Valuable sweet potatoes by Mwangi Mumero
For Charles Muthike, a sweet potato farmer in Ndia Division in Kirinyaga County, demand for this versatile food cannot be met.
“We have lorries and small traders trooping to our farms looking for ready sweet potatoes to buy and sell to the swelling urban population. A large number of farmers in this area have switched from growing maize to fast moving sweet potatoes”, says Muthike, a father of three and a farmer at Karima, near the Nyeri-Nairobi Highway. A bag of sweet potatoes retails at sh 4,500.
With rising shift toward more traditional foods, as lifestyle health issues crop up, ‘orphan crops’ such as sweet potatoes and yams have become favourite for many urban Kenyans eager to drop their ‘junk foods ‘ .
While Central Kenya produces little of the sweet potatoes in the country, the main growing areas are western Kenya- mainly Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia , Homa Bay, Rachuonyo and Kisii counties.
Sweet potato is an important cash crop in Mosocho and Suneka divisions in Kisii county.
In Kisii, an approximately 90 kg bag of sweet potatoes sells at sh 5,000.
Over the years, acreage under sweet potatoes has been rising with average yield at about 10 tons per hectare. Sweet potatoes are adaptable to different agro-ecological zones ranging from 0-2100m above sea level and occasionally are found in altitudes of about 2400m. They thrive at temperatures above 24°C in abundant sunshine.
They require rainfall of 750-1000mm per annum and will need a moderate soil pH of 6.0 for optimum production.
They also require well drained, free soil to allow root development.
Sweet potatoes have a growing period of 3-6 months depending on the variety.
However in the short rains farmers prefer those maturing in 3 months and in the long rains those maturing in 6 months.
Land should be prepared to loosen the soils to make mounds of 80 cm by 30 cm and 1-3 vines planted per mould or on ridges of 90-1500m by 30-60cm along the ridges.
Vines are used for establishment. The shoot vines should be cut 30cm from the growing point before planting.
Cultivation of some of the newly introduced varieties currently under testing by CIP/KARI has lead to higher yields.
Average per capita consumption of sweet potato is about 24 kg per year with higher proportions consumed in the western parts of Kenya .
The white skinned variety has desirable characteristics to both farmers and consumers.
These include short maturity period -3 to 4 months-, high yields, moderate stability after harvesting -up to 7 days- and an attractive yellow flesh.
The major disadvantage of the variety especially if grown for home consumption is that its quality deteriorates very fast when left unharvested beyond 1 month after maturity.
Another variety has a red skin and yellow flesh and matures within 6 to 7 months after planting.
After maturity the tubers can retain their quality for a further 3 to 6 months when left unharvested.
This variety is therefore suitable for cultivation for home consumption and marketing as it can store relatively well after harvesting.
Sweet potato, particularly the yellow fleshed varieties, are good sources of vitamins .
A comparison with other food crops shows that it yields more calories per unit area than either maize or potato and nearly as much as cassava, while its protein yield is far higher than the latter.
Despite the clear potential of sweet potato in helping to meet Kenya's food needs, full exploitation is constrained by its bulkiness, perishability, high cost per unit sold, as well as low consumer acceptability.
Consumers perceive it only as a snack and not as a food which can constitute the main part of a family's diet .
This perception is a substantial barrier to increased sweet potato consumption and hence production.
“ Mostly, people buy potatoes to roast or boil and eat them are snacks. Few customers buy more than five pieces at a time as they are not considered a full meal even at family level”, observes Alfayo Njeri, a trader at the Kibingoti market, located along the Nyeri-Nairobi highway.
At the market, hordes of mainly women traders hawk all types of foods that includes fruits and sweet potatoes to the thousands of road users along this busy highway.
In our urban centres, traders roasting sweet potatoes alongside maize have become a common feature in the streets.
But now researchers have upped the ante and identified another milestone in the nutritive value of sweet potatoes –which are seen as an important food crop in semi-arid lands across the world.
According to researchers and breeders at the International Potato Center (CIP) in San Ramon, Peru, the pigmentation of the purple fleshed sweet potato varieties is due to the presence of anthocyanins.
Studies from Kansas State University have revealed that two of these anthocyanins contain properties inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the human colon. The high anthocyanin content - an antioxidant- in sweet potatoes prevents cancer and aging.
“My nutritionist colleagues tell me that the anthocyanins in sweet potato are easily absorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream, where they may have beneficial effects,” indicates Dr. Ted Carey CIP sweetpotato breeder in Ghana.
Currently, in addition to field testing, CIP scientists also do laboratory tests for nutritional characteristics of these and other sweet potato clones with an aim for future multiplication.
“We are evaluating nutritional components such as beta-carotene, protein, starch and dry matter, and also minerals and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and magnesium”, explains Genoveva Rossel, CIP’s sweetpotato germplasm collection curator. (ends)
Rabbit farming
A Kenyan farmer dsiplays a health rabbit ready for the market
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Pawpaws now being used to treat Bilharzia..... Prospects for pawpaw Kenyan farmers?
Pawpaw and bilharzia treatment by Mwangi Mumero
Kenyans may soon be able to cure bilharzia using simple remedies like pawpaw juice and solanum roots, when research, currently in the final stages, at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology gets the final nod from human medical authorities.
According to Professor Susy Muchika and colleagues at the university, their work with mice has shown that pawpaws provide high levels of immunity and offer high levels of protection against bilharzias to those animals using it. A similar result has been noticed with solanum roots.
Solanum incanum, also known as Sodom apple, is a common weed prevalent in many parts of Kenya and the East African region.
Working at the Department of Zoology, the group of researchers add that the destruction of worms due to chemicals in papaya and solanum roots would provide a cheaper alternative to expensive drugs currently in use.
Bilharzia -also known as schistosomiasis- is a health problem that affects close to 6 million people in the country with the majority in Coast Province and areas near irrigation projects.
Farmers in irrigation schemes like Mwea and Ahero are particularly prone to the scourge due to the presence of a water snail that form part of the transmission stages of the parasitic worm. The parasitic worm passed through a water snail which thrives in wet conditions provided by irrigation canals.
Women washing clothes in infested water are at risk. Hygiene and playing in mud and water make children vulnerable to infection. Forty million women of childbearing age are infected.
Approximately 10 million women in Africa have schistosomiasis during pregnancy In endemic areas, the infection is usually acquired as a child.
Signs of the disease include too much coughing, a lot of abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss. In extreme cases, blood in urine is visible and ported a slow and painful death.
Loss in productivity as workers fail to tend their fields, increased loss of income through expensive drugs and dietary requirement for recovering patients are also huge public health obligations.
