Machinery

: 31 July 2017; Hits: 8975

Grain processing plant to benefit East Africa farmers

A food processing plant at work. Farmers need to access primary processing facilities that improve the quality and value of their produce. Photo: l7group

Shalem Investments Ltd., a grantee of the FoodTrade East & Southern Africa programme, launched a grain and pulses processing plant in Meru at an event held at the Kenya Industrial Estate (K.I.E). The plant is part of a wider project funded by the FoodTrade East & Southern Africa (ESA) programme.Under the programme, Shalem Investment Limited works with over 20,000 smallholder farmers to build their capacity as partners in agri-business.

The investment will enable smallholder farmers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to access primary processing facilities and improve the quality and value of their produce. In a mutually beneficial relationship, farmers in the county will also have access to processed food at an affordable price for domestic consumption, helping to strengthen food security at the household level.

The processing plant is part of a wider project funded by the UK Government through the FoodTrade ESA programme. The project is aimed at building the capacity of smallholder farmers to produce the quality and quantities of grains and pulses that will allow them to participate in regional trade. The state of the art equipment includes a mobile dryer, a grain & legume cleaner, an aflatoxin testing facility, as well as a milling plant. Grains that will be processed include maize, beans, sorghum, millet, soybeans and green grams.

“With support from the FoodTrade ESA programme, we work with smallholder farmers to increase their ability to produce what the market needs. We train them in climate smart agriculture, work with producer groups to build awareness of grades and standards, help them aggregate their produce and give them access to machinery and equipment,” said Ruth Kinoti, CEO of Shalem Investments Ltd. “The project covers Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Nyamira, Homabay, Laikipia, Nakuru and Kitui in Kenya, and we source produce from smallholder farmers in Uganda and Tanzania through our agents. By setting up the processing plant, we will enable smallholder farmers to move further up the value chain from market takers to market makers.”

FoodTrade ESA provides grants to projects that bridge gaps in staple food value chains, to benefit smallholder farmers and consumers. Through these projects, FoodTrade ESA is able to promote and enhance regional trade, and bring smallholder farmers closer to the centre of the production, processing and marketing functions of staple food value chains.

“The East African grain market is highly unstructured, with unpredictable pricing, interference by middle men and limited cross-border trading, putting local farmers at a huge disadvantage. In addition to this, the sector faces very many external challenges including the recent drought,” explained Steve Orr, FoodTrade ESA Team Leader. “The project being implemented by Shalem Investments Ltd. is enhancing the collective marketing of grains from smallholder farmers. As we work to build farmers’ resilience to external shocks such as the effects of climate change, it is important for us to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to grow the local processing capacity.”

All farmers contracted by Shalem Investment Ltd under the FoodTrade ESA project will benefit from access to the processing plant. Initial buyers will include project beneficiaries and the public in the area, with the company aiming to grow its market even wider. Smallholder farmers in the area will also have access to the equipment and facilities at the plant.

Shalem Investment Ltd has focused on incentivising farmers and aggregators to take responsibility for the quality of produce available for consumption and sale. This has increased their bargaining power for better prices. By working closely with farmers, the company is attracting higher rewards from buyers for the improved quality of its produce, translating to better prices for farmers and aggregators.

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: 29 June 2017; Hits: 6979

Turbo ups tractor efficiency by 30 per cent

Tractor Turbo TT4 Tractor from CMC Motors.jpg

Kisumu Agricultural Society of Kenya Chairperson Caleb Oluga tries the TT4 Tractor as CMC Motors CEO Mark Johnson joins in. The tractor has turbo feature that increases power by over 30 per cent. Photo by courtesy.

Transport and machinery solutions company, CMC Motors Group, has introduced a new tractor with improved performance of more than 30 per cent.

The New Holland tractor has a turbo charger feature that gives engines more power by allowing in more air into the combustion chamber. More air into this chamber increases the combustion of fuel for powering the machine.

Turbo is more common with small cars, where it can increase the power of the engine by up to 35 per cent.

The New Holland TT4 tractor has the power to pull and plough more easily than the other machine in the market because of this feature.

The new tractor has straight rear axle built to withstand 5-ton compression weight, an NEF turbo engine, constant mesh gearbox with an option of synchromesh and rotary pump with bosh upgraded injector pump.

Speaking during the launch in Kisumu, CMC Motors Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Johnson said the rising professionalism in farming by the youthful generation has forced them to innovate to meet the need of the ‘modern’ machinery consumer.

“CMC Motors has noted a close to 30 per cent growth on tractor orders placed by farmers, building and construction contractors as well as the public sector particularly county governments. The New Holland TT4 economy utility tractor range redefines the market with its versatility as an all-round workhorse in the farm and beyond,” Johnson said.

READ ALSO: Farmers get 80% asset financing

With the Food and Agriculture Organisation pointing out that machinery can boost production by 40 per cent, companies are innovating implements to capture the growing demand.

While others are moving to capture small-holders with walking tractors, the big machines are being improved to cater for those looking for efficiency in large-scale farming.

A more powerful tractor pulls heavy loads and turns clods with ease while harrowing. Penetration into the pans is also eased.

Locally, New Holland customers will have a choice of four models in the TT4 series including the 80 HP 2WD, 80 HP 4WD, 90 HP 2WD and 90HP 4WD tractors.

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: 19 June 2017; Hits: 8135

Tractor solves costs puzzle to smallholders

Tractor Yuvra 125.jpg

Joshua Mwendo tries the Yuavra 125 tractor. This Yuvra is cost effective for small-holders who cannot use the walking tractor. Photo by Laban Robert.

In meeting the growing local mechanisation demand, Indian manufacture, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, has introduced an affordable four-wheel mini tractor for smallholder farmers in the country.

Various machinery suppliers have introduced two-wheel tractors for small-holder farmers, but the uptake has been limited.

The vibrations generated while pulling or pushing the two-wheel tractor discourages more other farmers, factor that may have informed the modification of low-fuel consuming four-wheel tractor by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology last year.

The Yuvra 215 tractor requires about three litres of diesel to till one acre, Joshua Mwendo, a technician at the Nairobi branch said. That is about Sh300 in the cost of fuel.

“Technology is moving into small-scale farming. A farmer who cannot afford the giant tractors must be taken care of. For those who cannot use the walking tractor, this is a mini-machine for them to do their errands towards increasing productivity,” he said.

The 15 horse power machine allows for attachment of various implements for diverse functions. Apart from ploughing, Yuvra can also spray, lawn-mow, sow, haul, among other functions.

Food and Agriculture Organisation states that if farmers include machinery, they can bring more than four times more land under cultivation and increase production by more than 40 per cent per acre.

The cost of the machines is usually unreachable for most small-holders, who may not have resources to invest in the machines.

Others may not be willing to invest in big machines when their lands under cultivation are limited.

It can pull loads of up to 1.5 tonnes.

The cost of two-wheel tractors ranges from Sh100,000 to Sh200,000, depending in the make and the number of attached implements. The Yuvra215 tractor costs about Sh700,000.

Large scale tractors cost more than Sh2.5 million, depending on the horse power.

Mwendo can be reached on +254716281801

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