Pearl millet is suitable for young girls....!

Pearl millet and teenage girls    by Mwangi Mumero

Researchers at the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) have launched a study to out how groundnuts and pearl millet can be used to alleviate iron deficiency among teenage girls.

Anaemia caused by iron deficiency is a major cause of death among the 16-19 year teenage girls due to their monthly menstruation cycles.

This is especially acute in semi-arid regions across the world where sources of iron are scarce.

Known as ‘FeFa Girls’, the project will address iron deficiency and poor dietary fibre intake. A key aspect of iron-deficiency anaemia prevention and control is promotion of diets containing adequate amounts of bioavailable iron.

Currently, the project has been launched in India but its findings will be used across the globe to address the glaring challenges of iron deficiency.

Intensive approach to health and wellbeing is important for development of adolescent girls, according to researchers.

“Our approach is to use practical food-based solutions using crops rich in iron and dietary fibres. We aim to achieve overall improvement of iron supply naturally in adolescent girls with mild to moderate iron deficiency,” observed Dr Peter Carberry, Director General, ICRISAT.

A study on pearl millet published in Journal of Nutrition shows that pearl millet bred to contain more iron can supply young children with their full iron needs

Pearl millet is an important staple food in semi-arid regions of India and Africa where iron deficiency is common.

The results indicate that less than 160 of the iron rich pearl millet flour daily is enough to provide women aged 18-45 years with more than 70 percent of their daily iron needs.

In a related research , use of biofortified high iron pearl millet cab reduce significance iron deficiencies and improve nutrition and cognitive performance.

Researchers note that poor diets lacking in iron reduce brain development and capacity- hampering individuals’ potential and societies.

This is especially common in poor third world nations where iron deficiency also leads to anemia in children and women.

Societies that are vegetarian are particularly at risk of iron deficiencies especially if green vegetables are lacking, observes the study by Oxford University.

 “If we can improve adolescents’ performance in school by improving their iron status we may also have longer term impacts in terms of their ability to secure a good job, or be admitted to a college program,” says Dr. Samuel Scott, Associate Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, lead author of the study. (ends)

Smart digital solutions for agriculture in Kenya and the East African region

Smart agricultural solutions     by Mwangi Mumero

New smart solutions were recently unveiled to solve emerging challenges in agriculture at the  Agri-Food Trade and Investment (AFTI) Summit held the Radisson Blu hotel in Nairobi.

Most of the new ideas involved the use of mobile devices to access information that is vital to the farming business.

“Working with the government of Kenya, we have been able to develop a SMS platform where farmers can receive timely information on the fall armyworm. Farmers send and receive messages on their phones which will assist them to make vital decisions on the pest,” observed Emmanuel Bakirdjian, Director for Precision Agriculture Development during his presentation.

According to Mr. Bakirdjian, the SMS messages cover various topics including monitoring, identification, non-chemical and chemical control measures and best practices.

 Farmers send and receive free messages through Safaricom and Airtel networks, Kenya’s largest mobile telephony firms.

The messages are available both in English and Kiswahili.

The special messages have been developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KARLO), Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, Kenya Plant and Health Inspectorate Service, and Pest Control and Poisons Board.

Precision Agriculture Development (PAD) has registered 363,000 users have registered on the platform since its launch last year.

It also provides actionable, customized, and high-quality farming advice for maize, beans, and potatoes to help farmers increase their productivity.

According to Mr. Bakirdjian, PAD is an Iinternational NGO operating in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

On its part Liquid Telecom Kenya has worked closely with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KARLO) to launch an e-service platform and three mobile apps for chicken, pasture seeds and dryland crop farmers.

Through these platforms farmers can receive real-time updates from meteorological agency and research labs.

“Delivering new technologies through the internet based infrastructure is changing the way farmers produce crops and livestock. There is need to adapt to new methods of accessing up-to-date data on crop varieties and farming methods. We believe our involvements in this area will ensure food security and improves diets of millions of Kenyans,” noted Adil Youssefi, CEO of Liquid Telecom Kenya during his presentation.

According to Mr. Youssefi, his firm recognizes the role of technology in research, generation and creation of new knowledge, which is vital in national development.

“KARLO’s new e-services will be driving our common vision and goal of restructuring agricultural and livestock research into a dynamic, innovative, responsive and well-coordinated system,” he observed.

Already, Liquid Telecom Kenya has installed a Wide Area Network and VSAT internet connection offering up to 100 bps across 42 KARLO research stations.

For instance farmers can now access information on feed availability, diseases as well as other chicken information on the Indigenous Chicken app. Kenya is estimated to have at least 32 million indigenous chicken which produce most of the poultry meat consumed in the country.