The disease further worsens the disease burden for persons living in irrigated areas who have fight against malaria infections and intestinal worms.
The intensity and prevalence of infection then rises with age and peaks usually between 15 to 20 years. In areas where the disease is common, tourism is also affected as visitor avoid bathing or swimming in waters infected by the disease transmitting snail.
The university’s stand at the recently concluded Nairobi International Trade Fair was inundated with students, journalists and the general public eager to obtain further information on the research work.
“The use of papaya and solanum- cheaply available on the country in the management of bilharzia has proved effective in mice. We believe that it can work in humans once the final tests and approvals are sought from the relevant bodies”, noted one of the technicians at the stand who did not want his name used in the press story.
On display were assorted product from papaya and solanum –from fruits and roots- which researches believe form the basis of a future affordable bilharzias treatment.
However, unlike herbalists who advice patients to boil or crush roots , barks and other plant parts, the researchers at the university said they will have to seek advice of drug development once their research work has been approved and ready to be rolled out as human medicine.
In a related development, another group of researchers at the university have identified viable ways of managing snake bites.
Venom from highly poisonous Black Mamba snakes can be used to treat bites that are mainly fatal. Snakes are a real threat to million of Kenyans that live in arid and semi-arid part of the country as well as livestock that graze in grasslands.
“Continuous exposure of small diluted venom to mice has proved effective in taming poisonous snakes. Mice under laboratory tests have been able to develop anti-venom abilities with exposure to small controlled doses of the venom. We believe that with further research, it is possible to get proper anti-venom vaccine for use by humans”, noted the technicians at the stand.
The research carried out By Professor Rosebella Maranga and colleagues has shown ‘ a lot of potential for mass production ‘, according to the technicians who had to answer a multitude of question of question from the eager members of public. (ends)
Kenyans may soon be able to cure bilharzia using simple remedies like pawpaw juice and solanum roots, when research, currently in the final stages, at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology gets the final nod from human medical authorities.
According to Professor Susy Muchika and colleagues at the university, their work with mice has shown that pawpaws provide high levels of immunity and offer high levels of protection against bilharzias to those animals using it. A similar result has been noticed with solanum roots.
Solanum incanum, also known as Sodom apple, is a common weed prevalent in many parts of Kenya and the East African region.
Working at the Department of Zoology, the group of researchers add that the destruction of worms due to chemicals in papaya and solanum roots would provide a cheaper alternative to expensive drugs currently in use.
Bilharzia -also known as schistosomiasis- is a health problem that affects close to 6 million people in the country with the majority in Coast Province and areas near irrigation projects.
Farmers in irrigation schemes like Mwea and Ahero are particularly prone to the scourge due to the presence of a water snail that form part of the transmission stages of the parasitic worm. The parasitic worm passed through a water snail which thrives in wet conditions provided by irrigation canals.
Women washing clothes in infested water are at risk. Hygiene and playing in mud and water make children vulnerable to infection. Forty million women of childbearing age are infected.
Approximately 10 million women in Africa have schistosomiasis during pregnancy In endemic areas, the infection is usually acquired as a child.
Signs of the disease include too much coughing, a lot of abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss. In extreme cases, blood in urine is visible and ported a slow and painful death.
Loss in productivity as workers fail to tend their fields, increased loss of income through expensive drugs and dietary requirement for recovering patients are also huge public health obligations.
The disease further worsens the disease burden for persons living in irrigated areas who have fight against malaria infections and intestinal worms.
The intensity and prevalence of infection then rises with age and peaks usually between 15 to 20 years. In areas where the disease is common, tourism is also affected as visitor avoid bathing or swimming in waters infected by the disease transmitting snail.
The university’s stand at the recently concluded Nairobi International Trade Fair was inundated with students, journalists and the general public eager to obtain further information on the research work.
“The use of papaya and solanum- cheaply available on the country in the management of bilharzia has proved effective in mice. We believe that it can work in humans once the final tests and approvals are sought from the relevant bodies”, noted one of the technicians at the stand who did not want his name used in the press story.
On display were assorted product from papaya and solanum –from fruits and roots- which researches believe form the basis of a future affordable bilharzias treatment.
However, unlike herbalists who advice patients to boil or crush roots , barks and other plant parts, the researchers at the university said they will have to seek advice of drug development once their research work has been approved and ready to be rolled out as human medicine.
In a related development, another group of researchers at the university have identified viable ways of managing snake bites.
Venom from highly poisonous Black Mamba snakes can be used to treat bites that are mainly fatal. Snakes are a real threat to million of Kenyans that live in arid and semi-arid part of the country as well as livestock that graze in grasslands.
“Continuous exposure of small diluted venom to mice has proved effective in taming poisonous snakes. Mice under laboratory tests have been able to develop anti-venom abilities with exposure to small controlled doses of the venom. We believe that with further research, it is possible to get proper anti-venom vaccine for use by humans”, noted the technicians at the stand.
The research carried out By Professor Rosebella Maranga and colleagues has shown ‘ a lot of potential for mass production ‘, according to the technicians who had to answer a multitude of question of question from the eager members of public. (ends)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Milk quality and marketing in Kenya
Milk quality vs price by Mwangi Mumero
Recent remarks by the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) managing director Dr Kipkurui arap Langat to the effect that his firm will start paying farmers according to the milk quality delivered has caught farmers flat-footed.
According to Dr Langat, fat content in milk will be the main factor considered in paying farmers- not the quantity- as is currently the case.
Consequently, farmers with cows producing milk low in fat will get less pay compared to those whose animals produce higher fat content.
“ This move will be unfair to many farmers across the country. Many of us are ignorant on issues pertaining to milk quality and therefore New KCC and other marketing firms will need to educate farmers on quality milk production”, observed David Kamau, a farmer in Ol joro orok, Nyandarua County.
According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) milk composition varies considerably among breeds of dairy cattle- Jersey and Guernsey breeds give milk of higher fat and protein content than Friesian.
Zebu cows can give milk containing up to 7 per cent fat.
As cows grow older the fat content of their milk decreases by about 0.02 percentage units per lactation.
Across the country, very few of the the over 800,000 smallholder farmers keep pure-bred milk breeds like Guernsey and Friesian – with the majority raising mixed dairy cows.
Dr Langat did not however clarify whether New KCC will help farmers with the anticipated cost of transition from the mixed dairy breeds to pure-breeds which have higher milk fat content and therefore better returns for farmers.
But beyond milk fat, quality of delivered milk is also determined by other factors mainly pre-milking and post-milking handling.
