Ksh 200/=
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LIVING THE ORGANIC FARMING DREAM Farming without experience
Plus
Treat Your Wastewater For Reuse Having your organic kitchen garden
Dairying In The City
Pest Control Without Chemicals
Is a growing www.natureandorganics.com
HOP Welcome to our maiden issue of Nature & Organics where we deal with all things Organic! We are enthusiastic about organics and will endeavor to keep you informed and interested in growing your knowledge of organic farming, organic gardening, organic produce and products. Afterall, we all want to make healthier living choices and that essentially is what this magazine is all about. We would love to hear from you – write to us: info@natureandorganics.com Wishing you a great read! Anne Mukoma
CONTACT US: 0779 035 887 info@natureandorganics.com Nairobi, Kenya
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Making your organic kitchen garden
Farmer living the organic dream
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A chemical-free farm
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18
Amazing ways to control pests on the farm
15
We treat your wastewater for reuse
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04 Editor’s note and quick facts 05 Make money from your kitchen waste 12 Organic dairy hub in the city 14 Organic dairying 18 Plants that keep produce safe in store
Yes, organic growers can feed the masses
09
20 Natural home remedies. 22 Agri news 26 Earthworms for farming 31 All about getting certified 33 Farming without experience
Animal Manure The New Cash Cow
28
Quick Facts
Editor’s O Note
ne advantage of organic farming is that produce usually sells for a higher price than non-organic food. In fact, the price can be up to 30 per cent higher in most cases, but some farmers earn up to double the price.
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arming that cares for environment: It is quite refreshing to know that the food you are eating is free of chemicals. That no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides were used to grow the vegetables or produce the milk or eggs gives one an assurance that some of those carcinogenic chemicals have not found their way into the body. That is the beauty of organic farming, which Nature & Organics presents you. We bring you the best practices in organic farming and share the stories of farmers, who are living the organic farming dream. Certainly, the goal in any commercial farming venture is to sell the produce and reap handsomely. Organic farming offers the best rewards as health-conscious consumers seek quality food. But what does it take to sell certified organic produce? Find out in the magazine. In the wake of increased diseases linked to harmful chemicals, it is our duty to promote and practice organic farming. And it does not take much. Growing your crops with plant and animal wastes and using chilli or garlic to curb pests puts you on the path to becoming an established organic farmer. Using organic farming methods that maintain the good health of the soil is one way of caring for the environment, but we can do more by embracing cleaner energy like biogas which we can readily produce on our dairy farms and recycle our waste water using modern techniques we share in the magazine. Welcome to this first issue of Nature&Organics. Enjoy the read Richard Mengo
O O I W
rganic farmers have a better chance better of withstanding the vagaries of climate change like rise in temperatures and erratic rainfall. This is because, due to the higher level of organic material in the soils, plants are able to absorb carbon dioxide from the air and put it in the soil. rganic farming methods reduce pollution, soil erosion, boost soil fertility, conserve water and are friendly to bio-diversity.
Project Head:
- Anne Mukoma.
Head Of Design:
- Euticus Githinji.
Editor:
- Richard Mengo.
Writers:
- Chris Mambo, - Caroline Wambui, - Leo Opondo, - Winnie Lelei, - Brian Okoth - Irene Muchiri.
Marketing
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ith organic farming, one does not need high capital investment since manure and bio-pesticides can be sourced locally, especially for the small farmer. This is even easier for farmers who engage in both crop and livestock production since they can source manure right from their own farms. And in case of organic pest control, plants like Mexican marigold are weeds that can be available freely.
- Susan Njathi
n a 2016 study, scientists in Europe found out that nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, are up to 50 per cent higher in organically produced meat and milk. ith many households in Kenya keeping chickens, goats or cows, organic farming offers a huge opportunity for small farmers to raise their food production using cheaper inputs like animal manures and crop residues. This can reduce production costs by up to 70 per cent and raise food production.
rganic fruits and vegetables can sometimes appear misshapen or imperfect. This is just the way fruits and vegetables grow naturally. The shape does not affect the taste.
O U
sually foods considered Organic are foods grown in at least 75% organic conditions.
Nature and Organics magazine is a publication of Simple Vision Ltd All rights reserved.
MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR KITCHEN WASTE
From keeping black soldier ies, crickets and turning it into manure, your kitchen waste is gold
Grow black soldier ies
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lack soldier ies are now much sought-after by animal feed makers because of their high level protein. Currently, demand is higher than supply as not many people are in the venture. The dumpsite y, as it is commonly known, is taking the place of ďŹ sh (omena) as the main protein source in animal food because the latter is becoming scarce and more expensive. Black soldier y rearing can be done in your backyard with very minimal investment and still earn you good income. The ies feed on organic wastes such as orange, mango and potato peels and food leftovers, hence the name dumpsite y. While it is not entirely necessary to chop the peels into tiny pieces, it is worthwhile to do so because it eases the feeding process of the larvae allowing them time to concentrate the food into proteins in their bodies. To rear the insects, one uses commercially made plastic trays or you can improvise yours from jerry cans. You put in the larvae together with the waste and keep adding until the larvae are ready for harvest. It takes 14 days for the larvae to mature. You will know it is time to harvest when they start to turn black. A kilogramme of the larvae goes for Sh100.
By Winnie Lelei
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good chunk of waste that ends up in dumpsites comes from households in towns. While dumping seems to be the easiest way of doing away with the waste, organic waste from the kitchen can generate good income for the average urban household. There are a number of ways you can put your organic waste into use. The waste include leftover food, potato peels, fruit pulp or covers, chicken or dog dropping. You can also collect such waste from your neighbors. And before you try any of the following ventures, you will need to separate the organic waste, for instance, leftover food from chicken droppings.
Keep crickets
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ust like black soldier ies, crickets are a good source of proteins and feed on organic kitchen waste. However, unlike the black soldier y, this insect has been embraced more as a human delicacy. You can engage in cricket rearing in a smaller space at your home or much more better, in your backyard as you feed them on kitchen waste. Crickets are omnivorous and can eat just about anything. They enjoy rotting plant matter but can also eat fresh tender leaves of spinach, sukuma wiki, cabbage or lettuce. They can also be fed on leftover meat. Keep your crickets in a deep cage to prevent them from escaping. Place vegetable leaves in the cage to allow them to munch as much as they need. Try to change their diet often and make sure they have a constant supply of food because in the face of starvation, the insects can cannibalise each other.
Composting
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nother way to use your organic kitchen waste is by making compost manure for your home garden or owers. When bacteria present in the soil break down bio-degradable material such as fruit peels and green vegetation, the result is a mineral rich material that is ideal for enriching the soil in your garden. Making compost manure not only provides a way of disposing waste but also helps one to save money spent on inorganic fertilisers. The manure improves soil structure and aeration giving your soil a longer life. To make compost manure, mix your kitchen waste and any other organic waste available such as yard vegetation in bin or in a pit and give it some weeks to decompose. Place your bin in a discreet location as the smell may become a nuisance to neighbors. Ready compost is mixed with soil or mulched around the plants to prevent water loss.