On the other hand, the ‘Range Pasture Seed Production App’ avails information on soil and water management technologies as well as seed varieties tolerant to drought, pests and diseases.

Water availability and sources for agriculture also proved an important area for developers of smart farming solutions.

“Our solutions are able to collect information on underground water sources available to farmers. They can also advice farmers on soils and synchronise data in relation to water and climate information”, observed Andrew Denu, Products Manager with Sun Culture, a firm that develops irrigation solutions.

The company’s ‘Rainmaker 2’ is a solar powered irrigation solution which uses artificial intelligence to collect information on water sources for farmers. The solution can also provide water both for domestic and irrigation purposes.

The firm has also developed ‘Agoptimised farmer Sensor’ app which is available on smartphones.

“The app helps farmers to build weather models, helps in crop yield monitoring, pests and diseases data as well as map out water sources data”, noted Mr. Denu during the presentations.

The app provides real time data on possible drought conditions and is valuable for government and development organizations especially those with activities in arid and semi arid regions.

Another smart solution presentation was done by WeFarm, a global network that offers free SMS to farmers seeking answers to their farming activities.

“Our app analyses the SMS received from farmers and provides viable answers across the value chain. It connects farmers across borders and allow them to discuss common problems affecting their farming activates,” said Mr. Mwiti Mwika from We Farm, a body that globally connects 1.6 million farmers via the short text messages (SMS).

According to Mr. Mwika, WeFarm maps out possible diseases and pests in the field giving vital information on possible crisis areas. Through the network, farmers can reach suitable markets for their products –boosting their returns.

Financed through venture capital, WeFarm registers at least 80,000 farmers into the system monthly according to Mr. Mwika.  

 With the success of M-Pesa, Kenya’s premier money transfer application, fintech organisations have moved to fill the gaps in farmer financing.

Using the ease of M-Pesa app in simple phones, microfinance organizations have been able to loan farmers cash to purchase farm inputs among other needs.

Repayment of the loans by farmers takes place with mobile transfer service M-Pesa.

“We dispense at least Ksh 20,000 to farmers to purchase farm inputs such as fertilizer through their mobile phones. This has helped to reach the rural populations that are far from commercial banks”, observed Stanley Munyao, chief executive officer with Musoni, a Kenyan microfinance.

Through their mobile apps, farmers can apply and get loans within 24 hours- improving financial inclusion as well as reducing the gaps in agricultural financing. (ends)

Using zebra smell to controlling trypanosomiasis (Nagana)

Zebra smell in controlling nagana    by Mwangi Mumero

Trypanosomiasis, African’s deadly livestock disease may be managed through the use of zebra odours, researchers from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) and their partners at the University of Pretoria now report.

Trypanosomiasis can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is known as nagana in animals and sleeping sickness in humans.

Writing in the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Journal, the researchers report that zebras, found in African rangelands produce smells that repel tsetse fly, the main vector for the diseases.

“Previous research has shown that tsetse flies avoid, and hardly bite zebras, even though zebras are commonly present in areas infested by the flies. Until now, the reason for this evasion has been unclear, with speculations that the zebras’ striped skin is a contributing factor. However, the zebra stripes are only visible to tsetse flies at about 5–10 metres. Beyond this distance, zebras appear uniformly grey to the flies,” explained Olabimpe Olaide, a Nigerian scholar who conducted the study as part of her PhD research at icipe, registered at the University of Pretoria.

Found only in Africa, tsetse flies and the diseases they transmit are one of the major constraints to livestock and agricultural production, land use, nutrition, incomes, and overall development in Africa.

Control of the flies with synthetic insecticides is expensive and harmful to people, livestock and the environment.

 According to Ms. Olaide, the study established that zebras produce certain scents that repel tsetse flies. A blend of three of these odours enhances the effectiveness of existing tsetse management tools, including the icipe tsetse repellent collar technology and traps.

The tsetse fly traps use colour or smell to attract flies after which they are killed

The highly successful tsetse repellent collar technology exploits chemical signals obtained from the waterbuck, an animal that has also been found to repel tsetse flies.

A blend of these chemicals has been packaged in innovative dispensers which, when worn as collars around the neck of cattle, essentially make cattle unattractive to tsetse flies.

“In comparison to the waterbuck repellent, the chemical blend identified from zebras appears to offer a comparable, longer lasting and more affordable alternative, although this potential requires further research,” says Baldwyn Torto, Head of icipe Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Unit, and co-supervisor and mentor of Ms. Olaide.

In recent years, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has published an atlas indicating the prevalence of trypanosomiasis across Africa to help curb this menace that kills 3 million livestock animals annually in the Africa continent.

Known as the Atlas of African Agriculture Research and Development , it comprises a series of maps and short analyses on Africa’s diverse agricultural challenges and opportunities.

