weeds.

Pests and diseases The most common pests and diseases in growing garlic include purple blotch, downy mildew, rust, bulb rot, nematodes and onion thrips. Control measures include long crop rotations (4 years), Field hygiene, good drainage, removal and destruction of infected and crop debris, spraying suitable insecticides and fungicides.

Harvest After four months the Garlic should be mature as lower leaves start to shoot and turn brown. Harvesting is done by digging out the bulbs carefully and the garlic is put indoors for a week to cure.

CROP manage

>> This also reduces the spread of plant infections and increases accessibility yield for ready-to-plant cloves.”

At the processing facility, everything is done simply, using locally available materials.

In one tent, garlic bulbs are placed on a thin meshed tray and dried.

Afterwards, the garlic is soaked in a cocktail of chemicals to treat the seed cloves against any infections by micro-organisms.

“Seed cloves are collected from different farms and you do not want to infect your soil during planting,” he says.

Sodium hypochloride is used to kill fungi and bacteria and then soaked again using a unique organic process.

“The major challenge is the high cost of labour and inputs such as insecticides. Competition from cheap garlic from China can also be a challenge,” the farmer says.

The 13 certified potato varieties Find a list of types registered with Kephis, their agricultural and plant characteristics and illustrations COMPLIELD By Lenah Bosibori

T

he potato (Irish) is a staple food and cash crop. Its importance continues to grow due to increasing urbanisation and uptake of processed potato products such as crisps and chips. The per capita consumption in Kenya is 25 kilogrammes annually.

This tuber occupies a prime position in terms of contribution to food security, poverty eradication and economic development. As a result, there is a growing attraction to the potato. But it has over the years been grown principally by smallholder.

Despite many innovations, including the introduction of pro-poor varieties and seed production technologies, on-farm yields are, on average, less than 10 tonnes per hectare. This compares poorly with the yields of between 40 and 60 tonnes/ hectare achievable under optimal farming conditions.

Farmers lack information on good quality potato seeds of consumer-preferred and high-yielding varieties. Many farmers plant own-saved tubers from previous harvests or seed sourced from markets or neighbours. Such tubers are often of poor quality owing to latent infections by Ralstonia solanacearum (the bacterial wilt causal agent), viruses and other tuberborne pathogens.

Certified and disease-free seed tubers account for less than five per cent of the whole potato seed market in Kenya. Inadequate seed regulations and policy on new seed and innovations are major bottlenecks in increasing the productivity of potatoes, says the CEO of the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), Mr Wachira Kaguongo.

Potatoes can be boiled, fried, mashed or processed to crisps or chips (French fries). They can also be eaten in stews or in mixed foods such as maize and beans.

The NPCK, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari-Tigoni), Ministry of Agriculture, International Potato Centre, Kenya plant Health Inspectorate Institute, Agricultural Development Corporation, Kenya National Potato Farmers’ Association, Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers, Midlands Limited, Kisima Farm, and Lead Farmers (Ms Ann Mbugua -Molo and Mr David Maingi - Meru) have developed a catalogue mainly focusing on the description of certified seed growers and, potato varieties commonly grown in Kenya, including their agricultural and morphological characteristics.

According to Mr Kaguongo, the catalogue should enable more farmers to gain direct access to disease-

Inadequate seed regulations and policy on new seed and innovations are major bottlenecks in increasing the productivity of potatoes

free quality seed, enhancing the competitiveness of the potato sub-sector, in line with the food security aspirations of the Millennium Development Goals, Vision 2030 and Agricultural Sector Development Strategy.

The following are the 13 varieties registered by KEPHIS, and commonly grown in Kenya. The list specifies agricultural and plant characteristics of each variety, accompanied by an illustration of the plant and the tuber.

List of seed potato varieties released by Kari 1) Tigoni 2) Asante 3) Dutch Robjin 4) Kenya Mavuno 5) Kenya Karibu 6) Kenya Sherekea 7) Purple Gold 8) Kenya Sifa 9) Kenya Mpya 10) Kenya Pink 11) Desiree 12) Kenya Baraka 13) Annet

>> turn page

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Seed potato varieties >>

DUTCH ROBJIN Plant Description: This variety grows as a medium plant with an upright stem and minimal foliage.

The leaves are dark green and in most cases no flowering occurs.

It has thin stems and green buds.

Flowers are pink with white tips.

Tubers: Round with a slightly rough skin, and medium eyes.

Tubers have a very good storage capacity.

Sprouts: Medium-sized red and conical shape.

Maturity: Matures late four to 4 ½ months.

Yield: 35-40 tons/Ha under good agronomic management.

Disease resistance: Relatively resistant to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Long.

Use: Crisp quality is good.

Areas to be grown- Medium altitude (1500 – 2300m.a.s.l)

KENYA SIFA

KENYA MAVUNO

Plant description: This is a very tall potato variety (slightly above a metre in height) with strong erect stems, dark green broad leaves and abundant light purple flowers with a regular flowering habit. The variety produces a vigorous crop with good ground cover.

Tubers: Flat/round in shape with medium eye depth. Pink skin and cream-coloured flesh.

Sprouts: Dark red under diffused light store.

Maturity: Medium (90 to 110 days).

Yield: Ranges between 20 and 30 t/ ha (72-110 bags if packed in 110kg bags an acre) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Highly tolerant to late blight and tolerant to most of the potato viruses.

Tuber dormancy: Long (120-135 days) under diffused light store.

Use: Good chipping and boiling quality.

Areas to be grown: Kenya Sifa is well-adapted to a wide range of environments, but for optimum productivity, an altitude of 1,800 to 2,800m.a.s.l is most suitable.

Plant description: Kenya Mavuno is a tall potato plant attaining a height of about a metre, with strong semi-erect stems, green medium-sized leaves, abundant white flowers and regular flowering habit. The variety produces a vigorous crop with a good ground cover.

Tubers: Oval with shallow eyes and creamy colour.

Sprouts: Light green.

Maturity: Medium late (>120 days).

Yield: Ranges from 20 to 30 t/ha (72-110 bags if packed in 110kg bags per acre) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Tolerant to late blight and most potato viruses.

Tuber dormancy: Medium, 80-100 days under diffuse light store.

Use: Chipping and crisping quality good, boiling and mashing quality is also good.

Areas to be grown: Kenya Mavuno is well-adapted to a wide range of environments, but for optimum productivity, an altitude of 1800-2800m.a.s.l is most suitable.

KENYA KARIBU Plant description: Kenya Karibu is a very tall potato variety (slightly above one metre in height) with strong erect stems, slightly dark green, narrow, sharp-pointed leaves and very abundant light purple flowers and regular flowering habit. The variety produces a vigorous crop with good ground cover.

Tubers: Round with medium eyes, deep red skin and yellow flesh.

Sprouts: Dark red.

Maturity: Medium late (>110 days).

Yield: Ranges between 35 and 40 t/ ha (90-130 bags, if packed in 110kg bags per acre) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Tolerant to late blight and tolerant to most potato viruses.

Tuber dormancy: Medium 80-100 days under diffuse light store.

Use: Chipping and crisping quality good, boiling and mashing quality is also good.

Areas to be grown: Kenya Karibu is well-adapted to a wide range of environments. An altitude of (1800-2800m.a.s.l) is most suitable.

KENYA MPYA

KENYA BARAKA

KENYA SHEREKEA

PURPLE GOLD

Plant Description: Kenya Mpya is a tall potato plant with a height of about a metre with strong semierect stems, light green, mediumsized leaves, and white flowers with a regular flowering habit. It is a vigorous crop with good ground cover.

Tubers: Oval shape with shallow eyes, cream-coloured skin with pink eyes and cream-coloured flesh.

Sprouts: Reddish green.

Maturity: Early (90 to 105 days).

This variety bulks ware-sized tubers as early as 90 days even when the foliage is still green, making it suitable in case of low rainfall.

Yield: Ranges between 35 and 45 t/ ha (130-165 bags) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Strong horizontal resistance to late blight, extreme resistance to PVX and moderately susceptible to leaf miner.

