Smart farms

: 26 October 2016; Hits: 10472

Company flavours tea to boost youth consumption

PHOTO: A farmer enjoys plucking tea. Marketing companies are flavouring tea to increase its acceptability among the youth, to increase consumption. PHOTO BY JUSTEA.

The slowing consumption of tea leading to losses to farmers has been countered by blending and packaging companies through value addition strategy of increasing the market base for the cash crop, which is also Kenya’s highest foreign currency earner.

Gold Crown Beverages Limited has introduced 11 flavoured varieties targeting the local youth and branded them ‘attitude teas’.

They include Rose Tea, Chocolate Tea, Hangover Tea, Green Tea Lemon, Green Tea Passion and Jasmine, Love Tea, Cardomon Tea, Vanilla Tea, Passion and Lime Tea, Pineapple and Mango Tea.

Data from Kenya Tea Development Agency show the country earned Sh202million from January to June, from export against Sh231million the same period the previous year.

The low demand in the international markets was linked to the dropping petroleum price in large consumer states such as Russia, Kazakhstan and Iran.

Competition from other cheap producers like Sri-Lanka is also causing decrease in consumption of Kenyan tea, hence the turn into the less ventured youthful market.

The company Managing Director Fahim Ahamed expressed optimism that the products would pull more youth into consuming tea, and increase the sales.

"With these products, we have not only filled the gap in the market by bringing young people on board but also added human face to the tea drinking experience by combining the power of colour, taste and rich aroma to bring a feel good moment in a cup of tea,” he said.

The strategy is applied to increase the sales of other products for example yoghurt, which has fruit flavours such as banana, strawberry, vanilla, pineapple, among others. Appealing to the youth, who are more than 70 per cent of Kenya’s 44million population, may gradually give impressive results that would translate to consumption of more tea locally.

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: 26 October 2016; Hits: 13176

Brewery wants sorghum and millet

PHOTO: Farmers harvesting finger-millet in Western Kenya in an undated photo. EABL is looking for at least 30,000 tonnes of millet and sorghum to meet its deficit. PHOTO BY HAILEY TUCKER.

Smallholder farmers working in groups have a chance of annually delivering at least 30,000 tonnes sorghum and millet to one of the region’s biggest alcohol manufacturer, East African Breweries Limited (EABL).

The company buys the two products at Sh33 per kilo, but for easy collection, small-scale farmers must pool together their harvest to meet the minimum delivery requirement of 30 tonnes.

East African Malting Limited, a subsidiary of EABL, Lawrence Maina said the company aims at offering farmers ready market while providing affordable alcohol brands to consumers.

Sorghum and millet are among the short season indigenous subsistence crops consumed in Kenya, with the potential of becoming cash earners for both small and large scale farmer amid the strained supply.

According to Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) pearl millet is one of the strongest drought tolerant varieties, therefore, fit for growing in dry lands or regions with irregular rains.

READ ALSO: ABC's of Finger millet

The two crops mature in less than four months.

For the purpose of the brewing, farmers are required to grow white sorghum varieties, Sila and Gadam, and pearl millet.

Farmers can access quality seeds for planting from Kenya Cereals Enhance Programme outlets.

Contracting farmers to produce the crops is taking root too as a way of showing commitment of producing and buying the harvest.

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: 10 October 2016; Hits: 12734

Gutters zero greenhouse irrigation costs for vegetable farmers

Farmers in areas receiving rainfall can incur almost zero irrigation costs by installing gutter-fixed greenhouses from the Vintage Green Limited.

This is a new feature not in standard greenhouses.

Greenhouse crops are exclusively irrigated, with drip method being the commonest way. The crops are sealed off from direct environmental agents- including rain.

That means that they have to incur extra expresses in delivering water from sources to the greenhouses for the daily routine of irrigation, which is also used in application of fertilisers and other chemicals.

The company Chief Executive Officer Elijah Njoroge said rain water can be turned useful in these enclosed farming structures, to reduce production costs for farmers.

“Farmers must start making profits by cutting back on production expenses. Piping and pumping water from further areas resources for instance feel to run engines. We have to harness the water that falls on the roof of greenhouse and make it useful to the farmer,” he said.

Part of the irrigation kit the company is supplying includes a 2,500 water tank, which is more than one and half times the ones given by most suppliers.

If it rains heavily twice week, the 2,500 litre tank can save farmers the seven-day pumping costs into an 8m by 15m greenhouse.

The roof of greenhouses in made up of the ordinary net and a polythene lining from the outside to drain off the water to the roof bottom gutters.

The polythene lining covers the entire greenhouse. It can be rolled up to help regulate the temperature in the greenhouse.

“The company realised that at times it is difficult for farmers to regulate temperatures in the greenhouse. With the polythene side roll-ups, farmers can easily open or close the greenhouse,” he said.

The height of the greenhouse, five metres high, also helps in giving more room for fresh air circulation. Standard greenhouses are four metres high.

Besides the three year warrant the company offers farmers for the polythene cover, they also fix crop staking lines and the support frame.

The company comprises 18 Jomo Kenyatta University Alumni, who are turning innovation into jobs.

PHOTO: Vintage Greens Limited Chief Executive Officer Elijah Njoroge poses outside the company’s greenhouse during the Nairobi International Agricultural Society of Kenya on October 7, 2016. The greenhouse has gutters for collecting rains water for irrigation. This can reduce costs to almost zero for areas where it rains frequently. PHOTO BY LABAN ROBERT.

Njoroge can be reached on +254706808633.

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