Approximately 4 million litres of milk are produced annually in the country with the bulk coming from these smallholder farmers.
Most of the milk is delivered in plastic containers- mostly re-used cooking fat vessels or petroleum containers. A minority use aluminum churns – that are recommended for they are easily cleaned.
Use of these plastic containers has been blamed for the poor quality of the milk sometimes reaching the market.
“ Sometimes our milk is rejected at the processing firms because of poor quality or adulteration of milk. We have on occasions nabbed farmers who have added water to their milk to increase the volumes. Similarly we have refused milk from some farmers due to dirty containers they use in delivering their milk”, observes Charles Munyui, who works with a private firm in Murang'a district that delivers milk to the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC).
Over 40 per cent of the milk marketed in the country is delivered to New KCC with the rest going to Brookside Dairies among others processing firms.
Milk testing and quality control is an essential component of any milk processing industry whether small, medium or large scale.
Milk being made up of 87 per cent water is prone to adulteration by unscrupulous middlemen and unfaithful farm workers.
On the other hand, its high nutritive value makes it an ideal medium for the rapid multiplication of bacteria, particularly under unhygienic production and storage at ambient temperatures.
Research conducted at the University of Nairobi, School of Veterinary Medicine at Kabete shows that approximately 13 per cent of milk samples sold in Kenya were adulterated with added water.
According to the study, the milk samples had high levels of coliform bacteria attributed to dirty containers used in delivering milk from farmers.
While Munyui and other milk transports occasionally test milk for water content before collecting it from farmers , many admit that it is s 'tedious process and quite infrequent'.
High quality milk is visually appealing, free of adulteration and meets specific quality standards for somatic cell count and bacteria.
Production of high quality milk requires high levels of pre-milking udder hygiene as well as clean milking equipment.
Post milking handling is also vital in lowering bacteria content. Unfortunately, few smallholder farmers have the skills or equipment needed in cooling milk before delivery to the transporters and processors.
But the emergence of new technologies will now make it easier for farmers, deliverers and processors to collect data on milk quality, quantity and ascertain the total volumes in the country.
Developed by Sunbeam Technologies Limited, this milk analyser detects different components of milk- fat content, added water , solid and other materiel at the touch of the button.
This system connects players in the milk production , delivery and processing chain through radio frequencies, short message service (SMS) and email.
Transmitting the information through the mobile networks, the analyser can trigger real time results of the sampled milk to the main server of a given processor. This means that information collected from a particular farmer is transmitted to the processor immediately.
“This shorten the time of processing receipts to the farmers common in the conventional methods used in the country. It also helps the processor to minimise errors occasioned by wrong data entry as done by the manual process”, says Santosh Solanki, head of Sunbeam Technologies.
Already in use in Rwanda, the system helps processors to get data on collected milk, its quality and quantity even before the actual delivery to the processor.
Solaski says that that the analyzer can check milk from up to 100 farmers in an hour with 98 per cent accuracy.
Analyzed milk can also help farmers to identify diseased cows and take up veterinary services quickly to stem the spread of diseases and milk rejection.
“ It allows farmers room to make regular checks on their animals on a particular breed on its quality and quantity with reference to printed slips”, says Solanski. For instance, somatic cell count in milk will be indicative of mastitis – a debilitating contagious disease of the udder and teats.
The data collected can then be verified along what was delivered to the factory- reducing fraud and corruption especially through collaboration between milk clerks and some farmers.
Over the years, there has been concerns that farmers were losing thousands of litres to unscrupulous milk clerks lowering confidence among the mainly rural farmers.
Beyond the milk tests, figures collected from the analyser can hep processors to make proactive measures to curb increased o decreased milk production.
“ Accurate data on milk collected could easily avert a milk glut and could easily be used to predict the future performance and hence avoid incidences of milk being poured off due to lack of market”, said Solanski.
In a recent exhibition at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute ( KARI) farmers sought information on the device and way it can help them in their dairying. (ends)
Recent remarks by the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) managing director Dr Kipkurui arap Langat to the effect that his firm will start paying farmers according to the milk quality delivered has caught farmers flat-footed.
According to Dr Langat, fat content in milk will be the main factor considered in paying farmers- not the quantity- as is currently the case.
Consequently, farmers with cows producing milk low in fat will get less pay compared to those whose animals produce higher fat content.
“ This move will be unfair to many farmers across the country. Many of us are ignorant on issues pertaining to milk quality and therefore New KCC and other marketing firms will need to educate farmers on quality milk production”, observed David Kamau, a farmer in Ol joro orok, Nyandarua County.
According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) milk composition varies considerably among breeds of dairy cattle- Jersey and Guernsey breeds give milk of higher fat and protein content than Friesian.
Zebu cows can give milk containing up to 7 per cent fat.
As cows grow older the fat content of their milk decreases by about 0.02 percentage units per lactation.
Across the country, very few of the the over 800,000 smallholder farmers keep pure-bred milk breeds like Guernsey and Friesian – with the majority raising mixed dairy cows.
Dr Langat did not however clarify whether New KCC will help farmers with the anticipated cost of transition from the mixed dairy breeds to pure-breeds which have higher milk fat content and therefore better returns for farmers.
But beyond milk fat, quality of delivered milk is also determined by other factors mainly pre-milking and post-milking handling.
Approximately 4 million litres of milk are produced annually in the country with the bulk coming from these smallholder farmers.
Most of the milk is delivered in plastic containers- mostly re-used cooking fat vessels or petroleum containers. A minority use aluminum churns – that are recommended for they are easily cleaned.
Use of these plastic containers has been blamed for the poor quality of the milk sometimes reaching the market.
“ Sometimes our milk is rejected at the processing firms because of poor quality or adulteration of milk. We have on occasions nabbed farmers who have added water to their milk to increase the volumes. Similarly we have refused milk from some farmers due to dirty containers they use in delivering their milk”, observes Charles Munyui, who works with a private firm in Murang'a district that delivers milk to the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC).
Over 40 per cent of the milk marketed in the country is delivered to New KCC with the rest going to Brookside Dairies among others processing firms.
Milk testing and quality control is an essential component of any milk processing industry whether small, medium or large scale.
Milk being made up of 87 per cent water is prone to adulteration by unscrupulous middlemen and unfaithful farm workers.
On the other hand, its high nutritive value makes it an ideal medium for the rapid multiplication of bacteria, particularly under unhygienic production and storage at ambient temperatures.
Research conducted at the University of Nairobi, School of Veterinary Medicine at Kabete shows that approximately 13 per cent of milk samples sold in Kenya were adulterated with added water.