Among the key pages is the illustration containing information on the location of cattle and production systems.

This information is combined with the distribution of tsetse fly species in the area to estimate the presence and absence of trypanosomosis, a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly.

These maps are a boon to researchers, farmers and government officials involved in its trypanosomiasis control.

Nagana also affects rural development and livelihoods more generally by limiting options for mixed farming and hindering a balanced use of natural resources.

Another related map shows the estimated benefits to livestock farmers expressed in US $ per square kilometre if there is total eradication of trypanosomiasis.

According to the maps, benefits in the Horn of Africa would amount to nearly $2.5 billion, discounted at 10 percent over 20 years to account for the opportunity cost of funds— an average of approximately $3,300 per square kilometer of tsetse-infested area.

The maps also indicates production systems- where for instance mixed farming is heavily dependent on the use of draft oxen in Ethiopia, areas of Sudan and South Sudan where oxen use is much lower, and the strictly pastoral areas of Somalia and Kenya.

Other than livestock, the atlas covers seven topics. They include political, demographic and institutional classifications.

Others areas include the footprints of agriculture, the the role of water in African agriculture, drivers of change in African agriculture, access to agricultural trade and human welfare.

By presenting a broad range of geospatial data and explanatory text, the analysts hope the Atlas will serve as a reliable and up-to-date guide for informed decision-making, which can help speed, broaden and sustain Africa’s agricultural productivity.

The 30-plus map atlas is a collaborative 5 year-work that has included many experts and organisations.

These organisations include the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Other partners were McGill University, HarvestChoice,  IFPRI, Welt Hunger Hilfe and Concern Worldwide. (ends)  

 

Vaccines for malignant catarrhal fever for Maasai cattle

Cattle fever vaccine    by Mwangi Mumero

Researchers at the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in collaboration with global partners have developed a vaccine to control malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), a fatal disease passed from wildebeest to cattle and sheep.

While the world has its eyes focused on the annual wildlife migration in the Maasai Mara Game reserve, livestock herders are forced to move their animals to prevent them from getting this deadly disease.

The virus is transmitted to cattle during the wildebeest calving season.

This causes a dilemma for the Maasai pastoralists.

If they move their cattle to avoid the wildebeests, they incur costs from lost opportunities to consume and sell milk and meat, and the labour input needed to move the cattle.

If they stay in the wildebeest grazing zones, they are at risk of losing approximately 10 percent of animals from their herds, which represents a significant loss to their livelihoods.

The vaccine has shown to offer a safe and effective method of protecting cattle against the disease with a vaccine efficacy of 80 percent.

Researchers from a number of organisations came together at the Kapiti Research Station located in Machakos County, Kenya.

The 13,000-hectare research station has approximately 2,500 cattle, 1,200 sheep and 250 goats coexisting with wildlife including wildebeests, giraffe and zebra as well as lions, hyenas and cheetahs.

The unique mix of livestock and wildlife at the research facility enables scientists to test the dynamics of disease transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface, which is a critical step towards understanding the ecology of livestock diseases.

Five years ago, a severe outbreak of the disease at ILRI’s Kapiti Research Station as well as in the plains of Maasai Mara highlighted the economic impact of the disease and the need for an effective control measure.

“We are happy with the result of the trail which show the vaccine is safe and effective for controlling the disease in cattle”, observed Dr. Elizabeth Cook, a scientist at ILRI and the lead author of the study.

Dr. Cook however notes that current limitation to the roll out of the vaccine is that it is produced on small scale for research purposes only. A partner to scale up production and marketing of the vaccine in both Kenya and Tanzania is being sought, according to the researcher.

Funding for the research work came from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Aid. (Ends).

Kenya's macadamia rolls on in the local and international markets

Macadamia markets            by Mwangi Mumero

Rising global demand coupled with sector regulation has boosted Kenya’s macadamia production and earning in the last few years.

Global trends towards plant-based oil products as well as health conscious consumers have anchored increased demand- boosting farmers’ earnings.

Used as food, macadamia nuts are rich in unsaturated oil, iron, manganese as well as vitamins A and B. It also has the cancer- fighting antioxidants.  In the cosmetic industry, it is used as a face scrub.

In the last two years, price of macadamia nuts have shot from Ksh 50 to Ksh 150 per kilo at the farm gate.

Unpredictable earnings from coffee has endeared farmers to shift to less risky but lucrative crops such as macadamia- salvaging the fortunes of mostly small holder farmers that live in the rainy Central Kenya and western highlands.

Production is mainly done by over 11,000 smallholder farmers in 16 counties unlike in the market leaders, China and South Africa, where macadamia in grown in large scale farming.

Kenya is the third largest macadamia producer with 20 percent of the market share.