Tuber dormancy: Short (75 to 90 days).

Use: Good for chipping and crisping, boiling and mashing quality.

Areas to be grown: For optimum yield, the variety performs best in cool, moist, mid-highlands in altitudes ranging from 1,400 to 3,000 m.a.s.l.

Plant Description: This is a tall plant with stem type foliage structure. It has upright stems and no or very weak anthocyanin colouration.

It also has high frequency of flowers with medium to strong anthocyanin coloration inside the flower corolla.

Tubers: Oval, very large tubers with rather shallow eyes, yellow skin, pale yellow flesh.

Sprouts: Greenish in colour.

Maturity: Late (>120 days). Four to 4.5 months Yield: Very high.

Disease resistance: Good.

Tuber dormancy: Short Use - Chipping quality: Good; crisping quality: Good; boiling and mashing quality: Moderate.

Areas to be grown: High-altitude.

Plant description: Sherekea is a medium-sized plant (slightly below a metre in height) with strong semi-erect stems, dark green, small to medium-sized leaves, abundant light purple flowers and regular flowering habit.

Tubers: Round, with medium to deep eyes, red skin and cream coloured flesh.

Sprouts: Red-violet under diffuse light store.

Maturity: Medium late (105-120 days).

Yield: Ranges from 40 to 50 t/ha (145-200 bags if packed in 110kg bags per acre) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Multiple resistances to many of the major diseases in potato growing areas.

Has very strong horizontal resistance to late blight, PVY and PLRV and is moderately susceptible to leaf miner.

Tuber dormancy: Medium 80 to 100 days under diffuse light store.

Use: Chipping and crisping quality is good. Boiling and mashing quality is good.

Areas to be grown: Sherekea is well-adapted to wide a range of environments. But for optimum productivity, an altitude of 1,800-3,000m.a.s.l is most suitable.

Plant description: Purple gold is a potato variety (medium size plant, slightly below a meter in height) with semi-erect strong stems, small to medium-sized leaves, purple flower and regular flowering habit.

Tubers: Oval in shape with shallow eyes, dark purple skin and creamywhite flesh.

Sprouts: Purple under diffuse light store.

Maturity: Medium late (105 to 120 days).

Yield: Ranges between 25 and 35 t/ ha (90-130 bags if packed in 110kg bags an acre) under sufficient rainfall and recommended crop production practices.

Disease resistance: Moderately resistant to late blight and PVX, susceptible to PVY, moderately resistant to PLRV, tolerant to most soil-borne diseases and moderately susceptible to leaf miner.

Tuber dormancy: Long, 120-135 days under diffuse light store.

Use: Chipping quality: very good.

Crisping quality: very good. Boiling and mashing Quality: Very good.

Areas to be grown: The optimal production altitude for purple gold is wide (1800-3000m.a.s.l). It does best in the cool highlands of above 2500m.a.s.l.

ADOPTED FROM SEED POTATO CATALOGUE BY NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL

General tips on potato growing, according to Willem Dolleman from Agrico East Africa TIGONI

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ASANTE

DESIREE

Plant description: The variety has medium plant height, with an intermediate type foliage structure; stems upright to semi-upright with light-green leaves.

Tuber: Round with pink smooth skin, pale yellow flesh and shallow eyes.

Sprouts: Medium to large, with a strong terminal bud, usually pink in colour.

Maturity: Matures between three and four months.

Yield: 35-45 tons/ha under good agronomic practices.

Disease resistance: tolerant to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Short.

Use: Boiled, baked, mashed, and roasted.

Areas to be grown - High altitude (>2300m.a.s.l).

Plant Description: Desiree is a medium-sized potato plant with strong semi-erect stems and moderate foliage cover.

Tubers: Oval to round with shallow to medium depth of the eyes, red skin, cream coloured flesh.

Sprouts: Pink.

Maturity: Medium late (105-120 days). Some 4.5 – 5 months.

Yield: Medium (ranges between 30and 40 tons per hectare).

Disease resistance: Good, especially with resistance to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Medium (80 and 90 days) Use: Chipping quality: Moderate.

Crisping quality: Moderate. Boiling and mashing quality: Moderate.

Areas to be grown: Adapted to medium altitude areas.

informing and inspiring farmers

Plant description: The variety grows tall, has an upright stem and light-green leaves. The stems are usually thick and produce white flowers.

Tubers: Long oval white smooth skin, pale yellow flesh, shallow eyes.

Poor tuber storage and turns colour with exposure to light.

Sprouts: Medium size, conical shape, usually light green to brown in colour.

Maturity: Matures between three and four months.

Yield: 35-45 tons/ha under good agronomic practices.

Disease resistance: Tolerant to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Short.

Use: Fried chips, boiled, baked, and roasted.

Areas to be grown: Adaptable high altitude (>2300m.a.s.l).

SEEDS: KENYA PINK Plant Description: Kenya Pink is a tall potato plant with white flower.

The tuber has a smooth skin and a cream flesh.

Tubers: Short oval shape with medium eyes, red skin, creamcoloured flesh.

Sprouts: Pink.

Maturity: It takes a relatively medium period to mature (3-3.5 months).

Yield: It is high under good agronomic practices (30-45 tons per hectare).

Disease resistance: Medium resistance to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Medium (80 to 110 days) Use: Good for chipping and crisping, boiling and mashing.

Areas to be grown: Adaptable to low altitude areas (<1500m a.s.l)

ANNET Plant Description: This is a tall plant with a height of about a metre, with strong semi-erect stems, light green, medium-sized leaves, and white flowers with a regular flowering habit.

Tuber: Yellow-red blotched skin and yellow flesh.

Sprouts: Greenish brown.

Maturity: Three – 3.5 months Yield: High.

Disease resistance: Fair resistance to late blight.

Tuber dormancy: Medium.

Use - Chipping quality: Very good; crisping quality: Good; boiling and mashing quality: Moderate.

Areas to be grown: Low-altitude areas (<2000m.a.s.l)

When you use CERTIFIED seeds, your crop will significantly improve.

FIELD: Have good crop rotation to prevent bacterial wilt. Plant potatoes on the same field only once every four years. The field should be levelled to prevent rain/water damage.

Find out about the nutrients in the soil by testing samples.

PLANTING: Prepare the soil before planting. Ensure you have a minimum15cm of loose soil. Place the seed on top of the soil that has been loosened and build a ridge above it.

A row width of 75cm is suitable, ensuring there is a15–30cm spacing between tubers within the row.

RIDGING: Ridging potato rows helps control weeds and gives the new tubers space to grow without becoming green from light exposure. Big ridges are recommended.

Irrigation: Be careful with your water source. Open rivers host many diseases you may want to avoid.

Disease prevention: When you are using CERTIFIED SEED, the prevention of fungi is even more important, especially for late blight.

Bacterial wilt is common in Kenya. Controlling this can be done using crop rotation and clean fields and avoiding contaminated irrigation water.

Harvesting: Leave the potatoes in the soil for two weeks after removing the haulm. This allows time for the skin to set before harvesting.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Crop management

Going nuts about butternut It is a hardy crop that does not need a lot of space, is pest resistant, requires minimal fertiliser inputs and has great returns and yield

By Waikwa Maina

S

parkling yellowish dots litter farms on either side of the dusty Kambirwa-Murang’a road in Murang’a County, creating a simmering décor against the backdrop of the dark volcanic soils.

But this is not your ordinary décor. The

Mr James Muchwe at the farm with harvested butternuts ready for collection.

PHOTOS|WAIKWA MAINA

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informing and inspiring farmers

dots are a ripe crop of butternut, a fruit that is increasingly gaining popularity among small-scale farmers in the county.

The green vegetation supporting the fruit that is often used as a vegetable has withered and dried up, leaving the crop snuggling on the farms, awaiting collection by farmers, who then package and ferry it to the market The fruits are also grown in other parts of the vast county, including Kahuro, Kigumo, Maragua, Makuyu, and Kambiti, which produces the bulk of the crop.

