Smart farms

: 15 November 2016; Hits: 9471

JKUAT aerial farm saves urbanites kitchen costs

UrbanCapillaryfarmingMartinGechimoJKUATBy Laban Robert.JPG

JKUAT student Martin Gechimo poses in front of the movable Capillary Wick System farm during the institution’s Seventh Tech Expo on November 4, 2016. Other students marvel at the farm, which can host 100 crops. PHOTO BY LABAN ROBERT.

University students have created a movable farm for urban dwellers who can cut kitchen cots by growing at least 100 crops in suspended containers.

Apart from recycling the plastic containers, which are a menace to the environment, but also reducing on kitchen expenses as the cost of living keeps rising.

The areal farm also called the Capillary Wick System only requires an open place with direct sunlight.

Martin Gechimo, one of the four Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology students who came up with the innovation, said the structure fits urban dwellers who may not have permanent residences, but wan to want to cultivate.

The garden system has two kilogramme containers filled with sterilised soil mixed with farm yard manure.

The soil is sterilised to get rid of disease like bacteria wilt, which does not spare crops like tomatoes, black nightshade, pepper, capsicum, cucumber, among others.

Because the containers do not touch the ground, recontamination of the sterile soil is limited.

“Each of the containers can have different vegetables for instance tomatoes, kales, cabbage, pepper, capsicum, onions, black night shade, cucumber, among others.”

“These may look small but their sum per week for family of four people can surpass Sh500. After installation, the maintenance costs are negligible,” Gechimo said.

After two to three months, a farmer can harvest vegetables, onions and tomatoes and prepare a meal!

The garden has a water tank for irrigation through the interconnected pipes. But the crops high on the upper rails have bigger containers from the outside which carry water. The inner container with the crop is perforated to allow for roots to draw in water.

According to the test the group has done, one litre can run each of the crops in the capillary garden for two week.

Crops like cucumbers and tomatoes, which require staking, are placed on the lower table and supporting threads are tired to the metallic rails up.

Gechimo can be contacted on +254718408276 or +254718155542.

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: 14 November 2016; Hits: 13480

Online marketplace offers farmers and buyers better prices

An onion seller at Nairobi's Wakulima Market (Markiti). FarmSoko is offering an online one-on-one link between farmers and sellers. PHOTO BUSINESS DAILY.

Farmers, who want to dispose of farm implements which they do not need, can do so via an online site, FarmSoko.

Besides used implements, innovators with agribusiness items as well as other farm products can do so through the free interaction portal.

FarmSoko manager Richard Mwangi said the free linking of farmers with potential buyers helps in solving market challenges.

Sellers post a photograph and a brief description of their product. The site allows for the buyer to pick on a given product before sending a direct message to the buyer. Contacts are exchanged for details.

The items include tractors, jembes, beehives, milking machines, incubators, organic fertilisers, fruits, grains, seeds, seedlings, heifers, goats and many others.

“Middlemen, at times, take more money from a product that the farmer. That not only leads to loses but also exploitation. Through this platform, farmers decide how much they want to earn from a given item without the influence o the third party,” he said.

Sellers also may enjoy low prices because the link has been shortened.

It gets even better when the supplier and the buyer are from the same locality because no transport costs are incurred, therefore, the prices are lower.

Hundreds of farmers meet in this online market place every day and tens of transactions take place too, he said.

“So far the reception is good and I am happy that buyers are getting the chance to see a photo for evaluation of what they want forehand. They know what to expect. They also discuss and decide on their own on how to exchange money and the delivery of the goods,” Mwangi said.

Unlike most selling sites that require one to pay a given amount to for their product to be featured among the top items and for a given period every farmer has equal chances at www.farmsoko.com.

Mwangi can be reached on +254713669720.

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: 09 November 2016; Hits: 10900

Plastic-fused slab helps sand soil farmers rear fish

Brian Chirchir shows slab samples of plastic fused soil during the 2016 JKUAT Tech Expo on November 4, 2016. The slab can be used in construction of fish ponds and dams. PHOTO BY LABAN ROBERT.

Farmers with porous soils, but want to construct fish ponds can do so using a student-innovated cheap plastic-sand fused material that does not allow for water to escape.

Clay soil allows for minimum water seepage. Sand soil particles do not hold water. Only farmers in regions with clay or polythene linings for holding can engage in fish rearing.

But Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) students have come up with the plastic fused soil slab, which is made from locally available materials.

The material is made from sand particles mixed with melted waste plastics, which form an inert, hard and non-porous slab.

The slab is laid on the floor and against the walls of the fish pond irrespective of the soil type.

Brian Chirchir, a JKUAT Civil Engineering Student, said besides reducing pollution with the plastic wastes, the innovation aims at boosting food security by helping those who cannot afford expensive polythene linings.

“Polythene linings are good, but their lifespan is limited to less than five years. The 15mm slab can last for more than 10 years. My group (four students) is offering pollution solution. Poor soil farmers can also have a chance to engage in fish production despite their soil,” he said.

The plastic waste in melted to form a dense semi solid substance, which is then mixed with sand soil before cooling to form the mass impermeable substance.

Apart from application in the fish ponds, the slab can be used in construction of domestic water reservoirs as and dams.

During construction of dams, clay slabs of 75mm are required for holding the water. But he same work can be done by the 15mm thick slab, Chirchir said.

Prisons officer helps farmers set up integrated backyard fishponds:

Whilst polythene lining may cost more than Sh200 per square metre, the plastic fused soil slab of the same size costs Sh20.

Chirchir can be reached on +254708665203.

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