Hydroponic fodder

Livestock farmers have always found it difficult to afford high cost of feeds and sometimes some of the feeds sold to them are of low quality. To help this situation Nothern Lites Ltd in partnership with Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and Agrotunnel International Ltd has developed a programme dubbed Iko-Lishe to help farmers grow their own fodder feeds at low cost.

The company has also researched, designed and manufactured an automated Fodder Feed Unit (FFU) to increase efficiency thus enabling farmers to grow nutritious feeds with less water and at all time for all livestock under a small area.

Under this programme, interested farmers are offered a tried and tested product developed and manufactured in Kenya. This enables maintenance and training information on what seed are the best to use, make available experts on livestock o give training sessions and advice on livestock feed  and finally introduce Agri finance solutions from local co-operative banks or institutions.

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Nothern Lites Ltd through its various outlets in the country insists on organic feed control which has major advantages of solutions:

• Soilless fodder feed unitand hydroponically design to use water only
• No use of chemicals on the fodder
• Feeds are grown all the time, 24 hours, seven day throughout the year
• Minimal water usage compared to growing pasture
• Feeds can be grown in a small confined area as compared to pasture grazing
• Great nutritional value added to boost milk and weight production.

The structure in which the fodder is grown has a racking system made using light gauge steel technology. This system is integrated to accommodate irrigation and electrical solutions so that it has a timer and a cooler.

In order to successfully realise this course farmers are offered trainings on the FFU which include community awareness, value chain advantages, setting up an agri finance for continuity of the project, seed preparation, washing and soaking, watering regimes depending on weather and climatic conditions fodder feed and greenhouse maintainance.