FARMER LIVING
The Organic
Dream
David Mugambi’s farm is a wonder of organic farming practices that have seen him not only reap big but also farm sustainably : By Caroline Wambui
D
ue to increasing consumer awareness on safer, quality food, demand for organically grown produce has increased two-fold. This is one of the reasons that pushed David Mugambi, 40, an environmentalist and an expert in natural resource management, to venture into integrated organic farming. His one-and-a-quarter acre farm in Kathigiririni, Tharaka Nithi County, is a spectacle as he grows sweet potatoes, cassava, macadamia, paw paws, bananas, gravelia trees and napier. He also rears 40 chickens and 60 goats. “This being a semi-arid region, a farmer should know better by minimising on the climatic and biological risks while providing a diverse range of nutritional foods to the community as they increase the soil organic matter,� says the father of three. Organic farming ensures long-term fertility in degraded soils while maintaining the organic matter levels and producing chemical-free foods, says Mugambi, who also doubles up as a lecturer at Chuka University. His sweet potatoes not only act as cover crops, but they also help in curbing soil erosion while also earning him good income.
With a change in lifestyle and a major shift towards the traditional foods, more and more people are seeking healthier foods like cassavas, arrowroots and yams,
Mugambi.
According to Mugambi, organic farming not only produces chemical-free foods, but it also ensures a friendly environment for the farmer while keeping the soils regenerated by oering a continuous supply of nutrients.
Mugambi mainly uses organic manure from both his chickens and goats and practices mulching. This not only helps reduce evaporation, but also helps in suppressing weeds while improving the soil structure.
“The use of integrated farming methods helps to maximise land use, and create biodiversity, attracting a variety of beneďŹ cial and predatory insects that help minimise pest and diseases,â€? he explains, adding that he uses biological methods to control pests.
On his farm, the 300 gravelia trees are the boundary crop that not only provides shade, but also oer him timber, thus, more income. The trees have helped create a micro-climate that protects his crops against extreme climatic conditions. With them, he is therefore able to control temperature, sunlight exposure and susceptibility to wind, storm and rain.
“The macadamia and grafted avocados are purely my cash crops. I also plant napier on the terraces to curb soil erosion,� Mugambi.
According to him, indigenous crops like sweet potatoes have been forgotten yet they are a good source of nutrients and income. “These neglected foods can greatly help alleviate hunger and malnutrition. They also help in reducing environmental degradation while improving economic opportunities,� he explains. “Many indigenous crops are richer in proteins, vitamins, iron and other nutrients than popular non-native plants and can reduce droughts and pests,� he adds.
Besides sweet potatoes, he isolates cassava as a very useful crop on the farm. “It makes complete use of rainfall. It’s long extensive root system taps any available rainwater and ensures that the soil is never left exposed thus helping reduce soil erosion,� he says, adding crops like arrowroots help block weeds from becoming established and further denies them sunlight and ground space, thus saving the farmers the expense of buying and applying pesticides and herbicides.
His sustainable farming model has helped him produce organic food that is not only healthy but with a longer shelf-life.
“With the need to produce clean healthy foods, farmers must embrace organic farming which is a production system that is natural and healthy.� To give back to the community, Mugambi who has keen interests in community conservation projects, has collaborated with other members in the county and established GREEN TNC, an organisation that trains pupils and farmers on tree planting. “Organic farming is not only a sustainable production method but it is a good way to produce food and address climate change issues,� he concludes.
Yes,
we can feed the masses without relying on pesticides
A chat with farmers and experts shows that we can successfully use organic methods to grow crops on a bigger scale, writes Leo Opondo
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ith the rise in lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cancer, consumers are now very conscious of what they eat pushing demand for organically grown food. Natural methods that include use of farm-yard manure, animal waste and organic pesticides have over the years been employed to grow healthier and safer food. However, a rapidly growing population and adverse eects of climate change have put pressure on food production forcing a majority of farmers to adopt technologies such as inorganic fertilisers, hybrid seeds and pesticides to produce food for the masses. With increased use of inorganic farming methods, criticisms against organic agriculture have mounted, with some terming it as ineďŹƒcient, it requires more land than conventional farming to yield the same amount of food thus cannot be relied on to feed the rising population. While some claim that it is impossible to produce food, especially in large-scale, without using synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, a chat with organic farmers and experts shows that we can successfully use organic methods to grow crops on bigger scale. Margaret Karanja, an organic farmer from Limuru, is among tens of farmers who are growing vegetables and herbs in greenhouse and outdoor using animal manure and liquid fertiliser from earthworms.
The farmer, who sells her vegetables in Nairobi, says that the practice requires patience as the worms feed on the soil and organic materials to generate liquid fertiliser. “But it is worth the wait since one is guaranteed of healthy and leafy vegetables that fetches higher prices,â€? she notes. The liquid fertiliser is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2 before being used on crops on the farm. Organic farmers also rely on intergrated pest management system, which include controlling pests using push-pull mechanisms such as growing onions or herbs around the key crops to repel pests or use of plant based pesticides like neem solutions to control diseases. John Reganold , a professor of soil science and agroecology at the Washington State University, points out that despite oering a little lower yields, organic agriculture is more proďŹ table by 22–35 per cent because consumers are willing to pay more. These higher prices essentially compensate farmers for preserving the quality of their land, Prof Reganold says. But can organic farming feed the masses with its deemed low yields? Prof Reginald observes that organic farming can help to both feed the world and preserve land. In a study published in 2016, researchers modelled 500 food production scenarios to see if we can feed an estimated world population of 9.6 billion people in 2050 without expanding the area of farmland we already use.
They found that enough food could be produced with lower-yielding organic farming even if people become vegetarians or eat a more plant-based diet, he explains. Dr David Amudavi, the Biovision Kenya executive director, notes that using chemical pesticides to control pests endangers living organisms in the soil, pollutes the environment and kills pollinators such as bees and butteries. Biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and severe impact on ecosystem services which support wildlife habitat, crop pollination, soil health and other beneďŹ ts, have accompanied conventional farming systems. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) notes that bees and other pollinators such as birds pollinate 35 per cent of the world's crop production increasing output of 87 per cent of the leading food crops worldwide, plus many plant-derived medicines. But excessive use of agricultural chemicals among other factors is driving abundant decline of bees and pollinators in many parts of the world, according to FAO. Dr Amudavi noted that through practices such as mulching, use of farm-yard manure and vermiculture, farmers can signiďŹ cantly enhance the fertility of their soil while conserving the environment and pollinators.
r
u o y g n i k Ma
organic
n e h c t i K n e d r a G
s e p i p e t Was
T
garden
his garden gives you a chance to recycle plastic pipes, especially the six inch ones. Normally, the pipes are cut into half, ďŹ lled with soil and ďŹ tted on wooden frames. However, to ensure the kitchen garden is completely organic, mix the soil with compost or animal manure that is well-composted. One part of the soil is mixed with a similar part of manure and some pebbles for better results.
The soil mixed with manure is ďŹ lled three-quarters into the pipes to leave space for irrigating the crops. You can grow various kinds of vegetables in this garden including collard greens (sukuma wiki), spinach and even fruits like strawberries. One pipe can host up to 10 plants, which means you can have more than enough vegetables for your family.
Terrace Garden
Y
ou can use anything to make this garden, from used plastic tanks, plywood, iron sheet to tyres. If using old tyres, you will have to cut the top to remain with an open space for better farming. Similarly, if using a plastic tank, cut it into half and perforate at the bottom and sides for good drainage while if using plywood or iron sheet, curve it into a circle. Mix thoroughly soil and manure in a ratio of 1:1 before putting in the tyres or old tanks and then plant your crops that include onions, strawberries, tomatoes and vegetables.