Butternut squash is a distant relative of the pumpkin, albeit smaller and, reportedly more profitable. It is a vigorous growing plant that takes 85 to 90 days to mature and produces good uniform fruits, weighing from 650gm to 1kg.

Unlike other cucurbits such as courgettes, pumpkins and cucumbers, it ma-

90 Number of days it takes for the crop to grow to maturity.

tures quickly, has a long shelf life, and is a ‘good’ small size. It is also a hardy crop, which can tolerate moderately harsh weather. It is resistant to many pests and can be grown well on small plots and yields relatively good returns with minimal fertiliser inputs.

Its flesh has a sweet, nutty flavour and a slightly fibrous firm texture, rich in vitamin A, potassium and vitamin C. It can be roasted whole, toasted, cooked and

scooped out or boiled.

It is a popular component in both local and international cuisines. Mashed, it makes a tasty side dish to serve with chicken or beef.

The fruit’s skin is yellow, while its pulp is orange. When ripe, it turns deep orange, and becomes sweeter and richer. It grows on a vine.

“The demand was not so high about 10 years ago, but it is becoming a common dish on most families’ menus. The fruit has a ready market,” says Mr Joseph Muchwe, a supervisor on a butternut growing farm at Kambirwa.

Butternut squash (Curcubita moschata) belongs to the Curcubitaceae family.

It originated from Mexico and is now widely cultivated in many other countries (Mediterranean and Tropical).

“It has a high demand due to its nutritional value and easy propagation,” says Mr Muchwe, who first planted the crop in 1997, but failed to realise the profit margin he had expected at the time as markets were poor.

His employer started growing the fruit in February, and within 90 days, had raked in Sh320,000 from a two-acre piece of land.

Then, a kilo of butternut went for Sh40. According to Mr Muchwe, the lowest the vegetable can fetch when the market is extremely bad is Sh25 per kilo. “We managed to have very good quality and were contracted to supply to Uchumi supermarkets. We still have a contract with them,” says the farm supervisor.

Planting butternut squash According to agricultural officer Mary Chege, butternut requires fertile, welldrained soils, and at least six hours of sunlight every day. The soils must be well-tilled until loose and airy to a depth of eight inches, and enough manure applied as the crop is a heavy feeder.

After sowing, water regularly until the seedlings sprout. It takes four to seven days for butternut seeds to germinate, and two weeks before the seedlings are ready for transplanting.

The seedlings are planted in 2.5inch deep holes, with 90cm space between the rows and 45cm in-between.

Watering seeds sowed directly to the farms is an uphill task. Mr Muchwe prefers sowing in a nursery first, before carefully transplanting the seedlings to the farm to ensure delicate roots are not damaged.

The seedlings are planted in 1ft deep holes spaced 3ft from each other and 6ft between rows.

Two spadefuls of compost manure and one spoonful of DAP fertiliser are added into the hole before planting and carefully mixed with the soil. Two weeks later, the butternut starts blossoming,

The demand was not so high about 10 years ago, but it is becoming a common dish on most families’ menus. The fruit has a ready market

and it is time to feed it with two spoonfuls of CAN fertiliser.

Ms Chege advises farmers to seek advice from experts on the best chemicals to spray and the most suitable intervals to avoid killing insects that are essential for pollination.

“In case you notice signs of pests and diseases, contact an extension officer for advice. In most cases, we advise that spraying is done in the evenings to protect bees and other pollinating agents,” she adds.

When harvesting, cut the stalk about 2.5 cm up from the fruit, to avoid handling the harvested vegetable by the stem as it cannot bear the weight. Harvested when fully mature, free from injury (then it is prone to decay) and well-stored in dry place with adequate circulation, butternut has up to three months of shelf life.

The crop is generally resistant to diseases. However, it attracts pests such as cucumber beetles, vine borers and squash bugs. Vine borers attack the main stems and once inside, they eat their way up the vine unnoticed, irreversibly damaging the plant. Squash bugs suck juices from the buttercup.

Apart from pests, the biggest challenge facing butternut farmers is inadequate water. If only this essential commodity were readily available, farmers like Joseph Muchwe would easily produce more of the vegetable…and rake in more profits.

Butternut squash is also grown in Nyanza on 336 hectares, Rift Valley, on 123 hectares, and Eastern, 103 hectares.

informing and inspiring farmers

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December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Warehouse Receipts System

Follow up: Is the WRS a failure or success?

There have been questions over whether the system has been successful or not. From our findings during a tour of various areas we discovered it has

By Peter Murumba

pmurumba@smartfarmerkenya.com

M

aize is a staple food in Kenya and it is crucial that its availability be safeguarded, not only to ensure food security, but also so that farmers can fairly reap where they have sown by having the right market price for their produce.

According to the Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC), post-harvest losses in Kenya and Africa, at large, are generally high, arising from poor handling, transportation, storage, processing, packaging and marketing. In Kenya, some 21 per cent of the total annual maize production is lost through the use of inappropriate post-harvest handling techniques.

Besides post-harvest losses, many smallholder grain farmers are forced to sell their produce when the market is poor; at a time when the market has been flooded and the demand for the commodity is low.

This is necessitated by factors such as the high cost of living or in case of an emergency, where selling grains is the only solution. Some farmers are even forced to sell their green maize while still on the farm.

Why not wait and sell your produce at a good price and access low-interest loans using your grains as security?

To cushion Kenyan farmers from losses incurred through selling grains when the market is not ready, a Warehouse Receipts System (WRS) has been introduced.

Has it been useful since its inception?

As happens with any new idea, some will embrace it while others will not. But

54

informing and inspiring farmers

Bags of maize in a warehouse

What is a Warehouse Receipting System (WRS)

Ms Elizabeth Sang, a farmer in Uasin Gishu, feels that WRS has come as a real blessing to her.

BY PETER MURUMBA

PHOTOS|PETER MURUMBA

Smart Farmer Magazine found out during its recent visits to places where farmers have adopted the WRS that it is effective.

Though some may have tried and failed, the majority have greatly benefited from the use of WRS. For Ms Elizabeth Sang, a farmer with a 60-acre maize plantation in Kipchang’u Location, Uasin Gishu County, the WRS came as a real blessing. Farming has been her only source of livelihood since her husband died in 2010.

“I took over and propelled our commercial maize farming despite challenges.

The middlemen would come and tell me, ‘Mama, maize is all over so you either sell to us at the price we are offering or we get the cereals from somewhere else ...

Apart from post-harvest losses, which are inevitable because there is no maize drier in our area, middlemen were my main predicament,” says the mother of five adults.

Whenever the market was saturated, she would sell some to cater for her immediate needs and deliver the rest to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), in anticipation of a good market.

“The middlemen would come and tell me, ‘Mama, maize is all over so you either sell to us at the price we are offering or we get the cereals from somewhere else. Because of desperation, I would sometimes sell. I am lucky because I grow maize in huge quantities. But what of those who have only an acre?”

Having heard about the WRS from a women’s group, the women sought training from the EAGC. They got to learn and adopted the WRS. “After training, I realised that I needed to be patient to get a better price, and I could seek a bank loan with my maize as

Mr Gerald Masila, Executive Director EAGC collateral.”

In 2013, she delivered 424 bags of maize to Nafics Ltd, a warehouse in Eldoret when the price was Ksh2, 700 per bag. Four months later, she sold the bulk at Ksh3, 300.

Taking her harvest to the warehouse not only helped her secure a loan to buy farm inputs and pay school fees for her grandchildren, but it also boosted her income.

After depositing the maize at the warehouse, she applied a loan from Chase Bank using the warehouse receipt as collateral and it took only five days. “At a one per cent processing fee, I was given 65 per cent of what I had applied for and 35 per cent plus the surplus generated from selling the maize at Ksh3,300 was paid after the maize was sold,” says Mrs Sang, For the first three months, the warehouse charged Ksh50 for every bag and in the fourth month, Ksh10 per bag.”