According to the study, the milk samples had high levels of coliform bacteria attributed to dirty containers used in delivering milk from farmers.
While Munyui and other milk transports occasionally test milk for water content before collecting it from farmers , many admit that it is s 'tedious process and quite infrequent'.
High quality milk is visually appealing, free of adulteration and meets specific quality standards for somatic cell count and bacteria.
Production of high quality milk requires high levels of pre-milking udder hygiene as well as clean milking equipment.
Post milking handling is also vital in lowering bacteria content. Unfortunately, few smallholder farmers have the skills or equipment needed in cooling milk before delivery to the transporters and processors.
But the emergence of new technologies will now make it easier for farmers, deliverers and processors to collect data on milk quality, quantity and ascertain the total volumes in the country.
Developed by Sunbeam Technologies Limited, this milk analyser detects different components of milk- fat content, added water , solid and other materiel at the touch of the button.
This system connects players in the milk production , delivery and processing chain through radio frequencies, short message service (SMS) and email.
Transmitting the information through the mobile networks, the analyser can trigger real time results of the sampled milk to the main server of a given processor. This means that information collected from a particular farmer is transmitted to the processor immediately.
“This shorten the time of processing receipts to the farmers common in the conventional methods used in the country. It also helps the processor to minimise errors occasioned by wrong data entry as done by the manual process”, says Santosh Solanki, head of Sunbeam Technologies.
Already in use in Rwanda, the system helps processors to get data on collected milk, its quality and quantity even before the actual delivery to the processor.
Solaski says that that the analyzer can check milk from up to 100 farmers in an hour with 98 per cent accuracy.
Analyzed milk can also help farmers to identify diseased cows and take up veterinary services quickly to stem the spread of diseases and milk rejection.
“ It allows farmers room to make regular checks on their animals on a particular breed on its quality and quantity with reference to printed slips”, says Solanski. For instance, somatic cell count in milk will be indicative of mastitis – a debilitating contagious disease of the udder and teats.
The data collected can then be verified along what was delivered to the factory- reducing fraud and corruption especially through collaboration between milk clerks and some farmers.
Over the years, there has been concerns that farmers were losing thousands of litres to unscrupulous milk clerks lowering confidence among the mainly rural farmers.
Beyond the milk tests, figures collected from the analyser can hep processors to make proactive measures to curb increased o decreased milk production.
“ Accurate data on milk collected could easily avert a milk glut and could easily be used to predict the future performance and hence avoid incidences of milk being poured off due to lack of market”, said Solanski.
In a recent exhibition at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute ( KARI) farmers sought information on the device and way it can help them in their dairying. (ends)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Are Kenyan farmers benefiting from fish farming?
Fish farming and marketing by Mwangi Mumero
With the launch of the Economic Stimulus Program (EPS) two years ago to boost food security and spur long-term development in rural areas, fish farming has become a major beneficiary as demand for fingerlings – young fish soars.
Increased number of Kenyans venturing into fish farming has led to some prospective farmers moving across the border to the Great Lakes regions looking for fingerlings. Nationally, demand rose from 1 million in 2006 to 28 million in 2011.
Launched in 2009/10 financial year the ESP programme aimed at urgently jump starting the Kenyan economy towards long-term growth and development particularly in the wake of the 2007/08 post-election violence and the global economic meltdown.
The government allocated a total budget for the Economic stimulus programme of Ksh 22 billion ($ 275 million).
Among its targets were investment in long –term solutions to the challenges of food security and expanding economic opportunities in rural areas for employment creation.
Under the programme, the government was to spend Ksh 1.12 billion ($ 14 million) to construct fish ponds in over 140 constituencies. The funds have since shot to Ksh 3 billion ( $ 37.5 million) in the 2010/2011 fiscal year.
Over the same period fish production rose from 4000 tonnes worth Ksh 560 million ($ 7 million) in 2006 to 12,154 tonnes worth Ksh 3.6 billion ($ 45 million) in 2010.
Local organizations raising young fish are making huge profits as demand outstrips supply as the number of fish ponds rise across the country.
“We cannot meet the demand for fingerlings in this region. Individuals and institutions have been flocking our ponds seeking fingerlings. Acceptance of fish has also raised demand”, observed Edwin Ndereba, the Chairman Thuita Forest Network, a non-governmental organization in Nithi County.
While initially formed for forest conservation efforts such as tree planting, the Network has emerged as the leader in fish farming in Eastern Kenya region.
Currently, the network has 10 fish ponds most of them stocked with fish- mainly tilapia and catfish-for sale as well as a breeding stock for fingerlings.
The Network is among the 62 authenticated organizations by the Fisheries Department nationally to supply fingerlings to the fledgling aquaculture businesses.
Others in the country include Chwele Fish Farm and Yala Fish Farm in Western Kenya, Isiolo Fish Farm in Northern Kenya, Mwea Fish Farm in Central, Thongoni Aquaculture Farm in Machakos and Bamburi Nature Trail, Mombasa among others.
“It will take a while before market for fingerling slows down. Even among women, interest in fish farming has been rising with its low labour demands and little land requirements”, noted Gladys Murugi, the treasurer of the 97 member Network that has 75 women and 22 men.
With the declining land size as population rises, land intensive enterprises such as fish farming and greenhouse tomato and cabbage farming in the country have become a darling of smallholder producers.
A fish pond measuring 450 square metres can sustain a family’s economic fortunes.
Recently the group raked Ksh 70,000 ($ 375) from the sale of fish and used the proceeds to set up a fish hotel at the neighbouring Kibugua market in Magumoni division of Meru South District.
“We have been able to supply the hotel with fish from our ponds but demand for fish continues to rise among the education, young and those well traveled. Soon we may have to source fish elsewhere as our hotel cannot support this appetite”, said Japhet Kabucha, the secretary to the group, that is constituted by several self-help groups.
So far, the Network benefits 5,000 persons directly, with another 1,000 persons indirectly mainly through the fish farming activities.
Formed in 2004, the network moved to fish farming two years ago after a Ksh 3 million ($ 37,500) funding by the Nanyuki based non-governmental organization COMPACT.
With this funding, the group was able to construct fish pond, stock the fish and get the necessary permits from government bodies and local authorities to operate fish ponds.
But their major break came after the government launched the Economic Stimulus Programme.
Through the programme, the government funds individuals or organizations that are interested in fish farming.
“With the already existing fish ponds, the Fisheries Department felt we were ahead in the pack. With the ESP, we have constructed a demonstration fish pond where interested persons and schools can learn fish management and marketing”, said Ndereba, a retired Kenya Navy officer.
