Smart farms

: 17 September 2021; Hits: 18801

Meru potato farmers increase yields fourfold through conservation agriculture

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By George Munene

By employing conservation agriculture in growing potatoes, farmers across Meru County have been able to more than quadruple their output while lowering the cost of inputs and reducing weeding frequency.

According to The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a farming system that keeps soil disturbance to a minimum which contributes to conserving soil water, nutrient use efficiency, and enhancing its biodiversity. All this serves to improve and sustain crop production.

"No one can convince me to go back to conventional methods of growing potatoes again," Ayubu Miriti exclaimed. The career farmer who was hosting a delegation of farmers, extension officials, and agricultural service providers from Narok, Meru, Nakuru, Nyandarua, and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties at his farm in Kisima Ward, Meru is a recent convert to conservation agriculture and evangelises CA's benefits with good reason.

Having been introduced to conservation potato farming by PAFID (Participatory Approaches for Integrated Development), an NGO implementing the World Food Program-funded Farm to Market Alliance project, Miriti divided up his ¾ acre farmland into three plots. From the first section that was conventionally dug with a hand how he harvested just eight 50 kilo bags of potatoes. The next ¼ acre plot was farmed through an ox-drawn plough; this yielded an improved 22 bags. On the section he trialed CA potato farming he got 36 bags; the equivalent of 144 bags an acre.

"I halved my labour costs through conservation agriculture; as an example, I did not have to carry out any weeding for CA potatoes, while this was done twice for my other plots. Through PAFID, I have also learned about precision input application which has further lowered my cost," Miriti explained.

Ripping breaks soil hardpan (layer of compacted soil formed when tillage implements press the soil directly below it) which hinders water percolation and root penetration in the soil.

Ripper modified with 'ears' used for CA potato cultivation

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Rip lines

While Ayubu had to water his crop up to three times a week, with CA grown potatoes he watered them just once a week.

"In the plots of land where ripping was not done, water is often stagnant and is absorbed piecemeal by plants while fertiliser is lost through surface runoff," he said.

Miriti's only regret he asserts is he did not have his entire potato crop under conservation agriculture.

"While conservation agriculture has seen an uptick with Kenyan farmers, most potato growers are still ignorant of its tremendous benefits," said Josphat Musenze PAFID's Meru and Tharaka Nithi Field Supervisor.

For farmers looking to harness the dividend of growing potatoes under conservation agriculture, PAFID works to get them in contact with Mechanical Service Providers (MSPs), i.e, tractor owners. These tractors are affixed with a ripper that is modified with 'ears' that part the ripped soil on either side.

Jason Marangu, a farmer at Kibirichia Ward, and an early adopter of CA potato farming is a perfect case study of the project's transformative impact.

When he started working with PAFID, he says his harvest per acre was a paltry 30 potato bags. As he has been taught and walked through conservation agriculture and the right agronomic practices such as timely planting and harvesting, use of certified seeds, and proper pesticide application he is the first farmer within his region which has a storied potato history to harvest 400 potato bags from one acre, the equivalent of up to 20 tonnes.

Jason now serves as an MSP, as well as training farmers looking to have a practical demonstration on conservation potato farming.

"We have demonstrated that conservation agriculture addresses farmers' major pain points: it raises yields, reduces costs while conserving the environment. As the consequences of both global warming and environmental degradation become more evident, conservation agriculture has become a non-negotiable and we need to work on a more sustainable medium where farmer output isn't impeded and ecosystems are progressively restored, " Josphat Musenze said.

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: 17 September 2021; Hits: 8541

Machakos breeder improves genetics of local dorper sheep with SA imports

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By George Munene

Bernard Wagitu, the founder of Amagoh Dorpers, hopes to elevate dorper farming across East Africa by providing the best dorper genetics that will serve to enhance both the growth levels and carcass quality of sheep for farmers in the region at an affordable price.

“Since getting sheep with better genetics from South Africa in 2016 we have been complemented by the marked improvements in the texture and taste of our mutton from our customers. We have also used the imported flock to improve the local dorper variety,” Wagitu says. This is expressed in faster growth rates of their progeny and their ability to gather weight much quicker than the local sheep.