Mrs Sang took a loan to prepare her 60-acre >>

A system that allows farmers to store their harvested grains in a certified warehouse, after which a receipt that is recognised by financiers is given.

What is a Warehouse Receipt (WR) A document issued to a farmer (depositor) by a certified and licensed warehouse owner, to certify that a certain amount of grain of a specified quality standard has been received from the legal owner of the consignment.

It is a document that can be used as a security by depositors to borrow money from the participating banks, as they wait for the prices of their produce to go up before selling.

Requirements for one to participate in WRS. A grain handling agreement between the farmer and warehouse operator is signed and any ammount of grain is delivered.

However, it is only when a farmer aggregates 10 tonnes (110 bags of

90kg each) that he qualifies for a warehouse receipt.

Maize should be of good quality/ grade.

Some small charge is levied by the warehouse operator for keeping the grains in the warehouse untill when they are sold. (not standard) To sign an a agreement with the warehouse operator, a group or company should produce a certificate of registration while an individual produces an ID. Benefits of WRS. Adresses problems of low prices faced by farmers during harvest when there is a surplus; gives them ability to sell when the price is better.

Allows farmers to benefit from bank services like advance loans on the grains which they can use to prepare land, pay school fees etc.

Banks finance farmers under agricultural lending, which is way below that of commercial finacing.

No other collateral is needed for getting a loan other than the warehouse receipt.

informing and inspiring farmers

55

December 2014 - February 2015

Warehouse Receipts System

WAREHOUSE RECEIPT SYSTEM (WRS) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

S

ome frequently asked questions on the EAGC Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) answered below.

Benefits of WRS to (depositors) Reduced post-harvest losses due to ability to access professional grain handling and storage at a minimum cost.

Opportunity to link to high value markets due to guaranteed quality and quantity hence get better prices.

Opportunity to access credit secured by the stored grain.

Ability to postpone sale or grain at harvest when prices are lowest.

Maize samples stored after grading in a warehouse. Bottom: Mama Millers Warehouse in Moi’s Bridge

Participants in WRS:

PHOTOS|PETER MURUMBA

>> maize farm for the next season and also pay school fees for some of her grandchildren. She used to cultivate 35 acres but she decided to extend this to 60 acres after realising the WRS would cushion her against losses.

“I have since planted maize on 60 acres and this harvest (2014), I expect not less than 1,000 bags.”

Before adopting the WRS, she had tried to get a bank loan with her title deed and it took a month.

Mr Isaac Chege, the managing director of Nafics Ltd, says the benefits of WRS to smallholders are immense.

The programme has come as a relief to smallholders. Riding on the credibility of the EAGC and support from Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other stakeholders, there are minimal chances of failure.

Mr Chege says that as long as a farmer gets the right education on how the WRC works, success is guaranteed.

According to Ms Davine Minayo, the market linkages officer at the EAGC, some farmers sign up without going through the required sensitising.

“If a farmer gets a good market, they can approach the warehouse to sell their produce.” says Davine.

The warehouse owners are in a better position to tell the market trend and can warn the depositor of any impeding market crisis and suggest when to sell.

During a visit to Mama Millers at Moi’s Bridge, Smart Farmer Magazine

56

informing and inspiring farmers

learnt that a warehouse also acts as a market. A depositor can sell the produce to the warehouse owner.

Mr Chege says: “We make sure that produce does not go to waste, and is stocked so they can enjoy a better market price. Farmers do not have to hurry and sell to middle men at the farm gate and instead participate in the large context of grain business. Last year, we had about 100 indirect and 20 direct beneficiaries through WRS.” To benefit fully, smallholders are advised to form community groups where each member contributes grains to attain the minimum 110 bags required to get a warehouse receipt.

Members of Mwihoko Self-Help Group in Kabatini, Nakuru County, have been transformed into commercial maize farmers through the WRS. The 25-member group was formed with the sole aim of making sure that each owns a water tank as solution to the water scarcity in the region.

Group chairperson Lydia Gachuma says that in 2010, officers from the EAGC

3,100

Amount Mwihoko group sold its maize after storing it when price was 1,800

Farmers (depositors) Warehouse operator (owner) EAGC (Certifies the warehouse and offers training to farmers/depositors).

Equity and Chase Bank, Unaitas Sacco and K-Rep Sacco)

and the Ministry of Agriculture visited and trained the members on agribusiness and the WRS. It took a while for them to raise the minimum 110 bags.

“Through determination, we managed to deposit 129 bags in 2013, when the farm gate price was Ksh1, 800 a bag.

Through the WRS, we sold our maize at Ksh3, 100 a bag. This year, we are almost harvesting and hope for the best.”

The initial requirement is that a group’s grains be of the required grade and the warehouse be certified by EAGC. Harvest your grains, get a loan to prepare early for the next planting, do any other business and wait for other people to find you the best market. In a nutshell, that is what the WRS offers any large or small-scale farmer.

Introduction: What is Warehouse Receipt Systems?

Warehouse Receipt System, abbreviated as WRS, is a system where a farmer/trader can deposit a commodity in a certified warehouse and then be issued with a document of title called a warehouse receipt. The receipt indicates the owner, type of commodity, quantity, grade and the warehouse where the grain has been deposited.

The receipt holder can then apply for short term credit from a participating bank or financial institution and use the receipt as security for a loan. The depositor then keeps monitoring the changes in market prices and then chooses when to sell the produce and places an offer to sell in the market by announcing the intent to sell.

Interested buyers contact the seller, settle on a price, and then payment is made through the bank that had given the credit. The bank deducts the loan and interest, as well as the warehouse charges, then transfers the title of the commodity to the buyer.

WRS, therefore, removes the pressure to sell the commodity soon after harvest when prices are low, and allows sales to continue from one harvest to another, thus stabilizing prices. It also reduces post-harvest losses as the storage and care of the commodity is transferred to professionals with appropriate facilities and expertise to ensure the quality and quantity are assured. WRS enables a structured and orderly system of trading the warehoused commodities by trading the warehouse receipts instead of the physical commodity and converts the warehoused commodity into collateral for lending thus increasing access to finance to farmers.

1. Warehouse Certification, Inspection & Stock Monitoring Q. Who certifies the warehouses and against what criteria?

A. EAGC operates a voluntary warehouse receipt system backed by the law of contract and with a set criteria for warehouse certification and rules and regulations for operation of the certified warehouse. An entity wishing to have their warehouse certified makes an application in writing to EAGC for certification. On receipt, EAGC issues the applicant with the criteria, protocols, rules and regulations for certification for them to prepare and comply with the requirements.

EAGC then appoints an independent, reputable inspection company to inspect the proposed warehouse. The inspection is based on and guided by the EAGC standard Warehouse/ Silo inspection Criteria that covers the physical structure, equipment (handling and laboratory), staff skills, financial status and insurance covers among others.

Q. Who issues the Certification for the WRS certified warehouse and how long does it last?

A. The warehouse certification, with validity period of 12 months is issued by EAGC. The certificate is renewable annually based on performance and conformity to the required WRS rules and regulations.

Q. How can I identify a WRS certified warehouse?

A. A list of EAGC certified warehouses is available in the EAGC website www.eagc.org. In addition, the certified warehouses are issued with a name board which is displayed on the entry outside the warehouse. Certified warehouses also post the EAGC warehouse certificate in a visible place where depositors can clearly see. This certificate, with EAGC logo as the certifying body, indicates the name of the warehouse, location, class/level, number, commodities the warehouse is authorized to handle; validity of the certificate and signatures of both parties. You can contact EAGC on 0733444035/0713607313 to inquire about the certified warehouse that is nearest to you.

Q. What measures has EAGC instituted to ensure effective operations, inspection and monitoring of certified warehouses and the safety of commodities deposited and receipted under the system?

A. It has put in place: A rigorous and strict process for inspection and certification of warehouses Clearly defined responsibilities of the key actors including the depositor, warehouse operators, appointed inspection agency, participation banks and EAGC as the regulator of the systems.

Regular reporting and verification of commodities in the warehouse and impromptu inspections.