Multi-storey garden
H
ere, one uses gunny sacks, the bigger the better. The sack should be open on both ends, and then ďŹ lled with a mixture of well-decomposed manure and soil, pebbles, a pipe for water supply. One makes holes on the side of the sacks where the crops would be planted, besides at the top. Each hole holds a seedling, enabling the farmer to plants 50 sukuma wiki plants and others in a 90kg sack garden
Oasis garden
A
s the rains remain scarce, this garden is ideal for urban growers to farm all year round by maximising on water use. To start, one digs a two-feet-deep and one-metre-wide hole and scoops all the soil out. When this is done, spread a polythene paper on the bed, ensuring that it covers the hole fully. Then place a horizontal perforated pipe running up to the middle of the trench and let it appear on the ground surface by making a joint. The next step is to put pebbles on top of the pipe, and then adding a mixture of manure and soil in a same ratio. The farmer supplies water to the crops using the pipe, with minimal wastage as the polythene sheet on the ground curbs seepage allowing crops to ourish.
Wall garden This is ideal for urban farmers who have no space at all, but they can use their side walls to grow various crops. The process starts by mounting, preferably steel frames, which will hold plastic buckets where the crops would ourish. Once the metal frames are ďŹ tted, one then perforates the plastic buckets and ďŹ lls them with a mixture of soil and manure. The crops are then grown inside the buckets before they are hanged on the metal frames to ourish. One should put them at a place where they can easily be watered to ourish.
Murimi and Maryanne Wamai run their farm proďŹ tably on biogas generated from their dairy animals in Karen, Nairobi, writes Winnie Lelei
A
t Rhino Park Dairy Resource Centre in Karen, Nairobi, we ďŹ nd Murimi Wamai and his two sons busy ‘bathing’ their calves. His jovial wife, Maryanne Wamai, emerges from the pasteurising room to welcome us. In 2010, the couple ploughed Sh300,000 into the agribusiness that they co- founded. They have over the years seen it gradually transform from simply keeping cows for milk to breeding cattle for sale and also manufacturing dairy products. But the journey to a successful dairy business has not been easy for the couple whose experience in dairy cattle keeping when they were beginning was limited to free-ranging cows Wamai’s mother kept in his childhood. Wamai, who holds a Masters degree in law, says their decision to venture into dairy keeping was speculative as neither his nor his wife’s professional background came in handy for the new venture. Maryanne holds a degree in psychology. But despite this, and the fact that the two have held prestigious bank jobs before, Wamai says that the promise that dairy farming held for him and his family spurred him and his wife to pursue avenues to allow them better their business. The two budding farmers have since taken short courses and attended several agricultural workshops to improve their dairy farming skills.
They have also joined several dairy cooperatives and associations which not only keep them abreast with market prices but give farmers a strong purchasing power of goods and services for their animals. Wamai has completed several short courses in dairy farm management and in breeding while Maryanne has trained in dairy products manufacturing. This, according to Wamai, has enabled them to manage their agribusinesses professionally. He handles the farm management while Maryanne production and sales. The farm, which occupies half of the family’s one acre, hosts 20 high milk producing Holstein-Friesian animals. Each of the 11 cows that are currently lactating produce an average of 35 litres of milk per day.
To harness the cows’ total potential, the farm uses milking machines. This, according to Wamai, not only milks the cow to full potential but also saves time as it takes an average of eight minutes to milk one cow. Coupled with the fact that he uses the double sided machine he bought at Sh250,000, the thrice a day milking activity has been simpliďŹ ed and only requires one farm hand, thereby cutting down the cost of labour.
The cows are hosted in three separate structures made of iron sheet walls and partitioned using metal rods. Inside the structures are concreate troughs separated for feeds and drinking water, which are easy to clean. The oors of the structures are made of non-slippery cement and have mattresses to give the cows both comfort and warmth. “We decided to cement the oors to allow easy removal of dung from the sheds. This way, we get rid of the odour and the dung used to produce biogas,â€? says Wamai, who uses the gas for all his farm’s energy needs. The cattle’s main feeds consist of fodder and silage. Each of the cows consume about 30kg of dry matter a day making hay the staple feed. This is sometimes substituted with wheat bran and dairy meal or green matter if available. Wamai points out though that the cattle can eat up to 100 kilos of feeds if they are fed on green matter such as napier grass or plantain leaves. Obtaining feeds for the animals is a great challenge, though, especially for a starter because feeds and supplements especially from agrovets are quite expensive. “We sometimes make our own hay to cut expenses, but still, we cannot run away from purchasing dairy meal and supplements,â€? says Wamai. The Wamais dairy business has further expanded to breeding the animals for sale. According to Wamai, the business opportunity presented itself as more farmers became aware of the beneďŹ ts of pedigree animals. All the animals on the farm are tagged and named based on their parental history. “The tags are important because they not only show the history of the animal but also the generation and the number of the cow on the farm,â€? says Wamai, who also keeps catalog of the animals. The Wamais have sold up to 15 pedigree animals every year since 2017 at between Sh200,000 and Sh250,000.
Dr Georey Kaaria, an animal breeding expert attached to Cooperative Resources International Kenya, which specialises in supplying quality dairy genetics to farmers, says it is important that producers register their livestock as the practice helps in improving livestock both at farm and national level. “Available records for registered cows helps avoid in-breeding and at the same time complement for any deďŹ ciencies in the cow family,â€? says Dr Kaaria.
He notes that prospective buyers rely on available records to predict the performance of a cow and usually, only registered cows are contracted as sire of sires. The Wamais add value to their milk by making yoghurt, cultured or fresh milk, all which is pasteurised then packaged. Maryanne, who is in-charge of the business, says that the decision to venture into manufacturing was to get more money from their produce.
She obtained a licence to operate a cottage industry and injected Sh700,000 in the business, Sh250,000, which went on the pasteurising vessel and the rest on gas stands and the cottage made of iron sheets, plastic and a tiled oor. The 45-year-old, who sells her products to individuals and retailers, says pasteurising the milk not only lengthens its shelf-life but also reduces bacterial risk for the consumer.
The practice involves the livestock having free access to pasture in paddocks or ďŹ elds, and left to freely roam the farm, writes Brian Okoth
I
n organic dairy keeping practice, production of milk and its by-products, which include yoghurt, cheese and cream, is done without the use of any chemicals. Fodder is grown without the use of any pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilisers while antibiotic use in eliminating parasites in avoided. Tobias Ochola, a livestock consultant who works with Advantage Crops Ltd, a ďŹ rm involved in the development and delivery of certiďŹ ed seeds of selected crops including livestock fodders, says organic dairy keeping is gaining currency. “These dairy activities should not cause any adverse eects to the environment. The feeds used in feeding the livestock, the processing aspect of the feeds and everything
they entail, should be safe to the environment,â€? he says. Eective organic dairy farming, according to him, requires a production strategy that embraces pasture, a high forage diet and a small degree of grains and other concentrates, and at the same time ensuring that the waste products that the animals generate after eating these feeds, are not harmful to the environment. The livestock should also have daily free access to pasture in paddocks or ďŹ elds, and left to freely roam the farm. They should essentially be let to graze outdoors and at least 30 per cent of their dry matter requirement be from pastures. “As a rule, no fertiliser, chemical pesticides or herbicides should be used in the pastures cultivation and
if raw or composted manure is applied to the grass, the cows should not be allowed to graze on that section until the manure breaks down biologically,â€? he says. He adds that housing for the cows must provide as little stress to them as possible. “The housing facility should meet the animals’ normal and comfortable socialisation, feeding and living conditions,â€? he oers. The housing system should consist of comfortably ďŹ tted stalls with soft ooring, suďŹƒcient space to move around, adequate oor traction, proper ventilation and access to the outdoors. “The housing unit must also be clean, dry and provide ample protection from harsh elements, including bad weather,â€? he mentions.
