Smart farms

: 04 November 2019; Hits: 6300

Wrapping banana bunch with leaves cut post-harvest losses by 30 per cent

BANANA HANDLING

Proper banana post-harvest packaging with its leaves can save farmers three out of 10 fruits destroyed before reaching the consumer.

Vincent Oyaro, the chairman of Rigesa Youth Group, said that during transportation, farmers may lose more than 30 per cent weight to environmental agents and breakages, more so when ferrying to far markets.

He attributes weight loss to environmental agents like strong sunlight as well as wind while cracking and bruising results from pressure when piled together.

“A banana from Kisii being taken to Mombasa, which is more than 700 km away, cannot fetch its expected cash if it is transported while exposed. Piling them together and handling during loading and unloading can cause damage of three out of 10 fingers, yet this can be avoided,” Oyaro said

The Nyamira County group, which supplies ripe, ripening, and plantain bananas to major town in Kenya such as Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Migori, among others sets down green leaves from the fruit stem.

They ensure all fingers are covered before tying the entire banana with sisal or barks of trees.

No losses

The all-round leaves will cushion the fingers against bruises and breakages during movement. The shrinking and bruising lead to further losses due to depreciated quality of fingers, the chairman said.

“A banana that is wrapped in the leaves remains fresh for the two or three days it takes from Kisii to Diani, (Kwale County). It will only be exposed to brief weather agents for a few days while being sold,” he said.

An 80kg banana that could fetch between Sh800 and Sh1,200 can depreciate Sh600 and Sh900, depending on the town of sale if not protected.

Bananas are harvested from rural areas such as central and Nyanza regions before being transported to urban centres for ripening or plantain cooking.

Oyaro can be reached on +254710174733

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: 04 November 2019; Hits: 6764

Government to launch avocado farming in Nyamira for production and income diversification

nyamira avocado exhibition

The national government through Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) in collaboration with the county government of Nyamira with other stakeholders is set to launch avocado farming in the county which for long has been dominated by banana, tea and coffee among other cash crops to help the producers diversify their food and nutrition security as well as source for income.

This follows the more than 500 farmers that KEPHIS trained last year August on terms and standards to adhere to so as to access the local and international markets with the produce.

“Even after the last year training, we have realised that there is slow uptake of the venture among farmers in the region. Currently, there is limited avocado and other fruit nurseries in Nyamira something which is derailing avocado production despite the emerging markets,” said Pamela Kibwage, Phytosanitary officer at KEPHIS.

The event which will be held at Nyamira’s Nyamaiya Stadium on 7^th this month beginning 9:00 am will be graced by Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri, CS Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries as the Chief Guest and H.E John Nyangarama Governor, Nyamira County as the Guest of Honour and over 500 farmers among other stakeholders.

According to Milton Patrice Ongeri, the chairperson of Kilimo Bora Public and Private Partnership group (KBPPP) which has over 225 farmers in the county, over 27agricultural organisations and companies have confirmed their participation.

“We are looking forward to having more partners coming on board to train and educate farmers on the latest technologies in avocado production. This will enable the growers begin looking at the fruit as a potential and alternative source of income and food,” said Ongeri.

The event is themed “Crop Diversification for Food and Nutrition Security, Improved Incomes and Sustainable Standards of Living”.

KEPHIS has been urging to use certified seeds so as to boost production as the agency’s statistics indicate that the informal sector in Kenya accounts for about 60-70 per cent of most seeds planted by farmers across the country. These seeds are usually uncertified therefore denying farmers the chance to maximize yields in their farms.

“We hope this time round we will find more farmers to even venture in different fruits nursery seedling production especially raising avocado seedlings to kick off production. In this, we are aiming to take them through on how to become a certified nursery producer,” said Kibwage.

Currently, a single avocado seedling sells at Sh150-200 in Kenya.

Avocado farming has increasingly been adopted in recent years by Kenyan farmers, especially smallholder farmers who account to over 70 per cent of the total production.

It has been estimated that Kenya produces 119,000 metric tonnes of avocado annually, three-quarters of which end up in expanding export markets.

Moreover, avocados have grown to represent 17 per cent of Kenya’s total horticultural exports.

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: 30 October 2019; Hits: 10498

Government set to promote prawn farming, boost farmers income

prawn fish

Despite its introduction in Kenya in 1980s with most farms being located on flat land adjacent to sea water sources, such as tidal rivers or creeks, there is slow uptake of prawn farming in other areas prompting the government to promote it among farmers for food security and income.

In this, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has staged its scientists to conduct research in prawn farming with plans underway to develop a marine hatchery at the National Mariculture Research and Training Centre in Shimoni, Kwale County that will provide farmers with prawn juveniles.

“Completion of the hatchery will be a major boost to mariculture research and see KMFRI being quoted on mariculture and aquaculture, among other research activities captured in the institute’s mandate further helping all the stakeholders access the vital information about the venture,” said Hon. John Mumba, KMFRI’s Board Chairman.

During his tenure as the first Provincial Director of Fisheries in the Coast region, Mumba initiated the development of the first Marine Prawn Farming Project in Africa at Ngomeni near Malindi through World Bank funding.

One of the farmer groups set to benefit from the KMFRI initiative is Mtepeni Community group which has been receiving support from Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) since it begun rearing pawns in sometime in 2015.

The group which started with 15 members residing within a 5km radius Mtepeni mangrove forest constructed a pond with a holding capacity of 40,000 prawn juveniles.

The group, however, only managed to stock the pond with 35,000 wild prawn juveniles that were fetch from the mangrove breeding grounds in the Indian Ocean.

After some challenges which saw them only harvest 321 mature prawns and the rest left to grow up, FAO again gave them another support in 2017 to keep them on course. They would then harvest after four months maturity period.

“Our markets include traders, households and hotels, which are informed before the harvest day to buy the prawns on site if they can,” said Fulgence Wanje Kalenga, the group coordinator.

A kilo of prawns goes for between Sh300 and Sh1,200 depending on the species which include white prawns, tiger prawns, and cocktail prawns among others.

Consumers like prawns among other seafood as they contain high-quality protein and are low in calories with several vitamins and minerals.

Kalenga express his confidence in KMFRI’s effort to promote the rearing of prawns as it will enable the group to get more technical and informational support from the institute.

“This will be as a double support for us besides all that we have had from FAO which has stood with us since we started four years ago. We are hopeful that the project will not only help us improve production but also income among the members and other farmers in the region and beyond.”

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