Continuous consultation and sharing of information between the parties involved including the banks.

Training of all parties involved including depositors, warehouse operators, buyers and financial institutions, to ensure a clear understanding of the operations of the system and for each party to carry out the roles as expected.

2. Grain Storage under WRS Q. Which type of grains can be deposited and stored in a WRS certified warehouse?

A. Any type of grain as long as the warehouse is certified to handle that type of commodity and has the right equipment and expertise to handle it. The current warehouses under the system are handling maize, wheat, sorghum, beans and pulses.

Q. Can I deposit any amount of grain in a certified warehouse and be issued with a Warehouse Receipt?

A. Grains can be deposited into a certified warehouse as long as there is storage space. However, warehouse operators set out the minimum number of bags one can deposit into the warehouse to help minimise on the cost of warehouse operations. This minimum quantity varies from one warehouse to the other. The warehouse operator will issue a Goods Received Note (GRN) for all deliveries to a warehouse. To qualify for a warehouse receipt, a depositor must have in stock 10MT of wheat or maize and 5MT for beans or other legumes.

These minimum quantities are set based on the costs incurred in handling and managing commodities under WRS. Besides, buyers are attracted to bulk stocks and fewer transactions.

Q. What is the cost of storing commodities in a WRS certified warehouse and when are the storage charges payable? >>>

3. Warehouse Receipt Financing Q. If l store grains under WRS, is it a must I get a loan?

A. No, the bank loan is only applicable if and when the depositor is in need of it and only after being issued with a warehouse receipt against the commodity deposited in the certified warehouse.

Q. What is the process of obtaining a loan from the bank against a Warehouse receipt?

A. The receipt holder takes the original warehouse receipt to the lending bank and completes out the loan application. The bank then checks with EAGC and warehouse operator whether the receipt is genuine. The bank assesses the value of the receipt by establishing the prevailing market price and making reference to the existing market information systems such as the EAGC RATIN found in www.ratin.net . Once a value is established, the applicant is advanced a loan value of between 60-80% of the market value of the commodity, usually soon after harvest when prices are lowest.

Q.Are there any other documents that I need to present to the bank other than the Warehouse receipt?

A. The bank shall require certain personal documents as contained in the bank lending policy. These documents will vary from one bank to the other.

Q. Who finds the market for my grains?

A. It is your responsibility as the depositor to find market for your grains. However, EAGC can link a warehouse receipt holder to grain buyers but does not guarantee the buying price.

5. Risks in Warehouse Receipt System Q. How is the risk of fraudulent issuance of warehouse receipts minimised/mitigated?

A. To minimise the risk of warehouse receipts being issued that do not represent commodities delivered and/or situations where depositors are cheated on weight or quality in receipting their crop, the following measures are instituted: The Warehouse Receipts issued are serialised, containing standard terms and conditions, and with security features to reduce the risk of fraud; Scales and grading equipment are calibrated regularly and checked by inspectors; Systems for issuing receipts that allow a clear audit trail and safekeeping of receipts is established to avoid access by unauthorised parties; and A system for verification of Warehouse Receipts is instituted, especially by the financing banks.

EAGC is currently in the process of automating the WRS process as a way of further improving the system and mitigating on fraud risks.

Q. How can depositors and holders of warehouse receipts minimise price risk?

A. Without price risk management instruments in place, both depositors and lenders are exposed to this risk. For this reason the following is advised: Reference to EAGC’s market information system - www. ratin.net which keeps key players well informed about price movements and other significant market developments; Bankers can adopt margining or “hair cutting”, where credit provided represents a pre-determined proportion of the market value of the crop. Currently, the advance rate is between 60%

7

Nafics Ltd

1,200

8

Wamuini Soko Huru CBO Nafics Ltd

500

9

2,000

1,500 10 Kasikeu Multipurpose Store 11 Mulala 1,500

County

Commodity Contact Person Maize & Kevin Wheat Manyara Maize & Michael Beans Wanyeki

Tephone

Lanet, Nakuru Kinamba, Nyahururu

Nakuru

Ndaragwa, Nyandarua Nyahururu

Maize & Wheat

Beatrice Waititu

0722 702 026 bettywaititu@gmail.com

Leshau, Nyahururu Sipili mkt, Nyahururu Kapkoi, Moi’s Bridge Rupa Centre, Eldoret Kiminini, Kitale

Nyandarua

Maize & Wheat Maize & Beans Maize & Beans

James Nderitu John Mwati

0721 842 102

Bernard Mwangi

0728 095 305 mamamillers@yahoo.com

Uasin Gishu

Maize

Isaac Chege 0722 367 755 isaac.chege@nafics.com

Trans Nzoia

Maize and beans

Judith Muhambe

Nairobi, Industrial Area Makueni

Nairobi

Maize

Isaac Chege 0722 367 755 isaac.chege@nafics.com

Makueni

Pulses

Paul Mutuku 0736 530 866

Makueni

Makueni

Pulses

Chairman

Laikipia

Laikipia Uasin Gishu

0729 229 999 admin@lesiolo-grain.co.ke 0720 071 471 wanyekimichael59@gmail.com

0721 652 690

0720 962 469 sokocommunity@gmail.com

0737 530 866

CUMULATIVE VALUE OF WRS LOANS ISSUED

CUMULATIVE WRS VOLUMES (MT) 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000

120,000,000 100,000,000 80,000,000 60,000,000 40,000,000 20,000,000

2000 0

Email

LOAN S ISSUED

Q. Do I have to transport my grains to the buyer?

A. Under the warehouse receipt system, the depositor does not need to physically transfer the commodity to the buyer.

The buyer can collect the grains from the warehouse after the depositor completes all transactions including clearance of outstanding loans and warehouse storage charges. The depositor, through the Warehouse operator will complete the process by transferring the receipt ownership to the buyer after which the buyer will make arrangements over collection of the produce from the warehouse.

4. Sale of commodities under WRS Q. When do I sell my grains?

A. When the market prices are favourable to enable you as the depositor recover all the warehouse storage costs, bank loan plus accrued interest, any transportation and grain handling costs incurred before delivery of grain to the warehouse and the anticipated margin from the sale of your produce.

Location

KSH

Q. What measures are required to be instituted to minimise storage losses, through for example, deterioration of the quality of the commodity stored, theft or destruction by fire and allied perils?

A. To minimise storage losses, the warehouse operator is authorised to receipt grain commodities only if they comply with the following requirements: Meet East African Standards; Have warehouse personnel who have been trained and can provide professional services e.g. graders trained and certified by the relevant body e.g. National Bureau of Standards; Warehouse operator has capacity to enforce commodity standards – having required grading equipment and skilled personnel; and Has required insurance to cover possible risks-fire, theft, fire, grain deterioration among others.

Q.How long is the loan processing period?

A. Loan processing period varies from one bank to the other, but on an average of 4 working days.

List of certified warehouses No Warehouse Storage Capacity (MT) 1 Lesiolo Grain 28,000 Handlers Ltd 1,500 2 Ngarua Cereals and Produce SHG 500 3 Bellamy Trading Company 4 Ndivai Input/ 1,000 Output Store 5 Sipili Cereal 500 Bank 6 Mama Millers 5,000 Ltd

WRS VOLUMES (MT)

Q. Do I need additional security to secure the loan?

A. Under WRS, lending is purely pegged on the Warehouse Receipt issued for grains deposited in certified warehouses.

MT

A. The cost of storage varies from one warehouse to the other depending on the warehouse location, operational and management costs. For example at Mama Millers certified warehouse in Moi’s bridge, the cost is Ksh70 per 90kg bag for the first two months and Ksh10 per bag per month for the subsequent months. At Nafics Ltd located in Eldoret town, the cost is Ksh98 per bag for the first two months and Ksh20 per bag per month for the subsequent months. In most cases storage charges are payable during withdrawal or sale of the stored grains but the depositor can pay at the beginning of storage if she/he is sure of the storage period.