There should also be ample provision of water for the organic dairy cows. And mostly importantly, their feed rations, which should be balanced, must never contain any antibiotics, hormones, chemically extracted ingredients or substances that are synthetic in nature. The feed, he notes, should contain substances that are necessary and essential for maintaining the cows' health – including large rations of high quality roughages, with the ingredients used therein certiďŹ ed as organic and approved for use by an accredited certifying body. The livestock should receive proper health care to maintain their health and prevent disease, while hormones for reproductive diďŹƒculties are prescribed, and cows with persistent disease challenges including that of mastitis culled from the dairy herd.
From neem to rabbit urine, aloe vera, thithonia and lantana camara, you can protect your crops and harvest without using pesticides By Caroline Wambui Other organic pesticides, according to Benard Kinoti, an agricultural limination of pests on the farm can be a oďŹƒcer at the Ministry of Agriculture in Meru, include hot pepper mixed challenging task, especially in the face of with garlic and onion blended together to form a solid paste that is then massive insect attack or stubborn diseases, mixed with water and reserved for at least a day. At times a mild soap is which make farmers use lots of chemicals. also added to make the mixture unpalatable to the insects and when But this desperate move certainly is sprayed to the infected plants, the insects won’t eat it thus starving and short-lived because it not only damages the soil dying. causing negative environmental eects but also Garlic insecticide spray acts turns ineective as pests become resistant. as an insect repellant and is There are many sustainable and environknown to knock down insect ment-friendly ways of ďŹ ghting pests and diseases. infestation in the garden. Eric Murungi, a resort owner in Tharaka Nithi A few drops of eucalyptus oil county, has planted neem all round his Muunguni sprinkled on plants works Hill View Resort. wonders in ridding of the “I normally extract neem leaves from the plants so insects. that when making manure for my farm, I add When a cup of vegetable oil is ground neem which helps to keep crops pest-free,â€? mixed with a mild soap, the he says. eect is distressing to the During planting, Murungi advises that ashes from insects such as mites and the leaves or ďŹ nely crushed leaves can be mixed thrips as the oil is known to with the soil to help curb pests. coat the insect bodies “Ground neem seeds are used in amending and suocating them as it blocks enhancing the soil through mulching and control of the pores through which they soil pests like nematodes.â€? breathe. When making red Neem juice, made from pounded leaves which are pepper sprays, ďŹ rst blend the mixed with water and sieved, is one of the most peppers with water and powerful natural pesticide for warding o pests like strain the mixture while whiteies and aphids. adding several drops of liquid Neem oil spray made by mixing neem oil and liquid soap to it and spray as soap solution, is also a powerful insecticide capable desired. of disrupting the lifecycle of insects at all stages and Caution is recommended as the peppers can be very intoxicating, thus, can be used preventatively by spraying on the one should have protective garments. leaves of plants that are often ravaged by pests Murithi Musa, a farmer in Tharaka Nithi, says he chops Mexican marigold, before they are actually infested. It also prevents garlic and tithonia into very small pieces and then mixes the substances, fungus, repels and kills insects. Neem is perfectly adds water to the mixture and leaves for 2-3 days after which he sieves safe to spray on vegetables and fruit crops. the mixture and dilutes a glass or two with 20 litres of water and uses to spray aected plants.
E
Yes,
rabbit urine curbs Cotton Pests.
S
By Chris Mambo
praying rabbit urine on cotton plants is an eective way of curbing mealybugs, farmers have been told. When sprayed on crops, rabbit urine eectively ďŹ ghts a broad spectrum of pests that reduce production, according to Justus Lavi, the secretary of Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum, a lobby which promotes organic farming. “To ďŹ ght mealybugs, cotton farmers only need to invest in rabbit urine. The product is approved by Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service and is now available at aordable rates in major agro-chemical dealers across the country,â€? Lavi told cotton growers at a recent forum in Makueni. The forum was convened by the county government and Biodiversity Biosafety Association of Kenya. It came in the backdrop of rampant attacks of various crops by mealybugs. The attack was a threat to ongoing eorts to revive the production of cotton in the semi-arid region. Cotton was one of the biggest cash crops in the semi-arid county years ago. The industry, however, collapsed in early 2000 after the government sold existing ginneries to private investors. Since last year, the county government has been interesting farmers in the crop. The county government supplied farmers with cotton seeds and chemical pesticides to kick start their enterprises. However, farmers complained that they risked posting zero yield as the supplied pesticides were unable to ďŹ ght mealybugs. “Mealybugs have defeated all eorts to ďŹ ght them. They do not respond to pesticides even when you keep changing the concentration. We are staring at losses,â€? lamented Joel Nzoka, one of the aected cotton farmers. The spread and notoriety of mealybugs cast a shadow on passionate appeals by senior county government oďŹƒcials on farmers to adopt the crop which is tolerant to drought. Some of the farmers reported that they had turned to sprinkling soda on the aected crops in a desperate bid to ďŹ ght the notorious pest. Others said that they had experimented with raw milk in vain. Most of the speakers contemplated giving up on the crop saying that their eorts of ďŹ ght mealybugs were eating into their proďŹ ts. Admitting that most conventional pests have been overwhelmed by the pest, county government oďŹƒcials appealed to farmers not to abandon the crop and instead try organic pesticides. “Most of the farmers who grew maize in the last season posted zero yields because the rains failed but farmers who grew cotton are poised to get some good yields. Increase acreage under cotton to take advantage of the good prices that the crop is currently fetching,â€? said Agriculture chief oďŹƒcer, Mary Muteti told farmers.
He also mixes crushed egg shells, bones, tithonia, ashes and goat manure to make organic manure which he uses on his macadamia trees. Murithi notes that preparing manure and plant extracts is labour intensive, thus, farmers often opt for the easy way of using chemicals. In controlling pests on macadamia trees, Kinoti explains that farmers can use smoking method.
Smoking is done between the rains and in the opposite direction of the wind. If the wind is blowing west, the farmer should have the smoke on the east as pest don't like laying their eggs in an area where they sense there might be a fire. The best time to smoke is evening when weeds are not strong and the weather is calm.
Planting of hedges to separate one crop from another is another way of curbing pests. Tithonia hedges can act as a barrier to insects such as aphids while a row of pigeon peas can protect your tomatoes, potatoes and even cabbages from red spider mites. Before any organic pesticide is used, it’s advisable that it is tested on a few leaves before the entire plant is sprayed, according to Kinoti. It is also advisable to spray early in the morning before the sun is hot or late in the afternoon as some bio-pesticides, especially those containing oils can burn plants if used when the sun is hot. Bleach based soaps or detergents should be avoided as they can be harmful.
Neem
M
any farmers rely on chemicals to protect their grains like maize and beans in the store. But do you know that there are organic ways of controlling pests in food stores? To begin with, organic pest control methods should start on the farm before the grains end up in the store after drying. On the farm, the pest management comes in three ways. First is the use of natural plant materials that include stinging nettle, Russian comfrey, tithonia and leucaena, which are planted alongside crops.
The second is applying plant solutions extracted from hot pepper or chilly, wood ash, onions, garlic, neem, aloe vera, coriander, pyrethrum or Mexican marigold on the crops to protect them from pests and diseases. In the store, one uses dried and crushed extracts from Mexican marigold or chilli, which are mixed with ordinary ash or dry dung.
