Smart farms

: 12 March 2019; Hits: 8909

Government organization to train potato growers on seed development to curb shortage

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service is set to conduct a training course for potato growers in the country from 12th to 16^th August 2019 to bridge the current deficit of certified seeds which stand at five per cent against a target of 10 per cent.

“Kenyan farmers currently experience a shortage of certified potato seeds with more than 80 per cent using recycled seeds in their production, this has stagnated production at seven tons per hectare against a potential of 40 tons,” said Esther Kimani, the Chief Executive Officer at KEPHIS.

“The training targets public and private agriculture professionals working in the potato seed development, production and supply. These include employees of seed companies, seed and ware potato growers, universities and colleges responsible for capacity building, agriculture extension officers responsible for seed potato supply and those who want to venture into the potato business,”

The total cost of the training will be Sh99,000 inclusive of meals (two tea breaks, one lunch, a bag, field trip and training materials. The fees are payable to KEPHIS KCB Bank account no 1130043959, Karen branch to be paid by 28^th June 2019. Applications are made to the Managing Director, KEPHIS, Nairobi where the course will be offered.

Module one for course delivery will include face to face training sessions, laboratory and field practical training sessions and demonstrations.

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potato seed cuttings

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Concept and technologies to be covered are the seed production process, informal and formal seed systems, integrated management of pests and diseases, quality assurance and seed certification and public private partnerships in potato business.

This will be followed by field visits, approaches to seed production and supply systems and seed quality control.

The course will provide farmers with an opportunity to exchange and learn new ideas from professionals through potato seed production guidelines.

More than a million farmers in Kenya grow potatoes contributing Sh50bn to the economy each year. In this, small scale farmers contribute 83 per cent of the total production.

In 2017, Kenyan farmers produced 1.15m tons of sweet potatoes against a potential of eight million tons according to the 2018 Economic Survey Report.

KEPHIS has developed 51 varieties of potato seeds since 2012 to boost production with 17 varieties from Kenyan breeders, 33 from Dutch breeding companies and one from Scotland with imports of 602,450kg of seed.

The Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) reports that on average only about 20 per cent of farmers in Africa use seeds of improved varieties.

However, in the last two years farmers who have used certified seeds have doubled their yields from two million to four million mega tonnes of cereals, soya beans and groundnuts, in monetary terms this has resulted to Sh220bn in incomes for the smallholder farmers.

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: 12 March 2019; Hits: 14070

University drop out makes over Sh0.5m net income a season from French beans farming

Jeremy Musila French beans farmer Jeremy Musila applying fertiliser to his French beans at his farm in Kitengela. Photo courtesy.

In 2014, Jeremy Musila dropped out from Technical University of Kenya where he was pursuing a Diploma in Information and Communications Technology due to lack of school fees. He would start French beans farming two years later, a venture which is currently earning him over Sh0.5m net income a season

“Opting out of school was never my wish but it was as a result of financial challenges though I no longer regret it having converted it into a great opportunity over the years,” said the 27 years old farmer.

Before farming, Musila worked as a cashier at Uchumi Supermarket’s Capital Centre branch along Mombasa Road in 2014 and 2015 then was retrenched early January 2016 together with other employees following the ailing state of the retail chain.

He in vain tried looking for another job before bumping into his longtime friend, Erick Kioko who was also faced with joblessness after quitting his job from Tuskys supermarket.

Jeremy Musila French beans

Kioko would later convince him (Musila) into French beans farming back at Ngoliba along Garissa Road near Matuu where Kioko’s family has a four acre piece of land which was not being fully utilised.

“The idea looked good after we both did a small research on French beans market and possible production per acre. It was more feasible given many farmers in the area were also practicing the crop production and it would be easy doing consultations and learning from them,” said Musila.

He used Sh10,000 part of his Sh100,000 savings from Uchumi job to lease an acre piece of plot from Kioko’s family as the friend also acquired an acre where they would begin farming each separately.

They then visited Phyma Fresh Produce firm, an agricultural fresh produce exporter located in Embakasi, Nairobi to seek for French beans production contract.