Q. What happens in case my grain is lost or damaged while in the warehouse?

A. The warehouse operator takes full responsibility of any kind of loss beyond acceptable industry standards or damage as stipulated in the Grain Commodity Care Rules and Storage Contract. The warehouse operator shall make all the necessary arrangements to have the depositor compensated for the loss within reasonable time lines as stipulated in the contract with EAGC.

2010

20112

0122

0132

014

YEAR

and 80% of the market value.

Banks are encouraged to institute systems to monitor the link between prevailing market value of grain stocks and book value of the advances provided; and Banks are advised to use a Price Trigger Model that would activate sale of commodity at the right price and avoid depositors defaulting.

Collaborative policy advocacy to mitigate the negative impacts of price controls, import/ export - related interventions and sale of government grain stocks (“strategic reserves”).

Q. How can depositors and warehouse receipt holders mitigate marketing risks?

A. Depositors are encouraged to undertake forward contracts with grain buyers. This minimises the risk that a collateralised commodity cannot be sold. Banks can be further protected against default risk by a system under which grain buyer route payments for collateralised stocks through the accounts of the financing bank.

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

YEAR

Q. How is the risk of releasing grains fraudulently or to unauthorized persons mitigated?

A. To avoid unauthorised release of collateralised stocks, the tripartite agreement between EAGC, banks and Warehouse operator has rules that stipulate that: All financed Warehouse Receipts shall be lodged with the lenders and cannot be released to the lender without full settlement of the loan advanced the Warehouse Receipt.

The warehouses shall deliver the collateralised crop only upon presentation of the original WR and release instructions from the lender.

For more information please contact us through the address below: Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) Lavington, Mbaazi Avenue, Off Kingara Road.

P.O. Box 218 00606, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: 254 20 3745840 Cell: +254 733 444035/ 710 607313 Email: grains@eagc.org Websites: www.eagc.org | www.ratin.net

December 2014 - February 2015

Agri-business Planning

Poultry

From five chicks flock has risen to 500 and supports her family

BY PETER KENDA

D

oubling as a beauty salon operator and a poultry keeper, Ms Rose Tanui has never regretted venturing into her childhood hobby of rearing chickens. With only a quarter of an acre of land in Kocholwo Village in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County, her farm is a buzz of activities as she tends to her 500 birds.

The mother of one had to juggle many jobs in the past to fend for her family before she settled down as a full-time poultry farmer, supplementing this with her beauty salon business.

“I have gone through hard times and know that the only way out is working hard and coming up with ideas that can change one’s life,” says Ms Tanui.

She turned to poultry farming when she realised that her salon business in a small village could not sustain her household. She started Kuku Farm with only five chicks that she bought from another farmer five years ago and reared them in her kitchen until she could build a proper structure.

Within no time, her chickens had grown and multiplied. She came up with an idea to make use of her fireplace to accommodate her cooking and her chickens, especially the chicks.

With the help of a friend, she developed a fireplace popularly known as ‘Chepkube’, which is an excellent brooder for day-old chicks and can accommodate them up to three months before they are transferred to the external structure.

‘Chepkube’ is built using bricks and clay soil that is readily available. The bricks are placed on the floor to raise the fireplace up to two-feet high and an iron sheet is placed on top of the bricks to separate the fireplace from the brooder.

The fireplace is then skillfully moulded to create a structure complete with an oven and a food warmer. It enables 100 per cent survival of the chicks because of the warmth.

“I have managed to kill two birds with one stone because ‘Chepkube’ has reduced expenses that I could have incurred in keeping

Most women lack finances to start projects, but with a few chickens one can start a poultry keeping project and earn some money to cater for everyday needs...

Ms Tanui ensuring that her chicks are comfortable

60

informing and inspiring farmers

December 2014 - February 2015

chicks warm for two weeks. Now, I cook and at the same time keep my chicks warm,” Ms Tanui explains.

She cites ‘Chepkube’ as her secret to success, as it allows independent rearing of chicks away from the hens.

As soon as chicks are hatched, she separates them from the hens, which are then returned to the external house and resume laying eggs within two weeks.

Today, Ms Tanui has 500 chickens that she keeps for sale and consumption.

Poultry farming is labour intensive and occupies all her morning, but her afternoons are spent at the salon at her farm gate.

From her poultry, she has been able to pay her child’s school fees and meet other expenses. She makes Ksh30,000 a month after deducting feed and labour costs. An egg sells at Ksh15, a hen for between Ksh450 and Ksh500 and a cock for between Ksh700 and Ksh750.

She could be earning more had it not been for the unpredictable market, as she sells her eggs to locals and sometimes to people visiting the Kerio Valley tourist attraction.

Her dream is to expand her venture and be able to sell eggs to schools, big hotels, and fresh food markets in the nearby towns.

She also hopes to rally poultry farmers to form an association and develop a formal marketing structure to enable them make more profits from their hard work.

Diseases, especially the New Castle Disease and coccidiosis, are a big challenge, she says, as she bitterly recalls how she once lost everything within three days. “Farmers must ensure that the chickens are vaccinated to survive an outbreak,” she added.

Theft, and predators also cause poultry farmers heavy losses, hence the need for tight security and solid shelters for the birds.

She urges women to venture into poultry farming, which though labour intensive is easy to manage and profitable.

“Most women lack finances to start projects, but with a few chickens one can start a poultry keeping project and earn some money to cater for everyday needs,” she noted.

What to consider before starting a kienyeji chicken enterprise

BY CLAUDIUS KURTNA

C

hicken farming, whether the indigenous or broiler breed, draws in as much interest and loathing in equal measure from those who have succeeded or failed in the enterprise.

We take a peep into traditional chicken farming in this issue. Gone are the days when we reared chicken in the open air and sold one or two and called it business. Today, if done well and respected as a business, it is a very lucrative enterprise that any farmer can undertake and make returns on his or her investment.

We have broken down the mathematics of the entire exercise below to aid you further.

Feeding This is and will remain an integral part of the business, as a slight error lands the farmer in trouble. For the first eight weeks, it is advisable that chick mash is administered in quantities of 12 grammes from week one to 49 in week eight, with the cost per killogramme remaining at Sh50 and reducing to Sh35 once growers mash and layers mash are given to the flock of birds.

Sales Every venture, however, big or small has its life pegged on its sales. That is where the rubber meets the road in the analysis – “numbers don’t lie – anonymous”. Cumulatively, the more the chicks in a batch, the lesser the cost per chicken and the higher the gross profit per chicken as alluded to earlier. It is also important to note that the income per chicken remains constant regardless of their number in any batch.

Turnover In a scenario where a farmer intends to fatten kienyeji chicken, say a batch of 500 birds, he or she will be looking at 112 days of bird husbandry. This is quite lucrative if done well, as the farmer can have three cycles each year, turning out one 1,587 chicks sold per cycle.

However, it is critical to take into consideration that in between every cycle,

EXPENSES FLOCK COMPOSITION Batch size Rearing period (Days) Interval between batches (days) No of batches per year Total Chicks bought Cost of Chicks Cost of Purchasing per year

Scenario 1 500 112 3 3.17 1,587 100 158700

ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS Key Assumptions Chicks bought & considered for costing Mortality % Cost of lighting & heating per bird Cost of feed chicken for 16 weeks Live weight per chick Dressed weight per Chicken to be sold Rearing months Veterinary aid/Cicken/ cycle (Kshs.)

Salary of labourer per year (Kshs.)