Lantana Adding the mixture to grains like maize, beans, rice, sorghum, wheat and green grams repels or kills beetles, moths, weevils and bruchids. Other plant extracts that can be used to kill storage pests include those from thorn apple, neem, Persian lilac and Lantana camara. These extracts eectively control pests like potato moth during storage, with treated grains lasting for up to two years pest-free.
As a precaution, after using the organic pest control extracts, wash your hands thoroughly after treatment. Much better, always use rubber gloves when applying the plant materials to produce. More importantly, clean the produce thoroughly before cooking when you get it from the store. Grains like maize or rice that are milled for our must also be thoroughly cleaned under running water and re-dried before billing milled.
Marigold
A Chemical Free Farm Daniel Wachira successfully farms a variety of animals and crop on his ten acres without using any chemical By IRENE MUCHIRI
O
n his 10-acre piece of land in Nyeri Town, fruits dangle from trees as lush green vegetables underneath them sway in sync with the wind. Daniel Wachira, the owner of the farm, checks on the crops, keenly scouting for any pests or diseases. Wachira has been a horticulture farmer for the past 10 years, growing vegetables, fruits and cereals using chemicals to ďŹ ght pest and diseases.
However, after years of using pesticides, he transited to organic farming over eight months ago as he sought to sell his products to a niche market. “The market has become conscious of what they eat due to the rising cases of diseases like cancer which have been linked to food people eat. Many are, therefore, going for organically grown food,� he says. He farms capsicum, carrots, coriander (dania), Chinese cabbages, sukuma wiki, spinach, passion fruit, pawpaw, lettuce, spring onions, tree tomatoes, sweet potatoes and traditional vegetables, all organically.
I grow the crops using rabbit urine and manure, crop waste, manure from dairy cows, goats and chickens, which I ensure is well decomposed. I also keep bees.
His livestock brood consists of 120 rabbits from which he harvests their urine and makes foliar fertiliser, 300 Kienyeji chickens, 50 goats and 30 dairy cows. “I also source about six tonnes of manure from pastoralists in Dol Dol, Laikipa County at Sh8,000 to ensure I do not lack,â€? he said. On the edges of his vegetables and fruit farms he has planted Mexican marigold weed which acts as a pest repellant to insects such as aphids. Spring onion also helps in controlling pests. During the cold weather when the crops are vulnerable to early and late blight, Wachira says he uses a mixture of milk and baking powder to curb the diseases. “With the change in the weather patterns, I can spray at any given stage of a crop if I sense they are prone to the two diseases. The mixture helps in arresting the situation,â€? he says. To ďŹ ght o pests such as cutworms and other caterpillars that ravage crop leaves, he makes an organic pesticide from a mixture of pepper, garlic, pyrethrum and aloe vera. “I take a handful of each of the crops, mash them and boil to make a concoction that I mix with 17 litres of water before spraying,â€? he says.
versatile tithonia or lantana camara, both which are used as foliar fertiliser and pesticide. He cuts them into pieces and mixes with water in a ratio of 5:15 in a plastic 50 litre container and leaves them for 21 days to form the foliar fertiliser. He then sieves the concoction using a net before he applies to his crops through the drip pipes. “I intercrop all my crops because this practice helps in suppressing weeds and reduces the plant’s vulnerability to diseases,� Wachira notes. Before transitioning to organic farming, Wachira says he planted sweet potatoes vine for his dairy cows but whenever he fed them, they would bloat. “I realised the soil was contaminated and the chemicals I was using were ending up in the animal bodies,� he says. After three seasons of growing the sweet potatoes, he switched to organic farming, noting that he has since realised it is cheaper than non-organic farming.
The farmer has opened a shop in Nyeri town dubbed Fazenda Organico through which he sells his produce to local and supplies to markets in the town and Naiorbi. “My aim of opening the shop was to get rid of brokers because they take the lion share of the farmers’ income. The shop how connects me to the buyers directly,� he says, adding that he is looking forward to break even in the coming months from his organic farming venture. Wachira says the government needs to invest more in organic farming in terms of policies and creating awareness as the areas remain untapped and can help ease disease burden in the country. “Organic farming poses no hazard to the environment and to the health of the mass population,� he concludes.
We have them in our kitchens and use them to spice up our cooking and make the food taste delicious. But these common herbs have other great health boost uses. Here are a few of them. Fight colds with Cinnamon tea: Because of cinnamon‘s antifungal and analgesic properties, it tends to be warming for the body and it dilates your blood vessels. It helps in ďŹ ghting and preventing colds. Add hot water to cinnamon to make herbal tea and add a little honey (ensure it’s actual honey and not syrup).
Prevent hair loss with Garlic: Many people know that garlic is great for ďŹ ghting colds, but are you aware it can also aid in preventing hair loss. Garlic has high levels of Allicin, a compound similar to that found in onions, that was found to eectively treat hair loss, according to a study in the Indian Journal of Dermatology. Rub sliced cloves of garlic on your scalp. In addition to preventing hair loss, using garlic like this also acts as an eective dandru remedy.
Improve digestion with Ginger: Ginger is said to have strong antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inammatory powers. It is a common folk remedy for upset stomach and nausea. It helps stimulate saliva production and calm an upset stomach. Drink it with some honey or squeeze of lemon if you like. Bonus: honey and lemon also have throat-soothing properties.
Heal fungal toenail with vinegar. Toenail fungus can be distressing and takes long to heal. Soaking the aected toe in equal parts of warm water and vinegar twice a day has been known to be eective in curing it in some people. You can also put some vinegar directly on the toenail. Keep going for 2 – 3 weeks for best results.
Please note that the information on this page is not intended as a medical reference but as a source of information.
Did you know?
Dogs too can feast on avocado
Dogs, goat and sheep, can eat the much-loved avocados but this should be oered in smaller quantities. You see, avocados contain persin, a chemical which if ingested in larger quantities is toxic to most livestock.
A single cow creates at least four jobs
Farm use The average cultivated land per farming household in Kenya is 0.8-2.0 hectare, with the size mainly dependent on available family labour. Most farmers grow a mixture of crops including maize, sorghum, millet combined with beans, vegetables and peas earning as low as Sh3,500 – Sh4,500 per year per hectare, in addition to the income from a few domestic animals like cows and chickens, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Heaviest tomato was 3.5kg The heaviest tomato was 3.51kg and made enough sandwiches for 21 people. On the other hand, the tallest tomato plant reached 19.8 meters, and the biggest tomato tree managed to grow 32,000 fruits that weighed 522kg. Tomatoes do not belong in the refrigerator. The cold air in the fridge stops unripe tomato from ripening, and ripening is what gives tomatoes more avour. There are about 10,000 varieties of tomatoes across the globe.
By keeping a single dairy cow, you can create four full-time jobs in your neighbourhood. Let’s count. There is the cow handler, the vet oďŹƒcer, yourself and the milk seller. Well, for farmers who take their cows to the river for watering, it is important to know that you can lead a cow upstairs, but not downstairs. This is because cows’ knees cannot bend properly to walk downstairs. And these interesting facts about cows don’t end there: cows cannot vomit; they are social animals, like people, they will make friends and bond to some herd members, while avoiding others or they would like the herds boy and hate you. Lastly, the spots on Friesian cows are like a human beings ďŹ ngerprints, they are never the same. No two cows have exactly the same pattern of black and white spots.
Longest flight by chicken Certainly, chickens are birds and all birds y – so you must be thinking. Well, chickens are not good yers. While they can y for short distances, they hardly leave the ground. The longest documented ight of a chicken just lasted a mere 13 seconds.