But even with increased appetite in fish dishes, it is the fingerlings that hold the future of the Network especially for the near future.
While the stipulated price per fingerling is Ksh 7, the price sometimes goes beyond Ksh 10 per piece due to rising demand.
Two neighbouring schools-Njuri secondary and Kericho primary- have already set up fish ponds with the trend moving to the neighbouring regions.
“These institutions have been seeking information from us on how they can obtain fingerlings. Hundreds of individuals have registered with the relevant fisheries department seeking fingerlings from us”, asserts Ms Murugi.
Like other members of the Network, Murugi believes that once they will be able to obtain necessary funding for the construction of a fish hatchery, their business returns will triple.
Already, special ponds for hatching have been constructed and stocking of male and female fish done at a ratio of 3:1 respectively.
However, aquaculture has its challenges.
“Poor breeding stock and feeds are the biggest drawbacks to this sub-sector. Farmers need to buy fingerlings from registered organizations lest they lose their investment through poor stock”, observed Kabucha.
Equally, fish pellets in the mark sometimes fail to supply the required nutrients due to poor formulation resulting in reduced growth rate of the fingerlings. The fish take longer to attain table size of about 300-500 grams.
Within the network ponds, the fish are fed on locally formulated ration bran, chicken grower’s mash and fish meal. Feeding costs average Ksh 3,600 ( $ 45) although other overheads are few.
Prospective fish farmers also need to ascertain that the feed do not have aflatoxins as this can kill the fish. The Network painfully learnt this lesson after fish in one pond were wiped away after taking feeds sourced from a neighbouring country.
Water comes from the neighbouring Magumoni stream.
The network also works closely with the Forest Department, the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Ministry of Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and a number of non-governmental organizations. (ends)
With the launch of the Economic Stimulus Program (EPS) two years ago to boost food security and spur long-term development in rural areas, fish farming has become a major beneficiary as demand for fingerlings – young fish soars.
Increased number of Kenyans venturing into fish farming has led to some prospective farmers moving across the border to the Great Lakes regions looking for fingerlings. Nationally, demand rose from 1 million in 2006 to 28 million in 2011.
Launched in 2009/10 financial year the ESP programme aimed at urgently jump starting the Kenyan economy towards long-term growth and development particularly in the wake of the 2007/08 post-election violence and the global economic meltdown.
The government allocated a total budget for the Economic stimulus programme of Ksh 22 billion ($ 275 million).
Among its targets were investment in long –term solutions to the challenges of food security and expanding economic opportunities in rural areas for employment creation.
Under the programme, the government was to spend Ksh 1.12 billion ($ 14 million) to construct fish ponds in over 140 constituencies. The funds have since shot to Ksh 3 billion ( $ 37.5 million) in the 2010/2011 fiscal year.
Over the same period fish production rose from 4000 tonnes worth Ksh 560 million ($ 7 million) in 2006 to 12,154 tonnes worth Ksh 3.6 billion ($ 45 million) in 2010.
Local organizations raising young fish are making huge profits as demand outstrips supply as the number of fish ponds rise across the country.
“We cannot meet the demand for fingerlings in this region. Individuals and institutions have been flocking our ponds seeking fingerlings. Acceptance of fish has also raised demand”, observed Edwin Ndereba, the Chairman Thuita Forest Network, a non-governmental organization in Nithi County.
While initially formed for forest conservation efforts such as tree planting, the Network has emerged as the leader in fish farming in Eastern Kenya region.
Currently, the network has 10 fish ponds most of them stocked with fish- mainly tilapia and catfish-for sale as well as a breeding stock for fingerlings.
The Network is among the 62 authenticated organizations by the Fisheries Department nationally to supply fingerlings to the fledgling aquaculture businesses.
Others in the country include Chwele Fish Farm and Yala Fish Farm in Western Kenya, Isiolo Fish Farm in Northern Kenya, Mwea Fish Farm in Central, Thongoni Aquaculture Farm in Machakos and Bamburi Nature Trail, Mombasa among others.
“It will take a while before market for fingerling slows down. Even among women, interest in fish farming has been rising with its low labour demands and little land requirements”, noted Gladys Murugi, the treasurer of the 97 member Network that has 75 women and 22 men.
With the declining land size as population rises, land intensive enterprises such as fish farming and greenhouse tomato and cabbage farming in the country have become a darling of smallholder producers.
A fish pond measuring 450 square metres can sustain a family’s economic fortunes.
Recently the group raked Ksh 70,000 ($ 375) from the sale of fish and used the proceeds to set up a fish hotel at the neighbouring Kibugua market in Magumoni division of Meru South District.
“We have been able to supply the hotel with fish from our ponds but demand for fish continues to rise among the education, young and those well traveled. Soon we may have to source fish elsewhere as our hotel cannot support this appetite”, said Japhet Kabucha, the secretary to the group, that is constituted by several self-help groups.
So far, the Network benefits 5,000 persons directly, with another 1,000 persons indirectly mainly through the fish farming activities.
Formed in 2004, the network moved to fish farming two years ago after a Ksh 3 million ($ 37,500) funding by the Nanyuki based non-governmental organization COMPACT.
With this funding, the group was able to construct fish pond, stock the fish and get the necessary permits from government bodies and local authorities to operate fish ponds.
But their major break came after the government launched the Economic Stimulus Programme.
Through the programme, the government funds individuals or organizations that are interested in fish farming.
“With the already existing fish ponds, the Fisheries Department felt we were ahead in the pack. With the ESP, we have constructed a demonstration fish pond where interested persons and schools can learn fish management and marketing”, said Ndereba, a retired Kenya Navy officer.
But even with increased appetite in fish dishes, it is the fingerlings that hold the future of the Network especially for the near future.
While the stipulated price per fingerling is Ksh 7, the price sometimes goes beyond Ksh 10 per piece due to rising demand.
Two neighbouring schools-Njuri secondary and Kericho primary- have already set up fish ponds with the trend moving to the neighbouring regions.
“These institutions have been seeking information from us on how they can obtain fingerlings. Hundreds of individuals have registered with the relevant fisheries department seeking fingerlings from us”, asserts Ms Murugi.
Like other members of the Network, Murugi believes that once they will be able to obtain necessary funding for the construction of a fish hatchery, their business returns will triple.
Already, special ponds for hatching have been constructed and stocking of male and female fish done at a ratio of 3:1 respectively.
However, aquaculture has its challenges.
“Poor breeding stock and feeds are the biggest drawbacks to this sub-sector. Farmers need to buy fingerlings from registered organizations lest they lose their investment through poor stock”, observed Kabucha.
