Smart farms

: 16 December 2016; Hits: 13216

Bagging bananas quickens maturity by two weeks

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A banana bunch covered by a blue polythene bag. bagging the fruits increases maturity speed. PHOTO BY PROMUSA

Farmers, who cover banana bunches with perforated polythene bags, may quicken the maturity of the fruit by up to two weeks due to the conducive micro-climate that is created.

Polythene covers speed up the maturity time by between five days, according to ProMusa, an online banana research repository.

The cover, which runs from the first hand to the tip, creates a micro-climate of high temperatures of an average of 0.5 degrees Celsius per 24 hours. On warmer days the ‘greenhouse’ effect micro-climate can reach 7 degrees Celsius.

Depending on the variety and the environmental conditions, bananas take between three and four months from flowering to maturity.

Besides reducing effects of frost, the cover also leads to increased bunch weight due to optimum photosynthesis and reduced pests attack.

The cover is placed from the base of the bunch and tied at the top, right at the scar of the first bract. Early bagging helps in preventing thrips from attacking the banana.

The polythene bags are perforated at about 76mm interval with hole of 12.7mm. Micro-perforations are also done after about 10mm.

In Central Kenya, a few farmers are adopting the method by improvisation using the common yellow polythene bags for shopping. The inner linings of synthetic fertiliser bags can also work in covering the banana hands individually or as a whole bunch.

The research says thick bags increase and maintain temperatures faster and for long.

Transparent covers allow in more than 90 per cent of the light required to photosynthesis while 73 per cent of the energy required in the food making process is at 73.

Organic farmers around the world using this method to quicken maturity of the bananas impregnate the equipment with garlic and pepper solution to reduce thrips attack.

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: 14 December 2016; Hits: 12005

Water dam saves farmer over Sh6,000 per month in irrigation bills

Nyeri County farmer Jonathan Jomo has constructed a 70,000 litre water mini dam for irrigation. The dam is saving the Kieni farmer between Sh6,000 and Sh8,000 per month in water bills. PHOTO BY COURTESY.

The construction of a mini dam to collect water is saving a Nyeri County farmer more than Sh6,000 in monthly bills besides supporting a constant flow of onions despite the weather.

Jonathan Jomo constructed a 70,000 litre mini dam at his farm in Kieni, in 2015. Before then, he used to pay a water bill of between Sh6,000 and Sh8,000 to meet irrigation needs. The dam is covered on top for safety and reducing water loss by evaporation.

The water bill was scuttling Jomo’s profits by increasing the production costs.

Being an all-year-round farmer, Jomo is saving more than Sh80,000 per annum spent on irrigation.

“I spent about Sh120,000. Kieni does not have constant rainfall. The water I collect in the dam is sufficient to run my drip irrigation for more than two months after the rains. Although I have the piped water system as my back-up, I have rarely used it,” he said.

Drip irrigation is one of the most economical methods of supplying water to crops because only a few drops are released to the stem region of the crop.

“I use grass mulching to cut down the cost of weeding in addition to improving the organic composition in the soil as the matter rots. The mulch also helps in preserving water by preventing direct sunlight to ground,” Jomo said.

Besides the organic onions, the farmer is expanding into garlic, tomatoes, capsicum, among other crops to cover at least

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: 08 December 2016; Hits: 13005

Solar pump helps farmer rear fish away from the river

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Nyamira County farmer, Nyambane Mang'era, cleans his 8m by 4m backyard fishpond on August 14,2016. Looking on are other farmers. A Homa Bay farmer is using a solar powered pump from Futurepump to supply water to two ponds, where he is rearing 1,000 fish. PHOTO BY LABAN ROBERT.

A solar powered pump has helped a Homa Bay County farmer to continuously push water into two upstream ponds where he is rearing at least 1,000 tilapia fish.

Michael Olalo bought the SF1 solar pump from Futurepump in April 2015 to cut the fuel costs he was incurring while using a fossil fuel generator to push water from River Nyorori to his farm.

After seeing the efficiency of the solar powered pump for irrigation, he decided to delve into fish farming to make use of the free sun when the machine is not needed for irrigation.

His land is on the upper part of the river, therefore gravity cannot push water to the farm. Irrigation is done once, twice or thrice a week depending on the severity of the weather.

“I used to spend Sh300 twice or thrice a week in fuelling the generator to pump water to irrigate my watermelons. When I could not afford the fuel, the crops remained water-stressed. I no longer worry about the money or the rain. I have water every time I want it because the sun is always available,” he said.

The two 10m by 20m ponds have 500 fish each, which he introduced in June, 2016.

After pumping the water into the first one, the overflow goes to the second pond before flowing back to the river by gravity.

The pump operates through the day with interruptions only occurring when he wants to direct the water to irrigate crops.

Silt does not get into the pond because he uses pipes that float in the river in combination with a coarse filter. This is good as accumulation of silt reduces the depth of ponds, therefore, exposing fish to predators as well as harsh weather. Silt also reduces gaseous exchange due to clogging of fish gills.

A tilapia fish is sold at between Sh250 and Sh400, depending on the size.

“I hope to start selling the fish by the end of December and January 2017. From the 1,000 fish, I am expecting at least Sh300,000. It is good money for expanding farming as well as catering for other family needs,” said Olalo.

His watermelons, which he harvested in November, earned him Sh45,000. The crop only didn’t do well because of hailstones fell during flowering.

“Comparing the one-time expense of buying the solar pump from Futurepump to the cost of buying fuels every time I needed water shows it’s a great investment. Besides, a generator cannot rush a fish pond!” he said.

Interested farmers can reach Charles on +254790492863

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