MP wants harmful pesticides banned
P
arliament was in September petitioned to push for withdrawal of harmful pesticides from the Kenyan market. Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei in a petition to MPs noted that there has been an increase in harmful pesticides in the Kenyan market, which pose danger to human health and the environment. “There are products in the Kenyan market, which are certainly classiďŹ ed as carcinogenic (24), mutagenic (24), endocrine disrupter (35), neurotoxic (140) and many others which show clear eect on reproduction toxicity, many which have been banned in China, Europe and US,â€? she said in her petition. The legislator asked parliament to recommend for the banning of all pesticides that are considered harmful and ask the government to establish and strengthen a monitoring system on the use of the chemicals through increased data collection on food samples in the market.
The increase in pesticide use in the country has not been accompanied by necessary safeguards to control how they are applied,� she noted. Emmanuel Atamba of Route to Food Initiative observed with increased pesticide usage in Kenya, access to safe, nutritious food is increasingly becoming doubtful.
New test to help curb lethal maize disease in East Africa
S
cientists have introduced a new test that would help farmers easily detect if their maize is infected by the Lethal Necrosis Disease (LND), a major threat to the cereal crop. The test known as immune strip has the maize chlorotic mottle virus, (MCMV) which reacts with plant extracts infected with LND. LND is caused by a mixture of MCMV and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus, with scientists using the former to help in detecting the disease. “The strips are suitable for testing the disease in the ďŹ eld,â€? said Francis Mwatuni of the Nairobi- based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). “One only needs to get maize sap, then put in the kit and if infected, it will show immediately,â€? he added. Besides farmers, seed producers across East Africa, are also expected to reap from the technology that retails at Sh180 in the local market. One needs two strips to test an acre of maize for the disease. Besides LND, maize farmers across East Africa are grappling with fall armyworms and head smut.
Climate change hits Kenya’s arid areas harder, new report shows
T
here has been a signiďŹ cant decline in rainfall in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (Asals), with temperatures rising considerably as climate change bites, a recent report shows as experts call for use of research and innovation to counter the adverse eects. The report by Kenya Market Trust (KMT), which assesses the impact of climate change in the Asals, shows temperatures in ďŹ ve out of 21 semi-arid counties in Kenya have risen beyond the global average of 1.5°C over the years. The report isolates Laikipia (1.59°C), Narok (1.75°C), Turkana and Baringo (1.8°C), and West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet (1.91°C) as areas that are worst aected. “With projected temperatures in many semi-arid counties likely to increase beyond the global target of 1.5°C in the coming years, and rainfall expected to be more unpredictable over the next century, climate change remains one of the biggest threats to Kenya’s aim of achieving a middle-income status and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,â€? says the report. It warns that Kenya’s short rainy season of October– November– December will become more reliable as compared to the main rainfall season of March–April–May, suggesting a switch in the current intensity, onset and cessation of rainfall periods.
By 2030, the report says, 16 Asals will have maximum temperatures increases greater than 1°C and by 2050, in 17 counties, the temperature would have increased by more than 1.5°C. “By 2070, in all arid counties, temperature increases are expected to exceed 1.5°C with Wajir, West Pokot and Tana River, temperature increases going beyond 2°C,â€? says the report. According to the report, the adverse impacts of the climatic change in Kenya’s Asals where animal farming is predominant is that it has led to a decrease in the number of livestock in the last few years. There has also been an increase in animal pests and diseases in the Asals as well as the emergence of invasive species due to climate change. The risks, according to the report, are further exacerbated by population increase, either through migration or natural birth processes which exert pressure on available resources such as land and related adaptation options. Up to 1.4 million pastoralists will be adversely aected by the year 2030 if the adverse eects of climate change are not stemmed, warns the report.
WE TREAT YOUR
WASTEWATER FOR REUSE
By Winnie Lelei
S
ometime in 2015, Isaac Karani proposed to an acquaintance what he thought was a brilliant idea to help solve water shortage problem in the country. The idea involved treating waste water for reuse. With the help of his friend, he imported his ďŹ rst water treatment kit, a move that turned out to be the beginning of a journey that has positively touched more than 6,000 individuals and businesses and earned him recognition across the world. A holder of two degrees, that is, Bachelor in Soil, Water and Environmental Engineering and Bachelor in Agricultural Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Karani is excited to use his knowledge to conserve the environment and his business named Elikham Systems Limited. According to him, perennial water shortage due to climate change and human activities like deforestation and pollution calls for strategies to recycle water.
Since 85 per cent of all household water goes to sewage, I ďŹ gured out that treating it for reuse can help provide a sustainable supply,
says Karani, who began his research while at the university. He uses a biological process in which bacteria and other microorganisms help decompose harmful organic substances and pathogens found in garbage and faecal material.
Karani, who is the company’s engineering director, said the treatment system has four chambers, with the ďŹ rst one receiving the dirty water, which is then treated in the second and third before moving to the fourth for distribution to the dierent areas of use within the household, through an inline chlorination path. Though the waste water treatment is done to a level where the commodity can be used for human consumption, people are still shy to consume it, says Karani. “Most of our clients use the treated water for secondary functions such as washing and ushing toilets. We also encourage them to use it for agricultural purposes.â€?
He notes that most people are quickly embracing waste water treatment, not only as a way to beat shortages but also as an environment-friendly way to dispose sewage. He adds that people are increasingly becoming aware of other beneďŹ ts of sludge that remains after water is treated such as for use as organic manure and raw material for making briquettes. “Every system installed for each client is dierent depending on their needs, type of waste water and the amount of water being treated, as opposed to the size of the establishment. For instance, a family home may be small but the frequency of water going to the
septic tank may be higher than in an oďŹƒce complex where water is used scarcely,â€? he oers. The system, located underground, costs between Sh250,000 and Sh1 million, with the price varying depending on whether a septic tank already exists or the installation is being done for the ďŹ rst time.
The recycling plant can be run using electricity but Elikham’s system utilises solar energy, cutting costs. According to the entrepreneur, the solar system can be used not just for waste water treatment but also for other power needs at home. This has given the company a new business opportunity as they now import and install solar systems for their clients. The company, whose clients range from single households to apartments and complexes, has expanded its operations from Nairobi to other counties such as Murang’a, Machakos, Embu, Isiolo and Migori and treats at least 950,000 litres of water every day. Besides such smart environmental innovations, Elikham is also employing digital platforms to revolutionise its clients’ services. The company’s portal allows both its sta and clients to monitor the operations of the treatment systems. One can see the amount of energy produced by the solar systems and the water that has been treated. Through the digital platform, Elikham is further able to provide maintenance service and advice the client accordingly, while cutting down costs associated with travelling to a site or placing permanent sta near the sites. The company, which has ďŹ ve permanent sta and hires tens of casuals depending on need, was one of the six technological start-ups selected to represent Kenya in the Go Global Africa 2019 programme in the United Kingdom. According to Karani, the company has also made strides through the support of the Industrial and Commercial Development Cooperation (ICDC). “Through ICDC, we have been able to participate in presentations such as the KPDA 2018 Conference on aordable Housing and in the Nairobi Trade fair 2019.â€?
HARNESSING RICH FERTILISER FROM EARTHWORMS
T
ens of tiny, red creatures placed inside a plastic container wriggle as they get intertwined into each other in a seemingly endless game. Inside the container at John Karemi’s home in Kajiado, south of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, there is also kitchen waste, which is collected and placed there every week. And under the container holding the worms, there is a can where waste produced by the creatures is collected. Karemi then mixes the waste with water to create a nutrient-rich fertiliser known as 'worm juice' that can be used on any plant, but in particular he uses it on vegetables on his kitchen garden.
