Pests

: 31 July 2018; Hits: 9801

Indian company introduces air-tight grains storage bags for Kenya farmers

SaveGrain Bag, photo courtesy.

SaveGrain Bags, part of Panama Group, an Indian firm which provides scientific food grain storage services has introduced in the Kenyan market grains storage bags which can be used to store food grains, seeds, beans and nuts among others for up to two years without using any harmful chemicals.

SaveGrain Bags are a tightly closed storage facility with modified atmospheric gases and humidity condition different than natural atmosphere gases hence they provide anaerobic storage solution meaning they allow no gas to leak from any opening to enter the storage material.

The company had designed Hermetic Storage system which could only store 300 tons as they targeted big farms and companies which harvested and stored grains in large quantities but after a research among smallholder farmers in India, a 50 kg bags were made as it was the size farmers were looking for.

“We discussed and worked with different packaging experts and agriculture experts about the challenge faced by the farmers and after almost 1 year of research, trials and tests we developed SaveGrain Bags which is cost effective solution tailor made for the farmers,” said Sachin Gangal, SaveGrain Bags marketing team leader in Kenya.

In addition, SaveGrain Bags can be use by not only framers but also by traders in shops and warehouses to keep even other farm produce.

“Our bags can be used by anyone who wants to store food grains, seeds, beans, nuts, spices and herbs, flours at farm or at shop, home or Warehouse,” said Gangal.

According to Gangal, SaveGrain Bags protects the product from infestation organically without using any harmful chemicals.

SaveGrain Bags marketing team is currently in Machakos trying to reach farmers who have been harvesting their green grams, beans and soya among other grains which need proper sorage as the farmers aim for a better market.

“We have realized that farmers want to hold their produce and sell when the price is good for them but because of lack of modern storage facilities they are forced to sell the produce immediately after harvesting when the prices are low which results in financial losses to the farmer,” said Gangal.

Currently the average maize price across the major towns and cities in Kenya is Sh2855 while the average price in the same urban areas for finger millet, green grams and sorghum are Sh7956, Sh8467 Sh4386 respectively, according to SOKO+, an online market place for farmers.

Therefore SaveGrain Bags come in handy to help the farmers save their grains for future and better prices as they are rest assured of no quality and quantity loss, preserved aroma, maintained grains original moisture content and maintained high germination rate for the seeds.

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: 25 July 2018; Hits: 6547

Government to vaccinate 300,000 livestock in Isiolo against Rift Valley Fever

livestock vaccination

National Veterinary Services (DVS) and other stakeholders have partnered to vaccinate 300,000 livestock in Isiolo County in the second phase of the campaign against Rift Valley Fever (RVF) that kicked off last Friday in a bid to save farmers from any losses to the disease.

According to a 2015 report by Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines (GALVmed), the acute viral disease that mainly affects sheep, goats, cattle and camels causes mortality rates of up to 90 per cent in young calves and lambs while in adult cattle and small ruminants the main symptom is abortion, which can affect the majority of the herd or flock.

In the first phase, 195,000 livestock were vaccinated against the disease in the area according to DVS director, Dr. Obadiah Nyaga Njagi.

Njagi, during the kick off of the vaccination process at Shaab in Isiolo last week, said that the Regional Pastoral Livelihood Resilience Project have donated 2,080,000 vaccine in all 12 counties affected by the disease.

“No cases of the disease have been reported in the country for the last three weeks, which allowed the veterinary department to reopen all slaughtering places,” said Njagi.

He said DVS will closely monitor livestock which cross from the neighbouring countries for grazing and watering so that our animals would not be affected.

The RPLRP national coordinator, Dr. Kisa Toroitich said that his organization would continue partnering with the Government to improve livelihood of the pastoral communities by digging boreholes and vaccinating animals in time of need.

Dr. Toroitich said that RPLRP has done restocking for locals after the long drought that killed over half of livestock in the area.

He said that four dams have been constructed and three boreholes dug and wananchi have a reason to smile, since they no longer require to travel for long distances with their livestocks.

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: 20 July 2018; Hits: 8739

Government launches Sh6.2bn plan to save farmers from a viral sheep and goat disease

sheep goats

A farmer with his goats and sheep in Uasin Gishu. Goats and sheep are the main source of income for many people in Kenya hence the effort by the government to save farmers from PPR, a viral disease affecting the anmals. Photo: Jared Nyataya, NMG.

The Ministry of Agriculture through the State Department for Livestock has launched a Sh6.2 billion plan aimed at eradicating Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a viral disease affecting sheep and goats.

The disease which is also known as sheep and goat plague once introduced, can infect up to 90 per cent of an animal heard, and the disease kills anywhere from 30 to 70 per cent of infected animals according to Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Livestock Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai yesterday unveiled the National Strategy for the Control and Eradication of PPR 2017-2027, a highly contagious disease which also affects small ruminants including some wildlife species.

FAO says PPR was first described in 1942 in Côte d'Ivoire. Since then the disease has spread to large regions in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Today, more than 70 countries have confirmed PPR within their borders, and many countries are at risk of the disease being introduced. These regions are home to approximately 1.7bn heads – roughly 80 per cent – of the global population of sheep and goats.

In kenya the disease was first detected in 2006 in Turkana County. The state vaccinated animals to control the disease, but it spread in most of arid and semi-arid areas.

Speaking during the event, the PS who also officially commissioned a team that will oversee the implementation of the strategy said PPR is a threat to food security in the country and hindrance towards the realization of the 'Big Four' Agenda.

“The disease affects production in sheep and goats. These animals are key to the economy. There is urgency in eliminating the disease,” said the PS.

Kimtai said the first outbreak of the disease dealt pastoralists a severe blow. The disease killed 1.2 million animals estimated to cost Sh236m.

The PS said the ministry has a vision of winning the battle against PPR by 2027.

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Combating the disease requires a multi-sectoral approach from both public and private players, Kimtai said. He urged animal production stakeholders to join hands in eliminating the disease.

The Kenyan strategy is in line with the global, continental and the regional PPR strategies. It advocates for the progressive control and eradication of PPR by the year 2027.

Development partners supporting the campaign include the FAO, the European Union (EU), the African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) among others.

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