Smart farms

: 21 February 2022; Hits: 4427

Garlic growing serves as natural repellent to over 10 pests

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Farmers who grow garlic can fight over ten pests and diseases linked to destruction of crops which may cause big losses on the farmers’ farms.

Garlic is among other crops which has ability to fight pests and diseases. It has an anti-feedant (insect stop feeding), bacterial, fungicidal, insecticidal, nematicidal and repellent properties according to Infonet-Biovision organization which provides agricultural database with scientific and practical validated information and knowledge.

It is for this reason garlic is widely cultivated and easy to grow in field, garden or backyard and appreciated as a seasoning or suppliment for cooking owing its medicinal properties.

Related News: Garlic farming and marketing

Unlike commercial pesticides which are harmful to human and animals, garlic is preferred in organic farming because it is reportedly effective against a wide range of disease-causing pathogens and insects at different stages in their life cycle.

These pests and diseases include ants, aphids, armyworms, diamondback moth and other caterpillars such as the false codling moth, pulse beetle, whitefly, wireworm, khapra beetle, mice, mites, moles, Epilachna beetles, and termites as well as fungi bacteria and nematodes.

However, according to agro-experts, garlic should be used with caution because it has a broad-spectrum effect and can kill beneficial insects as well.

In case a farmer is growing garlic for pest control, it is good for him or her to avoid using large amounts of fertilizer because much fertilizer can reduce the concentration of the effective substances in the garlic.

Garlic, unlike other niche market crops, is not hard to grow because there are a few important requirements that can be easily met which include well drained soil of pH between 6.5 to 6.7.

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: 21 February 2022; Hits: 4065

Electronic honey extraction saves time and money

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As opposed to manual honey extractors, bee farmers can enjoy harvesting their honey with limited time and energy using an electric honey extractor that uses electricity to spin the frames that are attached on the central shaft located in the middle of the beehive drum.

Electric honey extractor has an electric motor which is connected to an electric current source and can turn the frames at a certain speed.

The honey extractor can be used to extract large amounts in a much quicker time just by a turn of a button. An operator simply turns on the electric motor and the spinning starts automatically.

However, the spinning speed ought to be controlled because if the frames inside the drum are spun at very high speeds, then there is a possibility of damage to the honey combs.

Electronic honey extractor is preferred by large scale commercial beekeepers because they are fast and don’t need much energy to operate. Big commercial honey companies use electric honey extractors due the convenience that such extractors offer.

Small scale bee farmers can go manual with manual honey extractor. It only lacks the electronic motor. Therefore it is manually operated using hands and you can even make it yourself if you’re so technically inclined.

Manual honey extractor exempts farmers from electricity bills among other expenses.

With the rise of many dealers in the honey market like Ngandu Beekeeping Workshop in Thika, Manor House Agricultural Centre in Kitale, Christian Intermediate Training Centre in Kapsabet and Kerio Valley Development Authority in Eldoret among others, farmers can get their various beekeeping equipment depending on affordability and scale of production.

According to the National Farmers Information Service, beekeeping in Kenya contributes close to 4.3 billion Kenya Shillings annually and production is estimated at, 100,000 metric tons annually.

It has therefore become an important enterprise in the livestock sub-sector and there is a ready market for bee products, both locally and internationally.

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: 19 February 2022; Hits: 11065

Legumes reverse decade-long soil degradation

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Famers in Nyeri are reversing decades of pesticide misuse that depressed soils nutrients and left them impoverished with a new legume and flower growing venture now pointing them to international markets.

This is why Kevin Gallagher, a researcher recently found himself in a field in Nyeri, in central Kenya, surrounded by women growing flowers and specialty legumes as an alternative to subsistence farming. More than 5 500 women's groups are active in the area, and many of them have asked for technical support on pesticide issues.

This is where integrated production and pest management comes in. In community-based farmer field schools, farmers learn about improving their management of the ecosystem. They are then able to encourage natural predators of crop pests and reduce the amount of pesticides they use.

The women grow high-value export crops like snow peas, and flowers such as limonium and tuber rose, which they sell to larger growers as fillers for bouquets, as well as legumes. No significant domestic markets exist for the legumes, so the field schools also teach marketing for export.

Kevin Gallagher an FAO expert in integrated production and pest management inspired by the women’s resolve has pitched tent in the area assisting them in good pest management practices. "We're helping growers learn about safe alternatives in pest management," he explained. "They haven't been fully informed about good practices, so they misuse pesticide compounds. It's a double challenge for us all. But the women are very determined, most of them are saving to send their children to school, and they have organized very effectively," said Gallagher.

The groups in Nyeri have already set up their own revolving loan funds, and their produce competes with that of large growers they grow so much that exporters send a truck every other day to pick up more supplies.

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