Kenya has about 200,000 small farms that currently produce an estimated 42,500 tonnes of in-shell nuts annually.

But with the soaring demand of the nuts, farmers are increasing acreage under the crop.

According to Kenya’s Economic Survey 2018, the area under macadamia rose to 16,153 hectares in 2017 compared to 15,512 hectares the previous year, leading to an additional production of 1.443 metric tonnes of nuts over the period.

The total value of crop rose from Ksh 4.3 billion in 2015 to Ksh 5.1 billion in 2017 due to rising global demand.

While the majority of the farms are located in the Mt. Kenya region in the counties of Murang’a, Kiambu, Nyeri, Embu and Meru, farmers in non-traditional areas are taking up the crop.

Farmers in Uasin Gichu, Elgeyo Marakwet and Nandi counties- traditionally Kenya’s food baskets, known for their maize and wheat production- are moving to macadamia.

Even in traditional macadamia producing regions, there is an observable move to the crop.

“Macadamia farming is far better than coffee. It has fewer risks and overheads. Less bureaucratic marketing channels translates to better and more reliable returns,” said Mrs. Julia Wanja, a farmer in Mumwe area in Nyeri County and one of the pioneer macadamia farmers in the region.

Regulation of the macadamia sub-sector has however been the major catalyst for increased interest in the crop.

Previously, farmers would harvest the raw nuts and sell to brokers and smugglers across the borders- prompting rising thefts, low prices and demoralized farmers.

Banning of this practice has seen increased production of mature nuts from 11,000 metric tonnes to over 45,000 metric tonnes in the last decade.

The number of nut processors has also shot from 4 in 2009 to 30 in 2018- indicating the increased prospects of the sector, according to the Nut Processors Association of Kenya (NutPAK), the umbrella body that bring together processors.

The government regulator, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has also set the timelines for harvesting to safeguard the quality and curb entry of raw nuts into the market.

“Regulation and surveillance in crop areas deter early harvesting. Premature harvesting increased losses on farmers as buyers leave some nuts during selection,” observed Charles Muigai, NutPAK chief executive officers lauding the government on its role in streamlining the industry.

NutPAK has also developed a code of conduct to ensure that its members harmonise quality of nuts and safeguard the Kenya’s international market, according to Muigai, whose members include 90 percent of the processors.

Farmers have also been supportive of the increased regulation of the previously chaotic marketing.

“We are establishing nut collection centres in villages across Kenya to weed out middlemen who exploit farmers. The law prohibiting exportation of raw nuts has been a boon for us farmers,’ said Edward Maigho, the national chairman, Macadamia Farmers Association of Kenya, which links up 10,000 members.

Over 98 percent of Kenya’s macadamia produce is sold globally.

Key competition for the Kenyan produce comes from China, South Africa, Malawi, Australia and Vietnam, according to NutPAK.

These nations have put in place harvesting practices as well as other code of regulations to also safeguard their market share.

Global production is estimated to increase from the current 200,000 tonnes to 276,000 tonnes in 2020.

Experts say that a mature tree of macadamia can produce 80kg to 300 kg of nuts although most farmers get a maximum of 50kg mainly due to poor crop husbandry practices and weak clones.

“Production of nuts depends on the amount of rainfall and will fall especially where farmers have no access to irrigation water. An acre of land can hold up to 71 trees,” noted Dunson Munene, a field operations officer at Afrimac Nuts Company.

Kenyan tomato farmers make a hefty profit

Tomato prices             by Mwangi Mumero

Urban households have been forced to go without tomatoes in their dishes even as farmers across the country make a killing from the good farm gate prices.

In some Nairobi estates, a tomato fruit is selling at Ksh 10 a piece –making the vegetable inaccessible to many homes.  A kilo has been retailing at Ksh 100.

“We have been forced to abandon tomatoes in our sauces as price shoots. Alternatives such as capsicum have also proved rare and highly priced in the local markets”, observed Joyce Otieno, a resident of New Valley estate, outside Kitengela.

Tomatoes are important components of local dishes. They can be fried with green vegetables and eaten with ugali. The fruits can also be made into desserts and eaten with roasted meat. Ripe tomatoes can be eaten raw and are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Scarcity of tomatoes has made the prices of roasted meat rise as cost of ‘Kachumbari’ shoot.

But even as consumers in urban area decry increased prices, tomato farmers are smiling all the way to the bank as demand and farm gate prices soar.

“It has been a good season for tomato farmers. We have been able to make about Ksh 40,000 from the sale of tomatoes grown on half-acre plot”, said Paul Muchuka, a farmer in Kiamburi village in Kinamba location, Laikipia County.

He added that were it not for some few teething challenges such as diseases like blight, tomato production and profits would have been higher. 

