Smart farms

: 20 February 2018; Hits: 12537

20,000 Meru farmers to benefits from sorghum value addition

Sorghum photo by One Acre Fund.JPG

Over 20,000 smallholder farmers from Meru, Tharaka-Nithi and Kitui counties are set to benefit from sorghum value addition to make beer, biscuits and sausages through the help agri-business enterprise, Shalem Investments, a sorghum purchasing and processing company based in Meru.

The farmers who are grouped in groups of between 20 and 50 farmers will also be helped to identify markets by Shalem enabling them sell the produce at a profit while also processing to make sorghum based products. Traditionally, sorghum has been used in the preparation of porridge and ugali especially by families living in arid and semi-arid areas in Kenya.

“We have grouped our farmers according to their capacity of production, size of land by each farmer, and social arrangements with the aim of empowering the youth and women. Already 60 per cent of the farmers are women,” said Ruth Kinoti, CEO of Shalem Investments Ltd.

The main aim is to introduce agribusiness to individual farmers who would have found it difficult to reach market due to low production volumes.

“Shalem with the help of partners has also mobilized and organized farmers to form a trading block that is able to supply sorghum to beer manufacturer East African Malt limited, a subsidiary of East African Breweries.”

The company introduced a new sorghum based product to her series of products last year December. The fortified Asili Plus porridge flour product made from sorghum is currently available in local and retail shops in Meru. It provides sorghum farmers in the area with additional source of income.

“Among the biggest problems facing farmers is lack of appreciating agriculture as a business opportunity therefore they fail to structure their activities in a way that would benefit them,” said Kinoti.

“For the full impact of value addition to be realized, there is need for the farmer to learn entrepreneurship and that is what Shalem is giving farmers.”

Sorghum is the fifth most important grain after maize and it is also considered as the continent’s food for the poor and is grown mostly by poor families for home consumption according to National Farmers Information Service.

Shalem Investment Ltd has focused on incentivising farmers and aggregators to take responsibility for the quality of produce available for consumption and sale. This has increased their bargaining power for better prices. By working closely with farmers, the company is attracting higher rewards from buyers for the improved quality of its produce, translating to better prices for farmers and aggregators

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: 16 February 2018; Hits: 36870

Fact sheet on Guatemala grass

Smallholder farmers can feed their animals all year round with Guatemala grass, an alternative fodder crop that withstands Napier stunt and head smut diseases. The grass doesn’t harden hence can be fed to livestock even when overgrown.

According to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the grass can produce five to seven tonnes of dry matter per acre in one year enough to feed one dairy cow for a whole year. Guatemala grass is fed to livestock to improve milk production and can triple milk yields.

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Evans Muugu, a Nyeri dairy farmer for instance has increased milk yields from his three lactating cows from 15 to 25 liters per cow after feeding them on Guatemala grass.

“I was introduced to the fodder in 2004 by a friend who worked at Egerton University’s department of agriculture, since then I have cultivated it and never turned back,” said Muugu.

The farmer, who was a former police officer, has increased his initial cultivation of the fodder from half an acre to two acres.

Guatemala grass at the 2017 Nairobi International Trade Fair

Guatemala grass grows well in the mid to high altitude areas of Western Kenya. To plant it, cut root splits to attain a length of 20 to 30cm. Plant one root split per hole and apply either one soda bottle top per hole (one bag of DAP per acre). Alternatively, farm yard manure can be applied at the rate of two handfuls per hole. After planting, the soil should be covered firmly to enable the splits grow without interference.

Proper management practices should be carried out in the field. These include weeding regularly whenever weeds appear. The first harvesting is usually three to four months after planting. The harvest is done by cutting using a machete. During the harvesting process, a stubble height of 10cm is maintained to encourage quick re-growth.

A subsequent harvest is done after six to eight weeks intervals. After every 2nd harvest, apply two to three bottle-tops of CAN per stool or two bags per acre, or apply two handfuls of farm yard manure/compost per stool (four tonnes FYM/compost per acre)

The grass is chopped to two to three centimeter pieces and fed to livestock when fresh. If the harvest is plenty, a farmer can opt to make silage for dry season feeding of his herd.

Farmers can source planting materials at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the Ministry of Agriculture or other farmers who grow the grass.

Evans Muugu can be reached on +254 727 794 065.

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Friday, 25 December 2020 The grass has also indicated good propagation with cuttings of its stems that fo...