Machinery

: 04 July 2018; Hits: 8412

KBL to distribute grain threshing machines to entice Nyanza farmers into sorghum farming

kamugi sorghum threshing machine KBL Supply Chain Director Peter Kamugi (left) hands over a sorghum thresher to a farmer. Photo courtesy.

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) is set to distribute 20 threshing machines which are used to separate grains from chaffs to first-time sorghum farmers in Nyanza and Western regions in latest efforts to increase production volumes ahead of the opening of their newly built Sh15 billion plant in Kisumu later in the month.

The brewer is targeting to recruit more youth and farmer groups in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Busia and Migori counties to take up sorghum farming and distributing the machines is one way to entice more farmers into the crop production.

According to Supply Chain Director Peter Kamugi, the machines will ease harvesting and further reduce post-harvest losses apart from creating employment to the Kisumu brewery suppliers.

“We have had success in the one year that the farmers have been growing the crop used as raw material for the brewing of Senator Keg,” said Kamugi.

In addition, KBL will also distribute 400 grain drying sheets to first-time sorghum farmers.

Kamugi said the ‘West for West’ strategy being implemented by EABL in their local sourcing of sorghum is meant to have majority of raw materials for Kisumu Brewery sourced from the western part of the country.

“We expect to recruit more farmers in the coming months and even though the process had poised some challenges such as bad weather at the start, there is hope farmers will harvest up to 15,000 tonnes of sorghum this season.”

Mr Kamugi said the Western and Nyanza raw sourcing plan was part of EABL’s strategy to acquire 100 per cent of raw materials from locals by 2020.

“To meet the high demand for Senator Keg, KBL aims at doubling the market for sorghum as a cash crop, from 20,000 metric tonnes to around 40,000 tonnes in the next five years,” he said.

KBL managing director Jane Karuku announced in March that the first barrel of Senator Keg will be released from the multibillion-shilling facility on July 17.

The Kisumu brewery is expected to boost the local economy through the creation of over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs – from the farmers and their employees to the businesses that provide inputs right up to the workers in the factories, retailers and the transport business.

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Sunday, 27 December 2020 This is a great initiative that people ought to embrace

: 28 June 2018; Hits: 6606

More effective crop covering material than polythene bags introduced in Kenya

Grow Cover1

Sidwin Fabric Pvt Ltd, a Chinese firm that manufactures agriculture materials has introduced in Kenya Grow Cover, an effective crop covering material that can be used to protect crops such as banana bunches, fruits and vegetables among others from severe weather, pests and diseases than the polythene bags which have been banned in the country and were used by farmers before.

The material which are made from non-woven fabric raw materials of low weight to prevent damages of crop covered even in every condition comes as a relief to farmers who depended on the polythene bags to destructive insects and birds from destroying their crops other than using the bags to speed up crop maturity as in the case of bananas.

“This is the first time we are introducing our products in the Kenyan market and we believe farmers will be interested to try them out as they apply to a wide range of crops which are grown in the field and are high risk or attacks by birds, small animals, adverse weather conditions, pests and diseases,” said Suresh Patel, Grow Cover Managing Director during the 5^th Agritech Africa Exhibition & Conference last week at Kenyatta International Convention Center.

Over 500 farmers who visited the company’s stand had chance to buy the covering materials which comes in various sizes such as white GSM 23, Width 1.6mtr, Length 625mtr Roll with product code CG23-63 and White GSM 17, Width 1.6mtr, Length 625mtr Roll with product code CG17-63 among others.

“We believe the farmers whom we have served are going to be our ambassadors and witnesses about the effectiveness and benefits of the crop covering material,” said Patel.

In addition the material prevent plants from cold and frost of up to five degree Celcius as some circuiting moisture is trapped by it and in the event of frost this film freezes providing the plant with natural frost protection.

It minimizes the dangers caused by hail, heavy rain and storms. The fabric also protects crops from heat wave up to 55 degree Celcius other than protecting crops from birds, insects and other harmful virus’ attack.

“Grow Cover creates roof on crop which allow air and sunlight as required only. It create protective space like home for crop. It protects against weather effect like temperature changes, wind, rain and snow because of its unique structure,” said Patel.

Installation

Grow cover product is very easy and simple in installation any skill & unskilled person can install. Its tunnel requires a simple frame of wires supports a crop cover to give a typically cross section of 40-50 cm Height and require length.

The edge of the crop cover may be buried in soil. The restricted volume and access means that care has to be taken with ventilation to avoid overheating and high humidity by opening tunnel when necessary. Same other product also very easy to use.

Grow Cover2

Earliet Yields and Uniformity

Crop cover develops the microclimate inside the tunnel which create identical atmosphere for crop. The microclimate reduce the temperature variation such resulting to uniformity in agriculture production also in such condition growth of the crop increase remarkable comparing to open field which gives early yield.

The microclimate created by the veil optimizes the conditions for photosynthesis. Crops covered can mature 1-3 weeks earlier than an uncovered control. There are variations depending on the species, times and production techniques.

Sustainability against UV

Ultraviolet radiation is at the other end of the spectrum to infrared and has several effects relevant to plants.

It can stimulate the germination of some seeds, cause the death of plant tissue, is responsible for blackening of rose petals, help formation, activation, deactivation of certain plant pigments, some insects need it for vision and it is necessary for the sporulation of certain fungi.

Crop cover can be formulated to filter out certain UV wavelengths and reduce some of these effects.

Microclimate effect

The texture of crop cover allows sunlight to enter but traps heat inside, so the temperature inside tunnel stays warm even when it’s cold outside and stays cool inside even when it’s too hot outside.

Because gases in the Earth’s atmosphere also let in light but trap heat, many people call this phenomenon the “greenhouse effect or microclimate effect”. It’s work as mini greenhouse which is truly cost effective and temporary.

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: 26 June 2018; Hits: 9079

New device with 70 per cent artificial insemination rate coming to Kenya

Ivetscope AI An Ivetscope kit. Photo: Zablon Oyugi.

A scientific insemination device of semen deposition in cervix of both small and large animals which works with the help of mobile phone video monitor with 70 per cent insemination rate is soon being introduced in the country.

Digital I-Vet Scope which is manufactured by ACS Neoteric Technologies LLP, a Chinese firm was last week showcased during the 5^th Agritec Africa, an International Exhibition & Conference on Agriculture Technologies at Kenyatta International Exhibition Center, Nairobi and draw attention of many attendees including the Ministry of Agriculture.

“This device is just perfect following its successful trials in several places in India and it has since been approved to be fit for use by farmers by the government of India,” said Dr. Rohan Shah, the company’s Sales Director.

Shah has since received an invitation by the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture for more presentations during the upcoming major agricultural events in the country as a way of introducing the device to Kenyan farmers.

“I presented the workability of this device and its various benefits at the conference and I have received a formal invitation by the ministry to come for more farmer events as this is our first time in Kenya and many farmers do not know about us or our services,” said Shah.

The device helps artificial insemination expert know the condition of the internal reproduction system of a cow and deposit semen at the right place without causing any internal injury to the cow with the help of a mobile phone video monitor enabling the expert view all the operations during the insemination.

It comes with its complete package kit which include DFSTS, insemination ivetscope, AI gun, mobile receiver, insemination pipettes, AI plastic sheath and straw cutter. It also has a four-hour battery backup that keeps it working for long making monitoring throughout.

“Our device also helps in oral diagnosis of diseases and swab collections making farmers easy,” said Shah.

Ivetscope kit power area