Cost of labour per chicken (4000 chicken/person) TOTAL EXPENSES Sale Plan Sales No. of Chicken sold Total live weight of Chicken sold Selling price/Kg Total sales per year Net profit

Scenario 2 1,000 112 3 3.17 3,174 100 317400

1,587 10% 15 251 3 1.95 3.7 50 109,500.00 69

3,174 10% 15 251 3 1.95 3.7 50 109,500.00 34.5

Scenario 3 2,000 112 3 3.17 6,348 100 634800

6,348 10% 15 251 3 1.95 3.7 50 109,500.00 17.25

Scenario 4 3,000 112 3 3.17 9,522 100 952200

Scenario 5 4,000 112 3 3.17 12,696 100 1269600

9,522 10% 15 251 3 1.95 3.7 50 109,500.00 11.5

19,626 10% 15 251 3 1.95 3.7 50 109,500.00 8.63

610995

1429887

2224971

3227955

6480688

Year 1 1,428 2,785 360 1,002,639 391,644

Year 2 2,857 5,570 360 2,005,278 575,391

Year 3 5,713 11,140 360 4,010,557 1,785,586

Year 4 8,570 16,711 360 6.015,835 2,787,880

Year 5 11,426 22,281 360 8,021,113 15,409,425

the farmer is strongly advised to have at least a three-day interval between bird stock clearance and bird re-stocking date. As this is a fattening venture, the figures (chick output) are static and remain the same even in the event that a farmer opts to have a 1,000 or 4,000 birds. A farmer will only benefit from the economies of scale by keeping more chicken by keeping his or her production costs down whereas, increasing the farm output.

Working capital The business requiring liquid capi-

tal to run the day-to-day operations of the farm will need approximately Sh 348,504/= for a batch of 500 birds.

That’s the estimate amount for about four months and some days. These costs will be specifically spread over, cost of bird acquisition at approximately Sh10 per bird. Feeding that first batch costing approximately Sh125,587 for 16 weeks and another Sh16,855 for the second batch for four weeks. Labour factored in for approximately 20 weeks at Sh43,125 and veterinary costs for four weeks at Sh31,250 (inclusive of drugs).

As any other enterprise, miscellaneous expenses at 10 per cent coming to around Sh31,682.

This is a very appealing enterprise, if every step is adhered to keenly as it should. However, many farmers fail to break even as a result of not running the enterprise keenly and observing basic rules of the game. In the next article, we will be exploring the profitability of the business in detail.

Claudius Kurtna is an agribusiness business consultant at Latia Resource Centre, a farmerand students agribusiness training centre

informing and inspiring farmers

61

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Aquaculture

Mr Joram Mathenge at some of his raised fishpond units.

PHOTO|WAIKWA MAINA

Raised fishpond farming yielding hefty returns Want to rear fish but have little capital to dig up a pond? Try a raised pond. It is cheaper to construct, fish mature faster, are not easily attacked by diseases are not labour-intensive

By WAIKWA MAINA

A

bout 20 metres from a row of blackish cubicles, one is attracted by 10s of sounds one could easily mistake for newly-born calves sucking.

But there is no cow or calf within the compound, and by the look of things, there have not been any for decades.

One can also spot the dark greenish water in the small cubicles raised about a metre above the ground.

They are raised fishponds, a new fish farming concept seeking to demystify and boost something locals do not have a keen interest in. Many farms in Tetu SubCounty of Nyeri County are dotted with such ponds.

Each cubicle measures four by two me-

62

informing and inspiring farmers

tres, and from this a farmer is guaranteed of an income of Sh300, 000 annually.

According to a pioneer farmer, the cubicle can hold up to 1,000 catfish.

However, the recommended number for beginners is 500 fingerlings per raised fishpond. All a farmer requires is a capital of Sh12, 000, for the construction and purchase of fingerlings.

Mr Jorum Mathenge has been at it since 2012, when he started with two cubicles. Today, he owns more than 30 in different parts of Tetu.

Mr Mathenge, a teacher at Giakanja Boys High School and a member of Kiangure Springs Environment Initiative (KSEI), says: “Land is decreasing due to the growing population, but farmers need not be discouraged. With small pieces of land,

they can even do it outside their houses”.

The venture is a KSEI initiative aimed at addressing food insecurity.

When constructing the raised fish pond, one is required to measure and mark a four by two metres piece of land, clear and flatten the ground, then plant posts. Fix the timbers all round so that the timbers can hold the liner.

“You need about 15 pieces of timber, 20 posts of about four feet long so that you can build a very strong pond. But with a good strong post, you only need four at the corners and four others in between, making a total of eight posts, while 10 strong timbers can do. Next, you need a six by seven liner so that a foot can be folded from outside after laying it into the pond whose depth is a metre deep,” Mr Mathenge says. At the centre of the pond, a pipe is installed to make it easy for a farmer to clean the pond or drain it to harvest the fish.

The drainage pipe is pierced into the liner and extends to the drainage outside the pond. This size liner costs Sh6, 500, while the cost of timber, posts, nails and

labour cannot exceed Sh2,500 and Sh5, 000 is for the fingerlings, each retailing at Sh10.

After constructing the raised pond, one is required to put water, either rain harvested or direct from the river. Tap water is discouraged, as it contains chemicals.

The water is then fertilised using dry manure packed in a 10kg animal feed bag, which is suspended into the pond after punching holes into it.

The dry manure will facilitate the growth of algae and in a week the water will have turned dark green, and the organism can be fed to the fish.

A farmer should then buy fingerlings normally sold in a polythene bag. “You first deep them into the pond in the polythene paper so they can adapt to the pond’s temperature, then untie the bag after 10 to 20 minutes, releasing the fingerlings to swim,” says the KSEI director.

Mr Mathenge says the fingerlings should not be fed for two days but be left to survive on larvae and other organisms.

“Water in the pond encourages multiplication of larvae. Let the fingerlings enjoy that delicacy for two days as they adjust to the new environment,” he advises.

This type of pond is best for mono sex catfish since they can’t multiply and make pond management cumbersome.

Catfish don’t like to swim a lot and mostly feeds from under the water.

After two days, Starter meal is introduced to the fingerlings and they survive on that for a month.

Farmers must ensure proper feeding to control cannibalism. At harvest, each fish will weigh an average of a kilo, each selling at Sh300.

A farmer can earn an average of Sh150, 000 in six months.

Starter Meal made from wheat jam mixed with cotton seed and canola. Mix two kilogrammes of the canola with a kilo of wheat germ and another for cotton seeds — a formula of 2:1:1.

At this stage, the fingerlings eat a glass of this meal equivalent to a quarter kilo, which is divided in two for the morning and evening. They require lots of protein to grow when young. After a month, omena is introduced, mixed with the feeds after grinding.

The ratio is increased as the fish grow bigger and consume more. But at harvest in six months, the fish will be consuming a kilo in the morning and one in the evening.

Extra care needed to avoid deaths and losses of fish in raised ponds

Mr Reuben Murunga cleaning the ponds

BY WAIKWA MAINA

Though highly profitable and convenient, the management of RaisedFish-Pond method is crucial, as a small error or omission can be devastating.

It could result in the death of fish, leading to huge losses that new fish farmers might never recover from.

“This method is only applicable for catfish or mudfish. It is not suitable for tilapia, as they require a lot of space, cleanliness and special attention,” says Mr Reuben Murunga, a member of Springs Environment Initiative (KSEI).

Mr Murunga, who is in charge of the KSEI fish farming project, has three years’ experience in fish farming. He received intensive training on fish farming and management at Mwea Aqua Farm in Kirinyaga County.

Ponds must be cleaned once a month or the water will be toxic due to fermenting of food leftovers and metabolic waste from fish.

“Catfish feed from the bottom of the pond and float in search of oxygen if the water is polluted. They can all die in a day if the pond is not cleaned and fresh water added,” says Mr Murunga.

Draining off polluted water is done using a special water pump to avoid sucking out the fingerlings or fish, and leaking oils.

Small-scale farmers can use a bucket, but ensure that the water is filtered before pouring out so as not to throw away fingerlings or fish.

After draining the toxic water, the fish should be placed into a separate pond, hence the need for a reserve pond.

Water in the new pond must have been treated (algae growth) for two weeks, and two buckets of water from

the old pond can be added into the new one to accelerate algae growth.

“Trap the fish into a bucket and slowly sink it up to water level in the new pond and allow the fish to swim out freely as they adapt to the new environment. Do not pour out the fish, as this can cause shock that can kill them,” adds Mr Murunga.

Where no reserve pond is available, a farmer can drain 3/4 of water from the pond and then top up.

“Unlike tilapia, catfish can survive out of water for more than seven hours.