Equally, fish pellets in the mark sometimes fail to supply the required nutrients due to poor formulation resulting in reduced growth rate of the fingerlings. The fish take longer to attain table size of about 300-500 grams.
Within the network ponds, the fish are fed on locally formulated ration bran, chicken grower’s mash and fish meal. Feeding costs average Ksh 3,600 ( $ 45) although other overheads are few.
Prospective fish farmers also need to ascertain that the feed do not have aflatoxins as this can kill the fish. The Network painfully learnt this lesson after fish in one pond were wiped away after taking feeds sourced from a neighbouring country.
Water comes from the neighbouring Magumoni stream.
The network also works closely with the Forest Department, the Kenya Wildlife Service, the Ministry of Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and a number of non-governmental organizations. (ends)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Bamboo wood making ripples in Kenya
Bamboo wood by Mwangi Mumero
With a growth rate three times faster than most trees like eucalyptus, the giant bamboo is promising to become a reliable alternative wood source in East Africa.
In India , an estimated 8 million hectares of bamboo are planted and provides 60 per cent of the country’s massive paper requirement and much of the sub-continent’s timber.
It is this huge potential that has led the Nairobi-based International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), in collaboration with local organizations, to initiate a project of introducing the giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) to East Africa.
With its strong timber, the giant bamboo has been used in Asia to reinforce concrete and for scaffolding on skyscrapers. A square metre of the bamboo flooring sells as much as $ 100.
In Kenya, its rapid growth and high wood yield has been hailed as a potential supply of such industries as the Pan Paper Mills- the main producer of paper in the region.
At household level, research has established that the grass-tree is a valuable source of fuel wood and charcoal. It has been known to yield more than 7000 kilocalories fuel per kilogram of wood which is just half the yield of an equivalent amount of petroleum.
Already, ICRAF in collaboration with local authorities, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have introduced more than 800 giant bamboo seedlings in the region.
The project has currently been centred around Lake Victoria, a region where the forest cover has been on the decline with harmful effects to the vital regional lake. Lake Victoria is the source of the Nile while at the same time promotes regional trade in East Africa and the Great Lakes region.
Over 20 other species of the bamboo are also being tested for further propagation and distribution in the region.
But the benefits of the giant bamboo go beyond wood. The edible bamboo shoot is rich in vitamins and also has carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is consumed in large quantities all over Asia.
The bamboo’s rhizomatous roots are reported to anchor soil in steep slopes and river banks leading to effective soil erosion control.
Studies in South East Asia and Kenya have also shown that the tree has a hydrological function that promotes soil health.
The tree also absorbs over 12 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per hectare-an important asset in controlling high levels of the gas and the consequent global warming.
The giant bamboo is also good at soaking up heavy metals from domestic and industrial wastes- and an important cleansing agent especially in heavily polluted sites. (ends)
With a growth rate three times faster than most trees like eucalyptus, the giant bamboo is promising to become a reliable alternative wood source in East Africa.
In India , an estimated 8 million hectares of bamboo are planted and provides 60 per cent of the country’s massive paper requirement and much of the sub-continent’s timber.
It is this huge potential that has led the Nairobi-based International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), in collaboration with local organizations, to initiate a project of introducing the giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus) to East Africa.
With its strong timber, the giant bamboo has been used in Asia to reinforce concrete and for scaffolding on skyscrapers. A square metre of the bamboo flooring sells as much as $ 100.
In Kenya, its rapid growth and high wood yield has been hailed as a potential supply of such industries as the Pan Paper Mills- the main producer of paper in the region.
At household level, research has established that the grass-tree is a valuable source of fuel wood and charcoal. It has been known to yield more than 7000 kilocalories fuel per kilogram of wood which is just half the yield of an equivalent amount of petroleum.
Already, ICRAF in collaboration with local authorities, Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have introduced more than 800 giant bamboo seedlings in the region.
The project has currently been centred around Lake Victoria, a region where the forest cover has been on the decline with harmful effects to the vital regional lake. Lake Victoria is the source of the Nile while at the same time promotes regional trade in East Africa and the Great Lakes region.
Over 20 other species of the bamboo are also being tested for further propagation and distribution in the region.
But the benefits of the giant bamboo go beyond wood. The edible bamboo shoot is rich in vitamins and also has carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is consumed in large quantities all over Asia.
The bamboo’s rhizomatous roots are reported to anchor soil in steep slopes and river banks leading to effective soil erosion control.
Studies in South East Asia and Kenya have also shown that the tree has a hydrological function that promotes soil health.
The tree also absorbs over 12 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per hectare-an important asset in controlling high levels of the gas and the consequent global warming.
The giant bamboo is also good at soaking up heavy metals from domestic and industrial wastes- and an important cleansing agent especially in heavily polluted sites. (ends)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Horticulture successes in Kenya. What are farmers getting?
Horticulture exports by Mwangi Mumero
Over the last five years, Kenya has exported horticultural products valued Ksh 31 billion ($428 million), six times the value of imports at Ksh 4.8 billion, a new USAID report says.
Growth in exports shot at an annual rate of 14.3 per cent from Ksh 3.9 billion in 2006 to Ksh 6.8 billion in 2010 showing the sub-sector continued importance to the country economy.
Average value of exports over the last three was Ksh 6.78 billion ($ 94 million), according to the report entitled Kenya Intra-Africa Trade in Horticulture.
Horticultural imports into the country increased at a rate of 26.2 per cent from Ksh 0.6 billion in 2006 to Ksh 1.4 billion in 2010.
The main market destinations for Kenyan horticultural exports by value were Somalia (64 per cent), Uganda (10 per cent), Tanzania (8 per cent) and South Africa (5 percent).
The rest went to Europe, Middle East, Far East and the United States
The sub-sector continues to be an integral part of the country‘s economy expected to grow at 5.6 per cent in the 2010/2011, period mainly driven by agriculture among other activities.
The Horticultural sub sector is the fastest growing industry within the agricultural sector, recording an average growth of 15 to 20 per cent per annum.
It contributes positively to wealth creation, poverty alleviation, and gender equity especially in the rural areas.
The sub sector employs approximately 4.5 million people countrywide directly in production, processing, and marketing, while another 3.5 million people benefit indirectly through trade and other activities.
Of the main horticultural exports, cut flowers are the most highlighted although they contribute 3.8-8.3 per cent of the volumes and value of exports respectively.
Cut flowers and cuttings account for 90 percent of the exports of which 44 per cent is exported to South Africa.