The above setting is currently common among many small-scale farmers in Kenya as the practice of rearing worms, technically known as vermi-culture, picks up across the east African as farmers seek to save cost. Small farmers, including some who have kitchen gardens, are rearing the worms and extracting the organic fertiliser. The ‘worm juice’ is, therefore, helping farmers cut the cost of production amid rise in prices of fertilizer. "Not any worm can be used to make fertiliser. We speciďŹ cally use red worms," said James Wafula from Kitale, western Kenya, who practices vermiculture. On his farm, he has 200-liter plastic containers in which he has placed farm waste to act as the worms' beds. "I have made the beds from crushed maize cobs, animal manure, paper, grass and banana stems. The beds are technically known as vermi-beddings. All these materials are readily available on the farm which makes vermiculture an inexpensive practice," he noted.
As many other farmers, Wafula feeds his worms on kitchen waste, and he not only produces fertilizer for his crops but sells the 'juice' and the worms to other farmers. A kilo of the worms goes for between Sh1,500 and Sh2,500, with the farmer selling the product and training interested farmers on how to keep them. "It takes about four months for the worms to produce substantial waste. After which one removes the beddings and restarts the process," he said. Besides training from farmers like Wafula, who holds a doctorate in climate change studies, farmers can attend short courses on vermiculture at agricultural institutions like Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology and Egerton University. Beatrice Macharia of Growth Point, an agro-consultancy, noted that worm juice is a compound fertiliser that has nitrates, phosphate, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium, minerals that are not only needed by plants in plenty, but they also help restore the soil.
She noted that only red earthworms are used in vermi-composting because they are good in converting waste into fertilizer. “These worms are even helping farmers and families put into good use waste from their kitchen which would otherwise have ended polluting the environment or be thrown and harbor pests like rats. The worms feed on any food remains, from vegetables to corn meal but one should avoid meats,� she said. Some 20 liters of the ‘worm juice’is enough to apply on an acre, with crops needing only small quantities to thrive. Farmers with smaller pieces of land therefore need just small quantities of ‘worm juice’. Farmers are currently buying a 50kg bag of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser for planting or Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) for top-dressing for as high as Sh3,800, prices that are too high for many small-scale produces. - Xinhua
A
s organic farming picks up in Kenya, livestock farmers are making a killing selling manure that is steadily becoming the fertiliser of choice for many. The farmers, mainly those who keep poultry, cows, sheep and goats, are selling a 90kg sack for up to Sh500 as demand rises. In Nairobi, the livestock farmers are based in satellite towns bordering the city, which include Ruai, Rongai, Kitengela, Athi River, Kiambu, Uthiru, Ngong, Ruiru and Juja. Majority of the farmers are keeping their livestock on at least an eighth an acre, with those rearing poultry having the smallest parcels of land. Fredrick Munene keeps 500 kienyeji (indigenous) chickens on part of his eighth acre land in Juja, where his house is also located. The farmer gets about 400 eggs every day, about half that he hatches in an incubator, while he sells the rest at Sh20 dollars each. Every two weeks, Munene normally cleans his storeyed chicken coops ending up with up to 10 bags of litter that he sells to vegetable farmers. “So far I have at least two bookings that I am planning to meet by early next month. I sell a bag at between Sh300 and Sh500, earning at least Sh4,000 after every two weeks from the poultry litter,â€? said Munene, adding that he is planning to expand his brood to 1,000 by the end of the year for more proďŹ t. Munene sells the litter to three farmers in the suburb, two of them growing traditional vegetables while the other capsicums in a greenhouse. Collected from the chicken coop, poultry litter comprises a mixture of droppings, feathers, bedding material, feeds and water. According to agricultural experts, the litter is a good source of organic manure, with nutrient concentration of the litter depending on the type and amount of bedding material, poultry kept, number of birds, the nutrients included in the poultry diet and the age of the chickens. One should collect the litter after every two weeks to curb diseases, said Bernard Moina, an agricultural oďŹƒcer based in western Kenya.
he said, adding that there’s little risk of toxic build-ups in plants with organic fertiliser. The story is no dierent for dairy cattle farmers who are selling a sack of cow dung at an average of 2.9 dollars. “You have to book at least two weeks in advance especially if you need bulk manure. Myself I am lucky because I get my manure from Maasai livestock keepers who rear tens of cows, but still it is not a guarantee that one would get because demand is high,â€? said Collins Rethi, who grows tomatoes on three-quarter acre acres in Kitengela, South of Nairobi. Ever since he started farming three years ago, Rethi has never used inorganic fertiliser. “I started by growing onions for two seasons before I switched to tomatoes. I normally apply the fertiliser two months before I plant to give it time to decompose,â€? he said, adding that as the plants grow, he applies foliar fertiliser for foliage development making his farming purely organic. Extensive use of chemical fertiliser, according to agricultural experts, alters the soil pH, upsets the soil eco-system, leads to high pests, and pollution. -Xinhua
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ALL ABOUT GETTING
CERTIFIED
We take you through the steps of becoming a certified organic farmer for local or export market By Brian Okoth
I
n organic farming, practices like crop
First, there is the
rotation, use of green manure, making
East African
use of compost and biological pest
Organic Products
control methods are paramount.
certiďŹ cation, for Kenya
In case one would wish to market across dierent zones, then they have to adhere to the standards in all the zones they
This farming practice prohibits the use of
and the regional markets,
synthetic fertilisers, herbicides, insecti-
and second, the Export Markets Regula-
One should then seek training in the
cides and fungicides, plant growth
tions CertiďŹ cation based on the Interna-
standards and regulations making sure
regulators such as hormones, livestock
tional Federation of Organic Agriculture
they understand them to the latter.
antibiotics, food additives, and genetically
Movement (IFOAM) structure.
A farmer then communicates with the
modiďŹ ed organisms.
“Dierent countries have their dierent
requisite regulating bodies in their coun-
The main aim of organic farming is to
regulations for certiďŹ cation. For instance,
tries to be accredited for certiďŹ cation.
protect long-term fertility of soils and
for the EU markets, there is the EU
“There are several of these accreditation
encourage soil biological activity.
834/2007 standards, which are based on
and certiďŹ cation bodies in the country. Soil
As an organic farmer, you should, there-
the EU 889/2007 regulations. The US
Association, Bio Suisse, Ceres, and EcoCert
fore, strive to use natural means to
markets follow the National Organic
IMO GmbH are international certiďŹ cation
control weeds, diseases and pests on
Programme (NOP) standards, while the
bodies that are operational in Kenya and
your crop and livestock farms.
Japanese market has the Japanese
mainly deal with export certiďŹ cation. A-Cert,
But how does one become a fully certiďŹ ed
Agriculture Standard for Organic Produc-
EnCert, and Nesvax Innovation Ltd among
organic farmer? Samuel Ndung’u, the
tion and Processing,� says Mr Ndung’u.
others deal in domestic certiďŹ cation,â€? says
programmes manager at the Kenya
The process of certiďŹ cation, according to
Ndung’u.
Organic Agriculture Network (KOAN), says
him, begins with the farmer knowing
He, however, notes that for domestic
one must be using the aforementioned
where they want to market their organic
accreditation, there are two ways of getting
practices to be certiďŹ ed as an organic
produce to determine which of the
recognised.
farmer.
standards and regulations available they
The ďŹ rst is through the use of third party
There are two types of organic certiďŹ ca-
should adhere to for certiďŹ cation.
certiďŹ cation companies as discussed
target.
tion for practising farmers in the country,
beforehand, while the second is using the
according to him.