Farmers who had planted their crop in December last year and used irrigation over the dry January- March season have made a killing from their crop.

Overall, the price per crate has ranged between Ksh 3,500 and Ksh 5,000 giving the farmers a chance to recoup their investments and make good profits.

 The Ministry of Agriculture monthly report on commodity prices indicated that in April, prices of tomatoes across Kenyan cities ranged between a high of Ksh 6,000 per crate in Nairobi to Ksh 5,700 in Mombasa.

According to Mr. Muchuka, farmers in Laikipia have harvested a good crop that is being sought by buyers from across the region.

“Buyers have been flocking this area from Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Nyeri seeking tomatoes. We are quite happy with the production and sale obtained”, said Mr. Paul Kairu, a farmer from Wangachi village also in Laikipia.

Lorries have been trooping to local townships such as Kinamba, Sipili and Karandi seeking out this elusive fruit.

Tomato retailers have also been complaining of high tomato prices.

“While we would want to buy and resell tomatoes, the pricing is prohibitive. Few household will afford the prices and we are forced to skip the tomatoes”, said Phyllis Njoki, a small shop operator who sources her tomatoes from Mukuyu Market, just outside Murang’a Town.

A crate of tomatoes is retailing at Ksh 6,000 at the market making it prohibitively high for retailers.

According to her, retailers would make little in profits and many are forced to buy little stock or skip the fruits all together.

With no storage facilities, many retailers have been forced to stock just enough tomatoes for sale within a few days.

In Kirinyaga County’s Kagio market- considered the Mecca of vegetable sellers, prices of tomatoes have been high as farmers sell to buyers from across the country.

“Demand for tomatoes has been high- as a result of less production during the dry period. Farmers using drip irrigation have been able to make a handsome profits as their costs have been low”, remarked John Muthike, a farmer from Ngurubani in Mwea.

Farmers in the region hope that the county and national governments can come up with a tomato sauce processing factory to ease on huge transport costs incurred getting their tomatoes to townships for sale.

Egerton University's indigenous chicken upgrade programme

Indigenous Chicken programme        by Mwangi Mumero

An indigenous chicken improvement programme has been launched at Egerton University, Njoro.

Funded by the European Union through the African Union, the Smallholder Indigenous Chicken Improvement Programme (InCIP) will combine research, breeding, value addition and marketing of indigenous chicken (IC).

This is a collaborative research involving Egerton University, which is the lead, University of Malawi and Wageningen University, The Netherlands.

“We are currently at the research level of the project where we are collecting genetic resources, producing the breeding stocks and hybrids for later dissemination to farmers”, observed Professor Alexander Kahi, the Project leader and a renowned researcher in animal breeding and genomics.

According to Prof. Kahi, the first step in IC improvement has been to identify various ecotypes available in the country and seek useful attributes that can be used for breeding and multiplication purposes.

“The main purpose of the programme is to improve IC egg and meat production through proper breeding, feeding, disease control and marketing. This will in turn improve on rural farmers’ income and reduce poverty. We are also working with government agencies and other players to link up with farmers as well as poultry product processors in value addition,” noted Prof. Kahi, who is also the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture at the university.

In the last year, InCIP researchers collected ecotypes from eight counties of Kenya, namely Narok, Bomet, Bondo, Kakamega, West Pokot, Lamu, Mwingi and Taita Taveta. The performance of these ecotypes has been evaluated.

Modern DNA techniques were used in identifying different ecotypes.

“Analysis from using DNA techniques indicate that the IC in Kenya can be clustered into three. The ecotype from Narok, Bomet, Bondo, Kakamega and West Pokot belong to the same cluster. So does the ecotype from Mwingi and TaitaTaveta.  The Lamu ecotype is distinct are is referred to  the Kuchi, originally from the Far East. The Kuchi is a big bird, stands upright and shows fast growth rates”, added Prof Kahi noting that selection of IC could be done on the basis of these three clusters to pursue either egg production or meat production depending on the traits in which the IC has shown superiority in performance.

 

Improvement and breeding of IC has already started at the station level within Egerton University’s InCIP Poultry Breeding and Research Unit.

InCIP has acquired Rhode Island Red (RIR) parent stock from Hendrix Genetics of Netherlands for crossbreeding with local ecotypes for hybrid production using artificial insemination (AI).

Another breed, the Black Australorp has also been suggested as a suitable breed for crossbreeding with the local IC and is currently being used in Malawi.

While the breeding programme is currently at the station level, a US $ 40,000 ‘Mega’ incubator with a capacity of 75,000 eggs has been acquired through the InCIP for the purpose of large scale chick production once the work moves to the on-farm phase.

At the same time, the programme has been formulating and marketing quality livestock feed for smallholder and large scale farmers across Kenya.