On the other hand, Kenya is a net exporter of flowers to the European Union, the Middle East and the Far East and has seen major growth in the last 5 year period.
According to the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) cut flowers earned the country Ksh 19.4 billion in 2010 up from Ksh 16.5 billion the previous year.
KFC Chief executive officer Jane Ngigi says the future of the sub-sector is bright with the strengthening of international currencies mainly the Euro and the Sterling Pound. Challenges however remain for this fledging industry that is mainly concentrated near Lake Naivasha.
“Flower businesses have been affected by volatile fluctuation in currencies. Kenya exporters are paid in Euros or sterling pound but inputs are paid in dollars. This tends to eat on the profits”, observed Ngigi.
The flower sector has in the last year witnessed an upsurge after the traumatic volcanic eruptions in Iceland that saw major airlines cancel flights to and from Europe, leading to loss of Ksh 300 million ($ 3.75 million) daily, mainly through undelivered flower orders.
But even with the huge flower market in Europe and other Asian countries, the bulk of horticultural exports are regional – mainly in COMESA and SADC countries.
The East African Market has also provided Kenyan farmers with a huge and ready market of fruits, fruit juices and fresh vegetables.
Exports of fresh passion fruits to Uganda and fresh mango to Tanzania have increased significantly over the past three years according to the report. Fresh fruits contributed 16.5 percent and 1.2 percent of the horticultural exports volumes and value respectively.
Of the fruits, passion fruits took the lion’s share of the exported at 44 per cent with 67.4 percent being exported to Uganda. Mangoes comprised 32.2 per cent of the volumes of which 97.8 per cent were exported to Tanzania.
“We have done surveys in Uganda and Rwanda to obtain vital information necessary for our exporters to access these markets. We are also moving to South Sudan and plan to hold an exhibition there for marketing purposes. ”, observes Edward Maina, Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA) marketing manager. HCDA is a government body that regulates and markets the sub-sector.
Processed fruits also earned huge incomes to farmers over the five-year period contributing 37.7 percent and 12.4 percent in volumes and value respectively. Processed fruits valued at Ksh 3.8 billion, more that four times the value of imports at Ksh 0.4 billion.
For their part processed vegetables accounted for 13 per cent and 15.5 percent of the volumes and value respectively with a growth rate of 7.7 per cent in value. During the five-year period, Kenya exported processed vegetables worth Ksh 4.7 billion with the value of imported at Ksh 0.5 billion.
Among the processed vegetable exports have been tomato products.
“Tomato products are the second largest exports among the processed vegetables, meaning they have a good base and farmers have a good reason to invest in tomato farming”, noted Dr Romano Kiome, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture recently.
Dr Kiome added that that the government has allocated Ksh 15 billion for the improvement of irrigation that will boost horticultural production.
Fresh vegetable on the other hand contributed 18 percent and 8.3 per cent of the volumes and value respectively with a growth rate of 22.5 per cent in value.
During the five year period, the country exported vegetables worth Ksh 2.5 billion while making imports worth KSH 1.1 billion. The country exported carrots, Asian vegetables and high value vegetables. The country imports potatoes and onion.
Diseases and poor prices have hampered potato farming mainly in Central Highland and Meru Country.
Potato imports from Tanzania have been increasing as potato production in Kenya declines. Irish potato is the second most important food crop after maize in the country and solving production bottlenecks will once again make Kenya the regional supplier.
According to Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, a local think tank at Egerton University in Kenya, expanding the regional horticultural market and integrating smallholder farmers will boost exports in future.
But key investments in technical production, market infrastructure and legal and regulatory environment are needed for this to be realized, Tegemeo adds.
There should be active participation of the government with donors and private sector.
Crucially, improved efficiency especially in loading and unloading is necessary in reducing costs and improving hygiene in the market.
At the same time, making information easily available on prices and volumes by grade of product, will increase market transparency and further attract customers.
The Tegemeo Institute research done by David Tschirley and colleagues further adds that improvement of secondary and tertiary roads is vital in modernizing the sub-sector.
But even with their huge potential as a foreign exchange earner, it is important to note that the bulk of the horticultural products are consumed locally.
Over 90 per cent of the vegetables, 97 percent of the fruits, 87 per cent of the spices and herbs are consumed domestically making horticulture a vital cog in ensuring food security in the country. (ends)
Over the last five years, Kenya has exported horticultural products valued Ksh 31 billion ($428 million), six times the value of imports at Ksh 4.8 billion, a new USAID report says.
Growth in exports shot at an annual rate of 14.3 per cent from Ksh 3.9 billion in 2006 to Ksh 6.8 billion in 2010 showing the sub-sector continued importance to the country economy.
Average value of exports over the last three was Ksh 6.78 billion ($ 94 million), according to the report entitled Kenya Intra-Africa Trade in Horticulture.
Horticultural imports into the country increased at a rate of 26.2 per cent from Ksh 0.6 billion in 2006 to Ksh 1.4 billion in 2010.
The main market destinations for Kenyan horticultural exports by value were Somalia (64 per cent), Uganda (10 per cent), Tanzania (8 per cent) and South Africa (5 percent).
The rest went to Europe, Middle East, Far East and the United States
The sub-sector continues to be an integral part of the country‘s economy expected to grow at 5.6 per cent in the 2010/2011, period mainly driven by agriculture among other activities.
The Horticultural sub sector is the fastest growing industry within the agricultural sector, recording an average growth of 15 to 20 per cent per annum.
It contributes positively to wealth creation, poverty alleviation, and gender equity especially in the rural areas.
The sub sector employs approximately 4.5 million people countrywide directly in production, processing, and marketing, while another 3.5 million people benefit indirectly through trade and other activities.
Of the main horticultural exports, cut flowers are the most highlighted although they contribute 3.8-8.3 per cent of the volumes and value of exports respectively.
Cut flowers and cuttings account for 90 percent of the exports of which 44 per cent is exported to South Africa.
On the other hand, Kenya is a net exporter of flowers to the European Union, the Middle East and the Far East and has seen major growth in the last 5 year period.
According to the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) cut flowers earned the country Ksh 19.4 billion in 2010 up from Ksh 16.5 billion the previous year.
KFC Chief executive officer Jane Ngigi says the future of the sub-sector is bright with the strengthening of international currencies mainly the Euro and the Sterling Pound. Challenges however remain for this fledging industry that is mainly concentrated near Lake Naivasha.
“Flower businesses have been affected by volatile fluctuation in currencies. Kenya exporters are paid in Euros or sterling pound but inputs are paid in dollars. This tends to eat on the profits”, observed Ngigi.