Participatory Guarantee System (PGS).
In the PGS option, a group of farmers may opt to join hands and work with a buyer who will be acquiring the produce from them for sale or export to the organic markets. They should also have an organic training organisation. The farmers will then come up with a set of rules and regulations to govern their practice and ensure that each of them adheres to these principles. KOAN is mandated with checking that the regulations are right, appropriate
The inspectors then write a report which is returned to the certiďŹ cation company for validation before issuance of the certiďŹ cation. Ndung’u advises that farmers working as a sacco, especially when they use the PGS option, can adopt an Internal Control System to ensure that they all comply with the standards. “One farmer in the sacco breaching the regulations could see the whole group’s organic certiďŹ cation request rejected by the certiďŹ cation body, which is why due diligence is key,â€? he adds.
Ndung’u mentions that the conversion period, which is from when one organic farming standards before starts to practice organic farming to approving them. when they are ready to apply for the This, however, applies to only the certiďŹ cate for organic farming, domestic and regional markets and depends on one’s target market and hardly for international export markets, crops they grow. according to Mr Ndung’u. “In export markets, for annual crops “Organic certiďŹ cation is not as cheap as such as corn, the conversion period is usually two years, while for perennial may be thought. For a small plot, one can be charged up to Sh10,000 and the crops such as macadamia or coee, it is three years. When the target price could go up to Sh150,000 market is domestic, the period is one depending on the size of the farm, year,â€? says Ndung’u. location of the farm and how many He adds that the certiďŹ cate inspecfarmers require certiďŹ cation in that tions are done every year and then location, among other factors. This renewed. Sometimes, however, the makes the PGS option a more viable inspectors conduct unannounced one especially for smallholder farmers,â€? visits to the farm for audits if they are says Ndung’u. suspicious that some regulations are He adds that for organic certiďŹ cation outed. This could result in penalties, speciďŹ cally for export purposes, including licence revocation if the charges could be higher – ranging from farmer is found culpable. Ndung’u advises that among the Sh100,000 to Sh1 million. most crucial factors in a farmer’s After contacting the certiďŹ cation companies with the intention of having journey to organic farming is changing their mindset and being ready to their farm organically certiďŹ ed, the learn, as they gradually transition organisation will send the farmer a from their former farming model to quotation of their charges after organic farming, especially during the studying factors including size of the conversion period. farm, location, or whether there are He also notes that when it comes to other farmers with similar interests in livestock farming in the same setting, the vicinity. the animals should largely be fed on The organisation will then send inspecorganic matter grown on the farm (70 tors to verify the details of the farm and per cent of the feeding) and not more whether it really adheres to the set than 30 per cent of added supplestandards. ments. and systematic in accordance to
What inspectors look out for during inspection tours
Joy Njoroge, who works with ABI-Organics, a subsidiary of Amiran, says when inspectors visit a farm, they look at: i) The surroundings of the farm whether, for instance, it is near a mine, excavation or a factory. This according to her generate waste, fumes, chemicals and contaminated water which could pollute the farm and hence what is produced therein. ii) They also check the soil for heavy metals such as lead, and mercury, and the source of water used on the farm must be fresh and of good quality such as from a well, borehole, a clean river, or rain. This water is tested for heavy metals, macrobiotic matter, or pesticides. iii) The inspector also interviews the owner, manager or the workers who are expected to be aware of the organic rules and regulations so that they know what to be expected from them in the course of their farming activities. iv) The owner of the farm should not own another enterprise producing a similar crop under conventional agriculture model because these could intentionally or unintentionally mix with the organic produce they grow. v) Seed and seed treatments used on the farm must also be organic and if unavailable conventional seeds can sometimes be used. The inspectors are nonetheless against use of genetically modiďŹ ed seeds or those that are chemically treated. vi) Seedlings if grown under organic conditions are allowed to be used in production. The fertiliser and plant protection scheme in the setting recommends use of inputs from organic production, natural or naturally derived substances, and low solubility mineral fertilisers. vii) There should be good record-keeping on the farm for the certiďŹ cation to be done. viii) A map of the farm should also be provided to the inspectors indicating the location just in case they want to visit the farm without notice. ix) The farm should also have a storage facility and in case it is away from the farm, it should also be inspected to ensure it does not store other produce. x) The packaging and labelling of the produce should similarly necessitate the containers being well sealed to avoid contamination and labelled as either organic or not organic.
HOW TO START FARMING WITHOUT EXPERIENCE.
By Wambui Njathi Its no secret that farming is big business. Especially if you have a ‘green thumb’ and it takes to you. For some farming is a calling. You enjoy having animals around you and like to work outdoors. For others, it could be the opportunity to make extra income that beckons. Nowadays you can be an urban farmer and do both – work and farm. Before you embark on it, remember that farming takes time, patience, energy and knowhow. If you are doing it as a get rich quick scheme you will most likely not get the results you are looking for. So you want to become a farmer but ou have no experience? Here are some pointers Firstly, do your research. What will you farm? This will largely depend on the location of the land you want to farm. Hot climate areas grow different crops from wet climate areas. Get in touch with your local agricultural office. Not only will they advise you on which crops to grow but also on which species does best there. The same applies to livestock. Whether it be cows, goats, pigs or chickens, ensure you find out which animal breed flourishes in that particular climate. A cow breed that does well in Nyandarua may not do well in Kajiado. You will also need to read up on your area of interest. Utilise all resources at your disposal – online videos, agri-magazines, books, newspapers, just arm yourself with as much information as possible.
You now have an idea of what you want to farm. The next step is to visit some experienced farmers. Join an agri-tour group or farming group so you can acquaint yourself with what is happening in that sector. There are a good number available online. The agri-tour you choose should be visiting a farmer that is well established, and that has the crops or livestock you are interested in farming.
They will also tell you the time it takes from ground to harvest and where they sell their produce or market. This should help you be better informed about your farming decision. Don’t base your decisions on just one farm visit, instead visit several so that you get a wider picture and as much solid information as possible.
This will be a good opportunity to find out about their farming experience, teething challenges, costs of setup and anything else that you may have a query about. Most experienced farmers are happy to share such information.
Once you have decided that you are ready to hit the ground, hire the services of a qualified and experienced agronomist or crop specialist. Pick one that has experience in the locality you plan to farm.
Pick one that has experience in the locality you plan to farm. The agronomist will help you with important things like soil testing, soil fertility, increasing crop production, managing pests and many other things that you will need to have a healthy harvest. Many fail at this point because they grow crops based on advice from the ‘shamba boy’ only to discover later that they did not have the correct information. Since you will invest money buying seedlings and planting and on irrigation, ensure you work with qualified and experienced persons to guide you. Lastly, include technology in your farming venture. There are now mobile farming apps that you can use to stay ahead of the game. CCTV and other technological advancements will help you stay abreast with the happenings on your farm. Safaricom’s DigiFarm is one of the agro-apps aimed at empowering small-scale farmers with solutions to grow their businesses. Through DigiFarm, you can get information on different crops and animals, a market for your produce and credit to buy farm inputs amongst other things. The Urban Farming app will assist you plan your activities through reminders on your mobile phone. They will prompt you when your plants need say fertiliser or water. It also gives information on how to grow foods organically.
Depending on what you require, there are many apps that you can use of to grow your farming experience. So, are you ready to try your hand in farming? Send your queries or experiences to info@natureandorganics.com