Through a feed miller that produces over 15 bags per hour, InCIP has been able to produce feed for poultry, dairy cattle, pigs and beef cattle.

A 70kg bag of broiler starter retails at Ksh 3,500 while that of finisher goes for Ksh 3,200 The price per bag of dairy meal ranges from Ksh 2,000- 2,700

Value chain mapping of the IC is also being carried out to streamline markets which have traditionally been unreliable and unpredictable due to price fluctuations.

To improve access on IC markets, the programme has incorporated a short message service (SMS) based marketing and information system. 

With this system, rural farmers will be able to access different market prices cushioning them from exploitation by middlemen and brokers.

Another unique inclusion into the programme is the testing of a chicken greenhouse before a private company in Kenya rolls it out. While greenhouses have been popularized for use by horticultural farmers, the chicken one provides conducive environment for rearing chicken.

Researchers at InCIP note that the greenhouse effectively raises labour productivity, reduces pollution from manure and lowers infection from diseases in chicken. It also has special isolated covers to protect chicken from extreme hot or cold temperatures.

 (ends)

cut flowers and EU export markets

Cut-flower sector             by Mwangi Mumero

Kenya’s floriculture sub-sector continues to grow earning the country over US$ 1 billion annually and employing over 500,000 directly and another 1 million indirectly.

A number of challenges however are impeding the full blooming of this sub-sector and its contribution to the national economy.

According to the Kenya Flower Council (KFC), the horticulture sub-sector contributed 3 per of the national GDP with 1.6 per cent coming from the cut flowers.

Data from the Kenyan Economic Survey 2013 indicates that the cut flower sector earned the country Ksh 65 billion ($ 813 million) in 2012 up from Ksh 58.8 billion ($ 735 million) in 2011.

The country is the lead exporter of cut flowers to the EU controlling 38 per cent of the market share.

Of the exports, 65 per cent are sold through Dutch auction for re-export, 25 percent to the United Kingdom with Japan, US, Russia, France and Germany taking up the  rest.

 According to horticulture validated report 2012 the main cut flowers grown in Kenya are roses  at 53.6 per cent, Easter lilies at 26.5 per cent, Arabicum at 4.1 per cent,  carnations at 3.1 per cent and Hypericum at1.98 per cent.

 “Kenya supplied 55 per cent of the flowers sold at the Netherland’s auctions and 40 per cent of the produce in the EU, placing it in a unique market position”, observed Dick Raamsdonk, the president of HPP of Netherlands, a flower event organizer.

To streamline this lucrative sub-sector, Kenya is implementing the National Compliance Mechanism by the end of 2015. This will help flower growers and exporters meet stringent rules of the importing nations.

This code of conduct will also improve labour practices and environmental conservation efforts in the sub-sector.

The Netherland Government has contributed US $ 400,000 towards this programme that will require all flower growers to institute internal quality control audits. 
Kenya has also been working to access the US markets directly providing an alternative outlet for horticultural exports.
Currently, there are no direct flights from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the US making it impossible to export flowers to that huge market.
 “We are still negotiating for direct flights to the US to reduce cost of exportation. Currently, we have to access the US market through the EU - creating logistical problems and increasing costs”, said Dr Alfred Serem, the Horticultural Crop Development Authority (HCDA), the industry regulator.
Access to the lucrative US market is expected to cushion Kenyan growers from shocks brought about by the Euro crisis as well as fluctuations in the EU’s low season.
The main cut-flower production areas are around Lake Naivasha, Mt. Kenya, Nairobi, Thika, Kiambu, Athi River, Kajiado, Kitale, Nakuru, Kericho, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Eastern Kenya.
This wide geographical distribution of the flower growing regions has increased its economic impact to local communities, alleviating poverty in many parts of the country.
Even with the phenomenal growth of the cut-flower industry, teething challenges hamper its full exploitation.
Among these bottlenecks are stringent export conditions, taxation, high cost of inputs and increasing competition from regional nations of Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania.
Consequently, logistical costs and packaging demanded by flower buyers in the export markets have slowly eaten into the farmers’ margins, according to industry players.
To cushion themselves, growers have been advised to change their marketing strategies to be able to compete and increase earnings from flower products.

“Growers should form marketing firms and team up with exporters. This will give better returns compared with what they are getting through the Dutch auction exports”, observed Mrs. Jane Ngige, the chief executive council Kenya Flower Council.

But it is the imposing of a 16 per cent VAT on agricultural inputs, services and equipment that is worrying flower farmers.
“Increased cost of agricultural inputs will make our products uncompetitive as buyers seek cheaper alternatives. It will also lead to Kenya-based farmers to move to other markets due to the high cost of doing business”, lamented Mr. Stephen Mbiti, the CEO of the Fresh Produce Exporter Association of Kenya (FPEAK), the industry lobby.
Mrs Ngige, the Kenya Flower Council CEO adds that the issue is compounded by the delayed VAT refunds by the tax collector.