The flower sector has in the last year witnessed an upsurge after the traumatic volcanic eruptions in Iceland that saw major airlines cancel flights to and from Europe, leading to loss of Ksh 300 million ($ 3.75 million) daily, mainly through undelivered flower orders.
But even with the huge flower market in Europe and other Asian countries, the bulk of horticultural exports are regional – mainly in COMESA and SADC countries.
The East African Market has also provided Kenyan farmers with a huge and ready market of fruits, fruit juices and fresh vegetables.
Exports of fresh passion fruits to Uganda and fresh mango to Tanzania have increased significantly over the past three years according to the report. Fresh fruits contributed 16.5 percent and 1.2 percent of the horticultural exports volumes and value respectively.
Of the fruits, passion fruits took the lion’s share of the exported at 44 per cent with 67.4 percent being exported to Uganda. Mangoes comprised 32.2 per cent of the volumes of which 97.8 per cent were exported to Tanzania.
“We have done surveys in Uganda and Rwanda to obtain vital information necessary for our exporters to access these markets. We are also moving to South Sudan and plan to hold an exhibition there for marketing purposes. ”, observes Edward Maina, Horticultural Crops Development Authority (HCDA) marketing manager. HCDA is a government body that regulates and markets the sub-sector.
Processed fruits also earned huge incomes to farmers over the five-year period contributing 37.7 percent and 12.4 percent in volumes and value respectively. Processed fruits valued at Ksh 3.8 billion, more that four times the value of imports at Ksh 0.4 billion.
For their part processed vegetables accounted for 13 per cent and 15.5 percent of the volumes and value respectively with a growth rate of 7.7 per cent in value. During the five-year period, Kenya exported processed vegetables worth Ksh 4.7 billion with the value of imported at Ksh 0.5 billion.
Among the processed vegetable exports have been tomato products.
“Tomato products are the second largest exports among the processed vegetables, meaning they have a good base and farmers have a good reason to invest in tomato farming”, noted Dr Romano Kiome, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture recently.
Dr Kiome added that that the government has allocated Ksh 15 billion for the improvement of irrigation that will boost horticultural production.
Fresh vegetable on the other hand contributed 18 percent and 8.3 per cent of the volumes and value respectively with a growth rate of 22.5 per cent in value.
During the five year period, the country exported vegetables worth Ksh 2.5 billion while making imports worth KSH 1.1 billion. The country exported carrots, Asian vegetables and high value vegetables. The country imports potatoes and onion.
Diseases and poor prices have hampered potato farming mainly in Central Highland and Meru Country.
Potato imports from Tanzania have been increasing as potato production in Kenya declines. Irish potato is the second most important food crop after maize in the country and solving production bottlenecks will once again make Kenya the regional supplier.
According to Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, a local think tank at Egerton University in Kenya, expanding the regional horticultural market and integrating smallholder farmers will boost exports in future.
But key investments in technical production, market infrastructure and legal and regulatory environment are needed for this to be realized, Tegemeo adds.
There should be active participation of the government with donors and private sector.
Crucially, improved efficiency especially in loading and unloading is necessary in reducing costs and improving hygiene in the market.
At the same time, making information easily available on prices and volumes by grade of product, will increase market transparency and further attract customers.
The Tegemeo Institute research done by David Tschirley and colleagues further adds that improvement of secondary and tertiary roads is vital in modernizing the sub-sector.
But even with their huge potential as a foreign exchange earner, it is important to note that the bulk of the horticultural products are consumed locally.
Over 90 per cent of the vegetables, 97 percent of the fruits, 87 per cent of the spices and herbs are consumed domestically making horticulture a vital cog in ensuring food security in the country. (ends)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Tissue culture bananas in Kenya
Where can Kenyans get tissue culture bananas? Banana markets? Email me.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Interested in the benefitting from rabbit meat in Kenya? Breeding rabbits?
Where can we sell rabbit meat in Kenya ?
At Ksh 300 per kilo, rabbit meat is comparatively more expensive that beef or chevon- meat from sheep or goats.
Yet, health conscious Kenyans are moving to this type of meat boosting rabbit farming in the country.
Increasingly, rabbit farming is slowly becoming the new face of urban agriculture in Kenya.
Reports indicate that in towns like Nyeri, Naivasha, Nakuru and even in Nairobi.
But where can farmers sell their mature rabbits? Want to know? Email me!
At Ksh 300 per kilo, rabbit meat is comparatively more expensive that beef or chevon- meat from sheep or goats.
Yet, health conscious Kenyans are moving to this type of meat boosting rabbit farming in the country.
Increasingly, rabbit farming is slowly becoming the new face of urban agriculture in Kenya.
Reports indicate that in towns like Nyeri, Naivasha, Nakuru and even in Nairobi.
But where can farmers sell their mature rabbits? Want to know? Email me!
So where do we get dairy goats in Kenya? Goat milk? Cheese?
Dairy goats and milk marketing in Kenya
In the last decade, a silent agricultural revolution has been taking place in the larger Meru County in Kenya’s Eastern region.
In the mid-90s, Farm Africa, an international non-governmental organisation, initiated a dairy goat project in the larger Meru districts, aiming at alleviating poverty for the resource poor smallholder farmers.
Starting off with 130 Toggenburg goats- 90 buck and 40 does- the Farm Africa project linked up with 44 self-help groups in the region hoping to boost goat milk production and eradicate poverty.
The self-help groups –under the umbrella Meru Goat Breeders Association (MGBA) have now grown to 161 each boasting of an average 25 members.
The association also enjoys membership of private farmers who are not affiliated to any of the self-help groups.
And so as a prospective farmer in Kenya and the East Africa region, where can you get dairy goat breeding stock? Where do you sell your young stock, milk? Email me!
In the last decade, a silent agricultural revolution has been taking place in the larger Meru County in Kenya’s Eastern region.
In the mid-90s, Farm Africa, an international non-governmental organisation, initiated a dairy goat project in the larger Meru districts, aiming at alleviating poverty for the resource poor smallholder farmers.
Starting off with 130 Toggenburg goats- 90 buck and 40 does- the Farm Africa project linked up with 44 self-help groups in the region hoping to boost goat milk production and eradicate poverty.
The self-help groups –under the umbrella Meru Goat Breeders Association (MGBA) have now grown to 161 each boasting of an average 25 members.
The association also enjoys membership of private farmers who are not affiliated to any of the self-help groups.
And so as a prospective farmer in Kenya and the East Africa region, where can you get dairy goat breeding stock? Where do you sell your young stock, milk? Email me!
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