Smart farms

: 09 March 2017; Hits: 13361

Farmer buys a cow from solar irrigation savings

Solar irrigation buys cow.JPG

Bungoma County farmer, Evans Shikuku, irrigates vegetables with a solar powered pump from Futurepump. The pump has enabled him buy a dairy cow after making savings from hiring generators. Photo Courtesy.

Evans Shikuku has ventured into dairy farming by saving on costs incurred in hiring a generator for irrigation after buying a solar pump from Futurepump.

The farmer has relied on irrigation for years to ensure success of his mix rotational programme of cabbages, amaranth, mrenda and cowpeas for leaves even with suppressed rainfall.

But it was untenable to hire and buy fuel for a generator every week for irrigation. The Futurepump has enabled him save gradually and bought a dairy cow.

In targeting the December to February market, when vegetables are in high demand, Shikuku bought the pump run by solar energy for irrigating his farm which borders river Sossion, through the support of Feed the Future flagship’s project, the Kenya Agricultural Value Chain Enterprises (USAID-KAVES).

On hiring a generator to pump water for at least 400 meters, Shikuku would spend fuel of up to Sh1,000; he also paid Sh800 for hiring the machine for everyday use.

In a month, he spent at least Sh7, 200 in a once per week flood irrigation, that is, if the weather is not so harsh to necessitate a repeat.

Between March 2016 and August 2016 he planted cabbages on half an acre.

Through hard work, implementing good agricultural practices on proper land preparation, chemical safety and record keeping from trainings and linkages received from Safe Produce Solutions Ltd as a contracted farmer.

After sales he earned Sh55,000 gross income and from the proceeds, Shikuku saved Sh21, 600, topped up the amount and bought an in – calf Ayrshire crossbreed dairy cow at a cost of Sh35,500.

The cow gives him 12 cups, roughly equivalent to 12 pints per day. He sells eight pints at Sh20 each. “The only cost was the initial one of buying the solar pump. If I had used the same money in buying a generator, I could be incurring operational costs to date. The solar pump has helped me buy a cow to feed my family in addition to making an extra coin from the sale of milk,” said Shikuku.

The Futurepump SF1 solar irrigation unit is an environmental friendly pump, robust, easy to operate and maintain and suitable for small scale farmers.

Early adopters of solar water pumps in Kenya indicate a 30 per cent increase in production compared to rain-fed crops.

Feed the Future and its partners are pioneering the use of solar pumps for crop irrigation as a mitigation strategy to climate change.

At the moment, the Bungoma County - based farmer he is selling cowpeas, African leafy vegetables such as mintoo and mrenda that he grew on a three quarter of an acre.

The solar water pump interventions have not only given Shikuku a new income stream through dairy, but also enabled him to take part in the horticulture value chain, which is instrumental in providing more than seven million metric tons of highly nutritious fruits and vegetables annually, contributing to improved nutritional status in Kenya households and poverty reduction.

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: 03 March 2017; Hits: 18601

Irrigation boosts banana yield by 30%

Banana giant Naomi Wahu by Laban Robert.JPG

Aberdare Technology staff Naomi Wahu stands beside the seedlings firm's giant banana of more than 110kg in Thika on February 17, 2017. Irrigation can increase banana weight by 30 per cent. Photo by Laban Robert.

Farmers, who regularly irrigate bananas, can boot the weight of the fruit by more than 30 per cent.
More than 90 per cent of famers in Kenya- especially in Nyanza and Central regions- do not know bananas have to be irrigated like other horticultural crops for high yields.
That is why some of the biggest bananas only reach 50kg to 80kg- depending on the rains. Naomi Wahu, who had a banana weighing about 110kg during a farmers’ event in Thika in February 2017, said reduced soil moisture affects food conversion in the crop for maximum weight.
A plantlet requires at least 40 liters of water after planting. But as it grows, 20 litres of water must be added to the sucker until maturity,” Wahu, who is a field officer at the Aberdare Technologies Limited said.
In the absence of rains, the banana sucker must get 40 to 60 litres of water every week. However, Wahu warned that excess water encourages rotting of the roots due to clogging.
Bananas have broad leaves, with some spreading to more than two mitres. The leaves offer a large surface area for the loss of water through transpiration. This water, therefore, must be recovered via irrigation in absence of rain.

The seedling propagation firm has repeatedly harvested tissue culture bananas weighing more than 100kg.
These crops require prolonged light exposure hours for quick maturity and finger filling. During pruning, the farmer needs to remove the excess suckers to remain only with those facing the east.
Only three sword suckers should be standing for every stool of bananas-a flowering, ‘teenager’ and an emerging one.
The morning to past midday sun has growth boosting wavelengths that can reduce the maturity days by weeks or a month.
Facing the east also positions the bananas against the currents of strong wind, given that in the tropics it mostly blows towards the west.
A banana plantlet is grown in a 3feet by 3feet hole of about 5feet deep. The plant to plant spacing is three mitres apart.
Two wheelbarrows of farm yard manure and about 200g of double ammonium phosphate are mixed with an anti-nematode dose and top soil.
The plantlet is firmed in the mixture followed by 40 litres of water. The stems must be propped to prevent premature falling due to strong wind.
A fruit is ready for harvest in 12 to 15 months after transplanting.
Kisii, Nyamira, Meru, Nyeri, Nyandarua , Muranga are some of the counties where bananas are commonly grown for commercial and domestic consumption.

Aberdare Technology limited can be reached on +25472581444, +254709333103 or +254709333104.

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: 02 March 2017; Hits: 10512

Greenhouses boost property sales

Vintage company's CEO Elijah Njoroge poses outside their greenhouse during the Nairobi ASK Show 2016. Greenhouses are helping companies sell more property. Photo by Laban Robert.

Inclusion of agribusiness incentives is attracting more working class youths into property investment in the urban areas.
The construction of greenhouses, which is the farming model being taken up by property companies is becoming an opportunity of recovering the invested capital within a year while the land is appreciating ahead of reselling.
Denko Properties Consultant Gilbert Yator said more youths than before are interested in purchasing land for prospective reasons.
But the inclusion of agribusiness incentives like a greenhouse is making the deal sweater as it adds value to the property.
For instance, Denko Properties sells a plot in Juja, Kiambu County, at Sh630,000. The purchaser adds Sh295,000 more for the installation of the greenhouse, which is managed by the property company to generate at least a half a million shillings per year.
“This investment targets the young enterprising generation that has not decided to settle, but want to invest in property for resale after appreciation of the prices. An opportunity to make an extra coin from the agribusiness without physically working in the greenhouse is contributing to the surge in this investment,” Yator said.
The company has property in Kiambu, Kajiado, Nairobi, among other cosmopolitan counties and towns.
After paying the extra Sh295,000, the company does all the production work until marketing, while the owner waits for the agreed money. This is perfect for the working class, who cannot be at the farm all through.

The choice of the short season crops such as tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, among others ensures quick sales in the towns like Nairobi, where the market is always available.
If one gets Sh500,000 per year, they have recovered more than half of the investment besides the property appreciating in price.
In recent years, the company has recorded over three times more sales of land, which have greenhouses than those without.
Yator said the value addition, which has been adopted by many property companies, has increased the speed of selling of land by more than three times because of the recovery and turn-over rate.

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