Machinery

: 30 October 2018; Hits: 6916

New programme to accelerate irrigation in Kenya launched

A national platform aimed at promoting farmer-led and market based smart water solutions for improving smallholder irrigation in Kenya has been launched.

The National Irrigation Acceleration Programme (NIAP) brings together stakeholders interested in smallholder irrigation in order stimulate networking and evidence based advocacy on irrigated agriculture in the country.

Despite Kenya having irrigation potential of 1.342m ha, only 161, 840 ha representing 12 per cent of the potential had been brought under irrigated agriculture by 2013 according to statistics by the ministry of agriculture.

The initiative which is spearheaded by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology based Water Research and Resource Centre and the not-for-profit international development organization, SNV is the first in the country to bring together relevant stakeholders at the national level.

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Irrigating a farm using solar powered water pump in Kenya 596

Irrigating a farm in Kenya using a solr powered water pump/courtesy.

To fully develop the capacity, WARREC Director, Prof. Bancy Mati said Kenya can leverage smart solutions like harvesting and storage of surface water. The platform, she added, would be critical in advancing irrigation agenda in the country.

“It will allow expert knowledge to reach farmers while ensuring that issues affecting the famers reach the decision makers, for a more harmonized and targeted intervention,” said Prof. Mati.

The launch of NIAP follows successful pilots in five counties, Machakos, Nakuru, Meru, Laikipia and Uasin Gishu. The Irrigation Acceleration Programmes (IAP) in the devolved units was supported by the SNV’s Smart Water for Agriculture programme.

Irrigated agriculture could significantly hoist the government’s desire to achieve food and nutritional security. Equally, without adopting innovative water solutions, the country could face 31 per cent deficit risk between water demand and supply by the year 2030.

According to James Mwangi of Laikipia Wildlife Forum, the County’s IAP managed by 14-member management committee, has supported over 400 stakeholders within six clusters. Among key issues to be addressed by the NIAP are policy review, information collation and dissemination, value chain bottlenecks, coordination and capacity building.

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: 12 October 2018; Hits: 9430

Kitale bull station can now produce enough semen to serve Kenya and neighbouring countries

Kitales Endebess bull station

The Manager of Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Semen Production Centre, Muchemi Kariuki (in white shirt) explains to visitors how paddocking is utilised to ensure production during African bovine reproduction workshop at Kitale’s Endebess bull station. Photo courtesy.

Kitale’s Endebess bull station can now produce up to a million doses of semen when in full operation which is enough to serve Kenya and some of the neighbouring countries. The unit is an additional station besides the Kabete station which was built in 1946 and which cannot serve all farmers.

The Endebess Bull station was built four years ago and has been upgraded to a state-of-the-art semen production unit which is a modern facility of its kind in the whole of Africa and is a second station from the one in Kabete.

“We have had one bull station in Kenya and there have been fears that if there is disease outbreak we risk not having any semen and that is why we decided to have another semen production unit in Kitale,”said Andrew Tuimur , Agriculture Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS).

The station has modern equipment acquired from France. This is after officers scouted, went around in various countries and France IMV Technologies was found to be the most appropriate for this place and the equipment in the bull station which is automated is very modern actually becoming one of the modern bull stations in Africa.

It is an automated station and it relies on modern technology to extract semen, store and disseminate to farmers.

The CAS said that, when it is in its full capacity, the bull station will have about 100 bulls, noting that there is more space for introducing more bulls.

Turimur said that in the next phase the government is considering going into sexed semen production so that farmers who want to get heifers can use sexed semen.

He said the ultimate idea is to ensure that farmers get semen at a lower price, noting that currently farmers’ semen is sold at the facility at Sh. 200 per straw.

“With time we are looking at the production cost so that the price may be brought down so that the facility may be of benefit to the farmers,” he explained.

According to Tuimur the nitrogen equipment at the station will help farmers store semen for future use which he said will cut down on transport cost.

He said the bull station is an important facility for the country as it is aimed at improving on the quality of animals and generally dairy production.

“Our request to farmers is to encourage them to buy high quality semen at affordable prices at the Endebbes bull station,” he noted.

He said the tests they have made using the semen from the bulls introduced at the station show that the heifers produced are producing more than 10 000litres of milk per lactation.

The Chairman of ADC, Benjamin Cheboi said the facility is one of the projects that supports the Big4 Agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta to the country.

“We think that this is a legacy project for the government,” the Chairman said.

He said the direct impact of the project on ordinary Kenyans is visible where, by the end of next year the facility will be producing more than 1million straws of semen which means that the country shall have better quality animals and thus increased milk production.

“What else do you need, with a million cows produced every year we are going to increase the volume of milk perhaps by more than 40million litres every year and that is of direct economic significance to the nation,” he said.

He explained that with the project in place there are high chances of creating employment and reducing poverty among Kenyans.

“For the people of North Rift and particularly Trans Nzoia this is the greatest asset that has come here and we want to request the county government to use extension officers to educate farmers on the need to use AI services,” he said.

Tuimur was speaking while opening the first African bovine reproduction workshop at the station. The two-day event which stated yesterday has seen over 10 countries represented for exchange of ideas on reproduction through new technologies in the sector.

The CAS said that the exchange of ideas and knowledge on the new technologies is important in the area.

Among the visiting countries are Zambia, Rwanda and Zanzibar.

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: 11 October 2018; Hits: 15519

Agro-company launches portable water harvesting and storage tanks

Mesh Water Tank. It is used for water harvesting and storage and it does not require a concrete base. Photo: Zablon Oyugi.

An agro-company in Nairobi has launched portable water harvesting and storage tanks of different sizes called Mesh Water Tanks with volumes of 10,000 to 200,000 litres. The tanks, contrary the ones already in market, are ideal for installation on surfaces with low load-bearing capacities making a concrete base unnecessary.

According to John Maina, technician at AQuapro, the company which makes and sells the tanks among other products, Mesh Water Tanks are made from 1.0mm High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated mesh combination and a dam liner to prevent rust.

“The walls of these type of tanks are built from 3m long PVC-coated galvanised steel structures and a lining which is UV treated for high-clarity purified water free from rust contaminations,” said Maina.

However, the dam liner is supposed to be changed after every 25 years because of algae development that occurs with time.

In addition, the tanks have a closed roofing which can be made to collect water into the tank and preventing litters from entering the tank. The roofing also makes the tank suitable for grain storage if the user would want it so.

Unlike most tanks in the market, Mesh Water Tanks can be moved from place to place on a seasonal basis and they are cost effective.

Maina says, currently normal plastic tanks in the market with capacity of 10,000 litres costs Sh95,000, but ours with capacity of 25,000 litres goes for Sh96,000 and still users can be able to move it freely from point to point depending on activities to be done.

The prices which vary depending on the tanks’ capacities are inclusive of installation and technician fee while buyers are expected to cater for transport costs which is affordable as the company allows them (buyers) to choose their preferable means of transport.

“We allow our customers to choose their cheapest means of transport either by private, public, courier services, or our company transport services,” said Maina.

To make their clients more comfortable, the company through their technicians offer brief trainings on how best the tanks can be used and maintained and in any case of difficulties thereafter, the technicians are always available for consultations.

So far the company has sold over 100,000 such tanks in a period of less than five years to government and private institutions such as polytechnics, colleges, schools, prisons and farms.

“We have been recommended widely more so by the Ministry of Internal Security after we supplied them with some tanks a year ago that went to the various prisons,” Maina said.

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