“To my amazement, the company offered us a one year contract each with good terms to produce and supply them with French beans. They also offered us agronomical support that would enable us choose the right seeds, chemical, fertiliser and irrigation methods,” said Musila.

He then used Sh20,000 to buy a 20kg bag of vanilla seeds variety of French beans, Sh3,000 on ploughing, Sh1,000 in furrowing and Sh7,000 on chemicals.

These would pave way for him to start planting beginning February 2016 targeting market from mid to end of March when there is high demand of the produce in both local and international markets as advised by Phyma Fresh Produce agronomists.

“French beans take between 45-50 days to mature and once ready the crop can be harvested for three weeks of continuous inflow of cash,” said Musila.

The first season saw him harvest 2.5 tonnes which to him was below the target of four tonnes which a farmer can realise from an acre piece of land.

Fortunately, his harvest came at the right time when the crop was fetching Sh150-200 a kilo in export market. This saw him rake about Sh375,000 gross and Sh220,000 net income from the that very first season.

“This was below the target, I remember there was a neighbouring farmer who harvested three tonnes from just a half an acre piece of plot.”

However, through further consultaions he has since improved the quantity and quality of his produce from season to season leaving no chance to diseases and pests such as thrips and whiteflies which affect the crop causing rejection of some produce by exporters.

“Of the two pests, thrips are the most dangerous. They attack the crop at flowering stage making the final produce look crooked unacceptable for export,” said Musila adding that also failure to water the crop during dry season even for a week can lead to 50 per cent loss.

Today, he has four acres of land in different locations where he cultivates French beans on rotation. First is a two acre farm at Ngoliba he leased at Sh10,000 per acre and another two at Kitengela leased at Sh100,000 each and both have a potential of producing 3.7 tonnes and 4.5 tonnes of French beans a season respectively.

At Ngoliba, he uses free water from Athi River tapped through government built canals which supplies homes and farms with fresh water via gravity while in Kitengela he spends about Sh15,000 on water per season during dry seasons.

He is also currently selling to other five fresh produce exporting companies on order. He has three seasons of production a year earning him about Sh1.04m gross and over Sh0.5m net income a season.

Musila who has since turned into a French beans farming consultant runs a Facebook page, ‘French beans for export’ where he advices various farmers especially starters on how to grow the crop and further helping them access markets by linking them to exporters.

Jeremy Musila

Other than his Facebook, ‘French beans for export’ page, Musila can also be reached on +254 719 566978

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: 08 March 2019; Hits: 12165

Farm training farmers on cheese making for more returns

baraka farm training farmers on chees farming

Kenyan dairy farmers can venture into cheese making for more returns other than selling milk alone thanks to Baraka Farm, a dairy farm in Eldoret which has been training farmers on how to use surplus milk they produce to make the dairy by-product.

According to the farm, there is only a handful of artisan cheesemakers in Kenya but the market potential invites more farmstead producers—those who only work with milk from their own animals.

In the market, fresh milk sells at average of Sh35 per litre while 1Kg wheel of cheese, from 10litres of milk sells at Sh800.

Value addition to milk doubles the price, although other materials used in the process cost 40 per cent of the price of the product.

RELATED CONTENT: Moi University set to produce own Yoghurt

Among the ingredients needed for professional cheese making are potassium nitrate, starter culture, rennet, wax and colour.

Potassium nitrate is added to improve the keeping quality, while the starter culture is used for the introduction of bacteria, whose main purpose is acid production.

During the ripening process, the bacteria play other essential roles by producing volatile flavor compounds (like diacetyl, aldehydes), by releasing enzymes involved in cheese ripening.

Besides, they produce natural antibiotic substances that suppress growth of pathogens and other spoilage microorganism.

Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes that coagulates (solidifies) the milk, separating it into the solid curd and liquid whey.

For practical classes on cheese making, interested farmers can contact the Baraka using the phone numbers: +254 700 342 758 and +254 705 884 233 or Emails: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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