“The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is fast in charging VAT but slow to process refunds on zero-rated items. Our cash flow is affected”, she said.

High cost of credit is also another challenge hampering farmers as local bank interest rates head to 20 per cent.

While the Kenya’s Central Bank Rate has come down to a low of 11 per cent, commercial banks continue to charge 15- 20 percent interest on loans - slowing the uptake of credit for investment in agriculture and other sectors.

Speaking in a recent occasion, Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgey said the government has laid plans that would boost the horticultural sector.

“We will partner with financial institutions both government and commercial banks to ensure easy and affordable loans for farmers in the country”, he observed.

Emergence of Ethiopia and Rwanda as flower producers is also creating industry jitters in Kenya. While the cut-flower sector in the two East African countries is at its infancy, it is expected to eat into the Kenyan pie in the near future.

“Kenya will soon face stiff competition from Ethiopia in the export of flowers to the Middle East. We now have many links to the European countries and the Middle East”, observed Mr. Mikyas Bekele Woldeyes, a field officer with Ethiopian Horticultural Producers and Exporters Association which represent 80 flowers farmers in the country.

He was attending a flower event in Nairobi aiming at widening his contacts and markets for the flower farmers in Ethiopia.

But there is a sign of relief with the anticipated signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the East African Community (EAC) before the 2014 deadline.

An EAC ministerial session in Arusha agreed to remove sticky issues such as exports taxes and clauses in agriculture.

The EU has also softened its hardline stance on a controversial demand for reciprocal treatment by African States, provided they do not give preferential treatment to China and the US.

“The negotiations for a comprehensive trade pact are 97 per cent complete. We hope they will be concluded before the 2014 deadline so that Kenya produce does not attract any import duty unlike those of its key competitors in Latin America”, said Mrs Ngige of the KFC.

During a visit to Kenya in August 2013, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said both groups had settled most the issues, paving way for the comprehensive EPA after years of intensive negotiations for a World Trade Organisation (WTO) compatible trade regime. (ends)

African bees potential

African bee disease research             by Mwangi Mumero

African bees hold the key to unravelling resistance mechanisms for diseases that have decimated colonies in Europe and the United States, a new joint study by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) and the Pennsylvania State University Center for Pollinator Research, now says.

The study findings published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE indicates that honey bee population in East Africa appear largely resistant or tolerant of parasites and pathogens that threaten bee populations in other parts the world.

The East African bees are also not significantly affected by environmental toxins, according to the study.

 “Our results suggest that the common causes for colony losses in the United States and Europe – parasites, pathogens and pesticides – do not seem to be affecting Kenyan bees, at least not yet,” said Christina Grozinger, professor of entomology and director of the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State.

Researchers further note that while more than 90 percent of he honey bee colonies in the US contain pesticide residues, only four chemical residues were detected in the colonies sampled among the East African bees.

 “The low level of pesticides in hives from across Kenya, particularly when compared to levels in developed countries, suggests pesticide residues play only a limited role in honey bee health in Kenya at this time”, noted the study.

Researchers also found that bees appear resilient to a fungal parasite, Nosema apis, as well as three honey bee viruses namely deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV) and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV).

 “Our East African honey bees appear to be resilient to these invasive pests, which suggests to us that the chemicals used to control pests in Europe, Asia and the United States currently are not necessary in East Africa,” said Dr. Elliud Muli, the lead icipe beekeeping scientist on the study and a senior lecturer in entomology at South Eastern Kenya University.

According to the researchers, African bee keepers should avoid aggressive chemical treatments for these diseases since the honey been health systems seem entirely unaffected.

While African bees may be resistant to common diseases affecting colonies in the West, researchers observe that decline in populations is instead tied to loss in habitat and deforestation as cities expand and pristine habitat is converted into agricultural and other uses.

This has reduced availability of bee food in form of nectar and pollen as well as water.

The value of bees in food pollination across the world is immense. According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), bees pollinate 71 of the 100 food crop species in the world.

“Honey bees pollinate many food crops as well as those important for economic development, and their products, like honey and wax, are vital to the livelihood of many families. Their decline would have profound impacts across the continent,” said Harland Patch, research scientist in entomology at Penn State.

Although estimates vary, the global value of insect pollination services provided for the most part by honey bees was recently placed at $US 212 billion worldwide, equivalent to just under 10 percent of total food production for human consumption.

In Kenya, only 20 percent of an estimated 100,000 metric tonnes honey production potential has been tapped in Kenya, according to the National Farmers Infomration Service (NAFIS).