The dorper is the most in-demand sheep amongst Kenyan farmers thanks to its being adaptable to tough climatic conditions, disease resistance, its fast maturity and ability to gather weight quickly which all mean speedy and easier returns for farmers— a mature ram can weigh between 80kg and 114 kg with the ewes weighing 57kg to 80 kg.

What sets Amagoh apart is Wagitu’s constant improvement of his stud. This he has done by importing South African dorper sheep. SA being the original home of the breed the country has been able to rear a more superior version of dorper to the one that is locally available. This has elevated the quality of his flock setting him apart from the rest of the competition.

Having started with just five sheep in 2010 the farm now houses 450 ewes. Amagoh Dorpers Stud is based in Machakos County and is registered under the Dorper Sheep Breeders Society of Kenya Breeding Sires as well as shaving their Breeding ewes and rams registered with the Kenya Stud Book.

For beginner farmers, Bernard recommends that they start out with one ram and 10 ewes, this he says will give them a manageable learning curve. For such farmers he advices a starter stock of local and SA dorper crosses. Such rams cost Sh25000 while ewes cost Sh15000. Farmers with rearing experience can purchase progenies of pure South African dopers which cost Sh70,000 for a ram that is below a year old and 100,000 for one that is older than a year.

Dorper sheep have a good mothering ability and exhibit a long breeding season. They have good adaptability and are non-selective grazers- making maximum use of available pastures. "When breeding ewes are well managed through proper feeding, disease and parasite control, they will bear twinning from the third lambing. They should be properly flushed- fed well be-fore mating to increase the chances of twinning," observes Cleopas Wahome, a livestock production officer with Naivasha Sheep and Goat Station, a government farm.

Amagoh Dorpers: +(254)732 849 400

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: 17 September 2021; Hits: 8513

Kasarani firm offers mushroom farmers training and buy back program

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By George Munene

Affluent Farmers, a Kasarani-based agriculture start-up is training farmers and buying back their mushrooms as well as giving them access to mushroom markets.

Mushroom farming has risen in popularity because of its low starting up costs and requiring very little space to setup, the fungi is also a high-value crop with a kilo fetching up to Sh800.

“The company’s birth a year ago was driven by the constant question we would get after sharing information on our journey in mushroom farming; mushrooms are lucrative but delicate crops and farmers often lack the right information on their growing and market linkages,” explains Ephantus Kibe, Affluent’s co-founder.

“We offer farmers standardised two days training at a cost of Sh3000. This entails giving them all the theoretical material they need and taking them through its growing process on our urban farm at Mwiki, Kasarani,” says Kibe. “We also follow up with our trained farmers by buying back their mushrooms as well as sourcing for and giving them access to markets and middlemen given our long-established contacts in the mushroom trade,” he adds.

Mushrooms are sold in punnets; 250-gram containers that fetch between Sh100 and Sh200 each depending on variety and seasonality which drives demand. A two-kilogram polythene bag can produce 600 grams of mushroom.

The main varieties grown in Kenya are the oyster and button mushroom. Button mushrooms which are white or brown and are named for their button-shaped fruiting body have a higher demand amongst consumers for their familiarity with them and are perceived to have a better taste.

“Like with most agricultural sectors, we have also been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; most spawn/ seed used to grow mushrooms is sourced from imports from South Africa which have been disrupted by the cessation of cross-border travel. This led to a spike in prices that has been counterweighed by the closure of hotels which make up our main markets,” Kibe says.

For mushrooms, all a farmer needs is a grow house, spawn/seeds, substrate(mushroom feed)—this can be sawdust, straw, bean husks, or any other agricultural waste that can form a bed mushroom can feed on. One tone of sawdust can be used to feed 500 bags 2kg growing bags. The temperature inside the house needs to be kept between 18-25 °C and at humidity levels of 75 to 90%. This makes stone or mud houses ideal for growing mushrooms as unlike iron sheet houses both the humidity and temperature within them are easily regulated.

Other factors to consider are maintenance of high hygiene levels and having access to water that is used to lower temperatures in the grow house.

Oyster mushrooms grow in one and a half months while buttons take two to two and a half months to harvest.

Affluent Farmers: 0756832065

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