Therefore, a farmer should not worry when draining the ponds.”

Another crucial thing is sorting, which is done during pond cleaning.

The bigger fish are placed in one pond and the small ones in a separate one.

Sorting is a must in the second month to remove the shoot-outs (bigger fish) to curb cannibalism. “After a month, the smaller fish will be the same size as those in the other pond or even bigger. It’s just like kids who steal others’ rations and grow bigger and healthier than their age mates. Sorting helps to identify dormant breeds, thus helping breeders to go for the best quality.

Unlike tilapia, catfish require less space as they arrange themselves in a colony.

Fish in raised ponds mature faster as they do not spend a lot of energy searching for food. “They are not attacked by diseases, have guaranteed market, and are not labour-intensive to rear. It’s fun spending the whole day in the compound watching then play and feed,” says Mr Murunga.

They consume less as they grow, and by maturing, a fish will have consumed just a kilo of feed worth Sh60.

informing and inspiring farmers

63

December 2014 - February 2015

December 2014 - February 2015

Getaway

The surrounding ambience is serene and very natural. The magnificent facility hosts an elegant restaurant, two facilitated and spacious conference halls

Images from Kibelion hotel.

PHOTOS|KEN BARTOO

At Kibelion Hotel, you come in as a guest and leave as a family

BY Ken Bartoo

A

ll of us need some time out, a little time down away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There is no doubt that the world we live in is far more hectic and busy than that of our ancestors.

We all need a break from the monotony of our regular lives, a holiday to rejuvenate our minds, body and soul, a serene environment to spend some

64

quality time with our family and friends.

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clients.

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Each room has a bed, a solar operated water heating sys-

informing and inspiring farmers

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informing and inspiring farmers

It’s educative, informative and entertaining: your ideal companion We strive to keep you in step with the times and abreast with technology in the world of agriculture Pick up a copy and leaf through the inspiring, well-written articles informing and inspiring farmers

informing and inspiring farmers December 2010 Issue 02 Ksh200/-

February 2011 Issue 03 Ksh200/-

informing and inspiring farmers

Matu Wamae:

Learn about new craze where farmers are reaping returns; its market and challenges

Small is big

Vertical farms

Bamboo

Hugo Wood:

Why fruit is upstaging maize and wheat in North Rift

Google it!

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Find out how a young farmer is using the internet to sell his produce

January/February 2012 Issue 08 Ksh200/-

Form Two dropout whose farm has become a magnet even to foreigners

Sugar leaf

A tonic for stars

Stevia the sweet crop that is causing a buzz in western Kenya

From the marathons and gold medals abroad, a sip of mursik crowns the welcome

health

In grass there’s gold Find out how some farmers are reaping millions from growing and selling hay

Captain of Industry

Bird farmer

Dairy focus

With only half an acre of land, urban farmer earns more than most CEOs

Discover the different and unique types he keeps and for what purpose

So much to learn from here crowned by the Esada conference

Find out how to grow these tasty, nutritious nuts and what they can do to the health of your bank account

June - July 2012 Issue 09 Ksh200/-

Dawda Hasmukh

Embryo Transfer

Mangoes

Protecting owls

Down in scenic Kerio Valley farmers are making good business

community’s belief’s and made them part of his life

What to feed your dairy cows for best production

Lure of the strawberry

In Naivasha, some farmers are growing crops without soil. Find out how and why

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It can weigh upwards of 7kg, is resistant to diseases and farmers are getting excited

Feeding your animals right

Finding market has been a problem, yet there are many opportunities. How farmers are tapping it

Ploughing soil is not the only way to grow your crops, you can do without it or minimum

Poultry Focus

Did you know you can get 10 calves from one cow in a year? Find out.

Smart Tour

Why feed prices are putting the industry in a foul mood

How Jane Komu has turned one-eighth of an acre into an income generating enterprise

Fish farming

Hurry, book for your chance to visit other successful farmers

November - December 2012 Issue 12

September - October 2012 Issue 11 Ksh200/-

Farm Diary

Warehouse receipts

Farmer who is breeding

How about making some extra money while your produce is safely stored

doing good business

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informing and inspiring farmers

informing and inspiring farmers

Doreb, the giant chicken

Rabbit farming

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How central is taking over

George Kili

Passion fruit coup

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Main Story

A new variety to colour your wallet and informing and inspiring farmers

informing and inspiring farmers

In the Kitchen

Purple tea

You can wear it, eat, drink and build with it while earning handsomely

Macadamia

tech-savvy, but they do not mind muddying their boots While most farmers harvest 15 to 25 bags of maize per acre, farmer does 50.

If you cannot expand land on the ground go it upwards, is the new thinking

Why farmers in central are killing them soon after they are born

‘facebook’ farmers They are young,

How a dairy farmer is raising 41 cows on quarter of an acre and milking 250 litres

Dairy farmer in his own class.

Discover secrets of his success

Male calves

Grains

August/September 2011 Issue 06 Ksh200/-

April 2011 Issue 04 Ksh200/-

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Rabbit farming

Coffee Flavour

TRANSFORMATION THAT GOES BEYOND THE FARM.

A week in the life of a farm manager

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January - February 2013 Issue 13

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Dairy goats All you wanted to know about these animals

A single visit to the showground that changed Athanas Tuiyot’s world

This 26-year-old man is stirring the dairy industry like never before and we tell you why

Smart Farmer Nominated for ‘Media of the year’ Africa Business Reporting Awards

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Could this be the solution to fodder woes?

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Kanja’s secret

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Amazing machines The new APS 480 Tucano harvester does not disappoint

Why this flower farmer has every reason to smile

Ex-journalist who grows onions for a living

SUPER FOOD

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informing and inspiring farmers

How young people are weaving themselves a fortune by rearing them

SPIRULINA

Bananas

This is just how valuable an investment growing tissue culture bananas is

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Silkworms

Mushrooms How to grow, manage and market this money-making plant

Trianum launch and partnership

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Growing these fruits has never been more lucrative, especially using TC technology. Discover their value and how to plant them

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Quails

Tomato millions

Learn more about these birds that are raising a lot of interest

Young school dropouts earning a fortune and inspiring others to farms

Mango grafting

Coffee success

Find out how farmers are earning double from low bark grafted mangoes

From only 170 trees he is expecting about Sh700,000.

informing and inspiring farmers August 15th - October 5th 2013 Issue 16

informing and inspiring farmers

How this magazine changed me, says former alcoholic He had lost all hope in life but is now a thriving farmer with big expectations

Organic farming

Youth in agriculture

How farm is cashing in on Nairobi’s healthy tastes

How young Kenyans are making quick money on the farm

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Ksh200/December 2013 - January 2014 Issue 17

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October - November 2014 Issue 21

August - September 2014 Issue 20

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Secrets of the Hass avocado

Quail rearing is lucrative business

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Even in semi-arid Yatta millions are being made

The digital farmer

Kenyans are rushing to buy the birds for eggs or breeding and they are making a killing from the business

How Daniel Kimani is using technology to do on a 10th of an acre what is done on more than one acre and reaping huge benefits

Discover how Bishop Masika is helping to turn this rocky place to green gold and how residents are laughing all the way to the bank.

Joywo

Rabbit markets

Arrowroots

How women farmers

Sweet pepper

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Find out how less than one quarter of an acre will fetch Sh2.4m for Nyeri farmer

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Mango variety turns rocky, abandoned place into a paradise

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Tree tomato variety with unbelievable returns Find out how you can make money from the lucrative Red Oratia fruit

Tomato ‘al-shabab’

No time to farm?

New mushroom

Coffee and rabbits

Money on trees

Turkey farming

Tuta absoluta has landed in Kenya and is ravaging tomato farms, turning dreams to waste

Have you be thinking of becoming a farmer but have no time or land?

Talk to Maingi...

A new variety for warmer areas has been developed by Kenyatta University

Rabbit urine therapy that can cut farm costs by more than 50 per cent

Money does grow on tree seedlings. Find out how an environmentalist is harvesting it

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