Smart farms

: 19 September 2019; Hits: 10186

New project offers groundnuts as alternative source of income for sugarcane for Western Kenya farmers

A farmer harvesting groundnuts at Matete in Kakamega County

A farmer harvesting groundnuts at Matete in Kakamega County. Photo: Hellen Owuor, World Vision

A new project by World Vision in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture is helping Western Kenya farmers adopt groundnuts farming as a source of an alternative income for sugarcane growing which has dominated the region for years now and which is currently facing market challenges.

“Sugarcane farming was once the main cash crop for residents in this area. But scarce markets for the product caused by the collapse of major sugar-processing industries have resulted in losses for many farmers,” said Joshua Muloi, the Livelihoods and Resilience Project Lead for World Vision in Kakamega County (Matete Area Programme).

The initiative targets the most vulnerable or needy households, as well as other farmers willing to learn about effective ways of growing, managing, harvesting and storing groundnuts to boost production.

RELATED ARTICLE: Farmers crack regional markets with groundnuts

Beatrice Marani, a farmer in Matete, states that after being trained by World Vision, she has fully embraced groundnut farming and will not look back.

“Sugarcane takes long to mature. You will plant and wait for over a year and a half before harvesting. With groundnuts, the crops are usually ready for the market in about two to three months. So you can grow and harvest about three times in the course of a year,” says Beatrice.

In addition, groundnut farming has also enhanced the nutrition status of children, women and families in Matete.

“Our children used to suffer from malnutrition as we mostly gave them carbohydrates or starchy food since we couldn’t afford meat and other types of protein. Now, we grow groundnuts which they can eat frequently,” said Beatrice.

Groundnuts are also good for women. They contain folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects in the unborn baby’s brain and spinal cord.

A Community Based Organisation, established by the Balibayo Women Group, runs a groundnuts processing industry that offers a ready market for groundnuts in Matete.

“We work hard to link farmers to existing local markets. The Balibayo group used to buy groundnuts from other areas. But, we approached the management and they accepted to buy from our farmers as we assured them of quality,” Joshua stated.

Instead of making individual sales, groundnut farmers in Matete were advised to form groups and aggregate their produce to help them be able to sell at competitive prices.

“When you are alone, it may be difficult to negotiate and get a good deal. But, when you come as a group, you have a much stronger voice,” says Joshua.

Aside from buying groundnuts from farmers in Matete, the Balibayo Women Group has also been empowered by World Vision and the Ministry of Agriculture on value addition. This enables them to produce a variety of products from groundnuts.

“After getting the knowledge, we bought a roaster and miller that we use for making peanut butter and oil. These products have given us a good profit. We really appreciate that training that we received,” says Beatrice, who is also part of the Balibayo Women Group.

Hellen Owuor, World Vision

Write comment (0 Comments)

: 18 September 2019; Hits: 11095

How to avoid soil hardening and crop drying in bag farming

BagfarmingGGaitanoAyiekoRealIPMThikaByLabanRobert

Gaitano Ayieko of Real IPM points to 100 population bag for balcony and rooftop farming. Mixing equal rations of soil and manure boosts water penetration. PHOTO BY LABAN ROBERT.

Rooftop and balcony bag farmers can avoid hardening or compacting of soil and drying of the crops by balancing the ratio of the soil and that of manure.

Hardening of soil particles leads to drying of the crops because water cannot penetrate to every end of the bag a few weeks after installation.

“Hardening is common especially in bags of 100 or more crops due to the higher number of soil particles than organic matter. There must be a balance in the mix ratio of the two. One wheelbarrow of the soil must be mixed with an equivalent amount of manure,” Isaac Guda, an environmental specialist and agronomist at Real IPM, Thika.

Manure allows for drainage by loosely binding the soil particles. Water can easily and evenly seep through from the top to the bottom.

Growing crops in bags is one of the vertical farming methods gaining popularity with urbanites, who place the portable containers on balconies, rooftops or outside their homes with the hope of generating income from vegetables besides meeting domestic needs.

For instance, a bag with a mix of 100 spinaches, kales, black night shade and spider flower requires about 16 wheelbarrows. Guda said manure and soil should be eight wheelbarrows each.

When planting, the farmer must make the holes and press the sides with a stick before inserting the seedlings straight.

In ensuring the crops establish quickly, the farmer needs to add at least three kilos of DAP to the 16 wheelbarrows capacity bag. The fertiliser is to offer the immediate nutrients required for stabilisation.

RELATED CONTENT: Mathare families fly with rooftop farming

RELATED CONTENT: Farmer championing rooftop gardening in Mombasa

Another three kilos of lime are required to counter the acidity of the contents that is likely to be caused by the manure.

If one were to harvest at least one leaf from 50 spinaches and 50 kales twice a week, they can make about Sh170 from one sack per week. That is if the leaves are bound into bunches of six, which will be sold at Sh5.

Other farmers deal with the problem of water shortage by placing a pipe at the centre of the bag while filling it. Instead of soil, maize-grain sized sand particles are filled in the pipe, which will be removed.

The Real Integrated Pests Management company, which is based in Thika sells the bags of various sizes besides offering training to farmers on organic farming.

Write comment (2 Comments)

Sunday, 15 August 2021 [quote=Catherine Muthoni]Wonderful information. How much is a bag[/quote] Hi Ca...

Sunday, 15 August 2021 Wonderful information. How much is a bag

: 16 September 2019; Hits: 8303

Kilifi farmer dries mango fruits to beat low markets price in peak season

mangoeskitui

In a bid to counter poor pricing during peak season and loses in rotting of mangoes, one Kilifi County farmer has resorted to drying and packaging the fruit into crisps hence extending the shelf-life of the fruits from about two weeks to more than three months.

According to Juma Mwaringa, a fresh mango fruit can earn a maximum of Sh30 in retail in towns like Nairobi and Mombasa but by drying he earns up to Sh150 a packet of 250g.

“When the mangoes are in plenty, the cost drops from about Sh30 to Sh10 for each mature fruit. But by drying, I am not worried about the fruits going bad. I no longer struggle to sell fresh mangoes along the Mombasa-Malindi Road as before because the dry ones fetch more,” he said.

Mwaringa uses hybrid wind and solar power machines to dry chopped crisps. The drier, which has turbines and solar panels can operate during the day while at night the energy is provided by wind. Solar panels mainly tap the energy at day time.

On average, one fresh mango can shrink to about 170g when dry. It takes about two days to dry 10 kilos of the mangoes.

Global United Nations agency, Food and Agriculture Organsiation (FAO), says 40 per cent of the total production annually goes to waste or lose. Kenya produces about 50,000 tons annually, of which about 45 per cent is lost in waste or rotting, according to the horticultural department.

This majorly happens when the local and international markets are saturated.

RELATED CONTENT: Drying mangoes saves farmers post-harvest loses

Mwaringa chops the flesh into discs of about five centimeters wide them in the solar-panel powered gadget to quicken the water loss process.

Packaging materials cost five shillings. Sealing of the polythene bags is done by folding and passing the edge near a flame of fire.

“I rely on roadside vending. Sometimes I visit Watamu Beach wherever I know there are many people there,” Mwaringa said.

Other farm produce can also be dried using the chamber.

Write comment (0 Comments)