With over 80 percent of the country comprising arid and semi-arid areas, honey production potential is high and can becoem a major economic activity in these regions.

Notable for their high honey production- Kitui and Baringo Counties produce most of the honey consumed in the country.

Even with the increased uptake of modern hives such as the Kenya Top Bar and Langstroth hives, over 80 percent of the honey countrywide comes from traditional log hives.

Experts say that the quality of honey is affected by the type of hive, methods of harvesting and processing among other factors.

The farmers lack adequate skills on managing bees and handling hive products. Farmers also lament on limited access to appropriate beekeepign equipment, extension services and local and international markets.

Agricultural uses of geothermal power in Kenya

Geothermal other uses              by Mwangi Mumero

While the focus on geothermal power in East Africa has mainly been on electricity generation, experts now say that its potential goes beyond into agriculture, health, tourism and hotel industries.

“Steam from geothermal power stations has potential use in agriculture, tourism and in the health sectors. Very little of this potential is currently in use in the country although it has fully been exploited in Europe and other countries”, observed Ms Marietta Mutonga, a Geoscientist Resource and Development officer with the Geothermal Development Company (GDC), at the recently ended Nakuru Agricultural Society of Kenya Show.

 This comes at a time when the Geothermal Development Corporation (GDC) – the government body responsible for geothermal power – is wooing investors to develop this huge potential.

With an estimated geothermal power potential of between 7,000 MW and 10,000 MW, Kenya is yet to fully benefit from their renewable energy as only 200 MW is exploited.  

The country expected to generate 50 per cent of its power needs from geothermal by 2018. GDC has identified 14 high temperature sites in the Great Rift Valley that have potential of producing over 15,000 MW of power if fully developed .

According to Ms Marietta, steam for power generation must have an optimal temperature of 250 degrees Celcius and above. Once this heat has been utilized to turn the turbines, the cooling temperatures can be harnessed for other uses.
“Between 90 and 100 degrees Celcius, the heat can be used in drying grain, wool, hides and skins, vegetables. Already, pyrethrum drying is taking place at Eburru in Naivasha using steam”, she said.
However, it is in horticulture where the biggest potential of geothermal steam use in agriculture lies.
In Oserian Flower Farm in Naivasha, the steam is currently being used to heat greenhouses. In particular, horticulturalists are using heat from steam to control dew point temperatures.
“Dew point temperatures are critical in the proliferation and spread of fungal diseases in the green houses. Once this is controlled, there is reduced use of fungicides, allowing horticultural exporters to escape stringent chemical checks in the European Union market”, added Ms Mutonga.
Increased temperature in the greenhouses has also boosted horticultural production by 40 per cent in companies using steam, according to GDC.

For instance, cucumbers grown at 25-27 degrees Celcius and tomatoes at 22 degrees Celcius mature fast and reach the market quickly compared to those grown in other conditions.

With the many flower companies located near Naivasha, where Ol Karia geothermal stations are based, the potential for growth in the use of steam in horticulture is immense, according to officials.
According to the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) at least 1,200 hectares are under roses in Naivasha. Rose also form the bulk of all flowers produced in the area constituting over 70 per cent and form the main flower exports from the country.
Another use of this steam heating is in aquaculture- warm water fish farming.

While this practice has not been tried in Kenya, officials note that in Iceland and Tunisia, steam from geothermal plants has been used to warm water to 30 degrees Celcius for fish farming.

Research has shown that fresh water fish such as tilapia-common in the tropics- required temperatures of 25- 30 degrees Celcius for better performance.
Pasteurization of milk and fish preservation in cold rooms have also been cited as potential uses of steam from geothermal plants.
GDC officials however acknowledge that the major challenge of using steam in agriculture and other sectors has been the expensive pumping and lagging systems.
According to these officials, it is quite expensive to take steam for long distances without losing heat along the way and therefore, it can only benefit industries that are close to the geothermal plants.
In the hotel industry and health sectors, geothermal steam is already in use in hot water spas and swimming pools.
“A 50 degree Celcius spa has already been developed in Ol Karia Geothermal station in Naivasha although it is yet to be opened to the public. It has been developed within the area under Kenya Wildlife Service meaning tourism will also be boosted by the presence of these saunas”, asserted Ms Mutonga.
A warm water swimming pool is already open to the public in Lake Bogoria in Baringo County- one of the areas where natural hot water pools are found.
Development of Menengai Geothermal plant, expected to produce 5,000 MW of electricity by 2030, will spur growth other sectors such as hotel and flower industries in Nakuru County.
The plant on the dormant Menengai Crater overlooking the fast growing town as well as ever busy Lake Nakuru National Park which received thousands of local and foreign visitors annually.

The World Bank has pledged to inject $ 118 million to toward the project - underpinning the value the Bank puts in green energy.

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