Smart farmer edition 1 by Smart Farmer Magazine

September-October 2010 Ksh200/-

informing and entertaining farmers

Coffee Flavour With a new variety and rising international prices, things are looking up for industry

Grains Newly launched warehouse receipting system to offer reprieve to farmers

Hugo Wood: informing and entertaining farmers

In the Kitchen A two-hour journey into the world of the black forest cake

Main Story How central is taking over fishing without a lake

Portrait of a professional farmer

AGRIBUSINESS FAIR

C O N T E N T S

Our Climate, Our Future

Steve Collins, Country Director ACDI/VOCA

16th - 18th September 2010 16th September 2010 - Business Day Hon. Chirau Makwere, Minister for Trade 17th September 2010 - Farmers’ Day Hon. Sally Kosgei, Minister for Agriculture 18th September 2010 – Open Day

Rift Valley Institute of Science & Technology, Nakuru

For more information Please contact Our Secretariat — Pauline 020 3745840, 0722 602584, email: pkibui@eagc.org, Event Organizer — Meera Shah email: meera@soholtd.co.ke Organising Partners

Key Sponsors

Coffee flavour

Grains

Peek at Budget

Rising international prices against low global volumes and the launch of a new coffee variety that is set to bring in more money for farmers, is putting the industry on a sounder footing...8&9

A new marketing system is about to put unscrupulous middlemen out of jobs and give farmers an opportunity to earn more for their hard work. Farmers will also be able to get bank loans using their grains as collateral...10&11

Budget reading is often a boring routine that has MPs often falling asleep throughout the Finance minister’s drooning voice. But there is lots more to the budget that is interesting, for example, what it holds for the agriculture industry. Let’s have a look at the 2010/2011 budget and what it holds...12&13

Hugo Wood

Main story

Green houses

A passionate farmer without a doubt. He came to Narok with only a tractor 34 years ago, lived in a tent and fought off wild animals at night. But today, he is a name to reckon with, both in business and agriculture and has served in many positions. Our writer had a chat with him...14-16

Fishing was a Coast Province or Lake Victoria ‘thing’ for long according to other regions, but with the introduction of fish farming in constituencies by the government, the activity is taking some non-traditional areas by storm. Central is one of them...18&19

They are the new trend. Though they are not a new phenomenon in Kenya, suddenly, there is all craze about them; but with good reason, especially for those who have little pieces of land. They bring in handsome profits and are used to grow crops all year round...20&21

Beefy matters

Around the home

In the kitchen

There is market for beef, locally and internationally, but the quantities produced cannot meet demand. KMC is underserved and is not producing to its capacity. This is despite the fact that Kenya has the potential of becoming a large exporter of the products. Livestock farmers, over to you...24&25

Indoor house plants are not only good for the home because they add colour and charm to a room, they are also play a part in taking care of your health — indirectly, by helping to keep the air quality clean. They not only take in carbondioxide and release oxygen but also absorb volatile organic compounds...264&27

Are you a cake lover or one who loves to bake? Then drop your farm tools and come with us to the kitchen for a journey through the process of making the black forest cake. It is a worthwhile experience, I promise you...30&31

Medly of woes

For maize farmers like all others, 2009 was a bad year due to the severe drought. Many lost most of their crop. In early 2010, there was a bumper harvest in the eastern part of the province, but this was attacked by aflatoxin causing millions of shillings in losses, then prices fell. And in Marigat the streak virus struck...22&23 Event Organizer — Soho Industrial Ltd

September-October 2010

“Through the USAID-funded Kenya Maize Development Program, ACDI/VOCA led private and public sector partners in implementing 7 successful annual Business Fairs in the Rift Valley from 2003 to 2009. We are delighted with the continued excellent response from the private sector and the strides towards sustainability that we have witnessed with this event. We congratulate the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) and the Cereal Grower’s Association (CGA) for taking the lead for Business Fair 2010 in Nakuru and look forward to yet another successful event!”

informing and entertaining farmers

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E D I T O R I A L

– SmartFarmer editor

KANGUMU I KNOW WHATG IAM DOING ! KUPALILIA NYUKI

RWIGE2010

CHOKOZA NYUKI ULE HASALI EH? YES WHO NEEDS ADVICE ON MORDERN FARMING....

EDITORIAL editor CHELAGAT CHANG’WONY editorial consultant TIMOTHY MUSUNZA contributors JULIUS SIGEI MWANGI MUIRURI BENSON MATHEKA MIKE LORIKUNI GRACE MUIRURI MUGO NDIARA LESIEW KENNEDY JEREMIAH CHOGE photography ORYX PHOTO VIDEO SERVICES STEPHEN MUDIARI designer DENNIS MAKORI operations manager JEBET RONO marketing & circulation PETER MURGOR email:marketing @ smartfarmerkenya.com cartoonist JOHNSON RWIGE

We would love to hear from all of you. Please drop a line to the Editor at :info@ smartfarmerkenya. com Or write to Editor SmartFarmer magazine P.O. Box 102230-00102 Nairobi.

Quality semen a must

While dairy farmers spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that their cows are of high quality and produce volumes of milk, production may not be as good as expected, if semen of poor quality was used for breeding the cows. According to Mr Macharia Gichohi, Kenya Dairy Board chairman, semen quality produces 25 per cent of milk volume, while herd management contributes 75 per cent. “If the semen used for breeding is of poor quality, it means the farmer will have to contend with reduced milk production even if he manages the cow to the best standards,” he said. Use of inferior semen has impacted the dairy industry negatively with cow breeds being of low quality, leading to reduced milk production and poor meat quality. Milk production has been on the rise since 2004 from 2.8 billion litres to 3.9 litres in 2009. But this has dropped in 2010 and could fall further due to the quality of the cows. Mr Gichohi says the industry needs to put its AI services in order, have cows graded and provide incentives for affordable and standardised herd management, before the country can record improved milk volumes to compete with local and regional market demand. The government has earmarked Sh300 million to improve artificial insemination services in the dairy sector. Farmers are also being blamed for their reluctance to breed male cows and relying mainly on artificial insemination, which is holding back growth of the industry.

With the changing weather patterns that have of late been causing havoc on agriculture, farmers have had to contend with great losses and accruing bank loans. All this is due to global warming that is causing climate change. Today, unlike years earlier, it is becoming important for farmers to follow weather patterns, and for them to learn how to cope, says Chris Webo, country manager, Eastern Africa Grain Council. That is partly why about 25,000 farmers and stakeholders are converging for a 3-day agri-business trade fair at the Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology. The fair, whose theme is agribusiness and climate change, is a chance for farmers and industry players to interact and share new technologies and ways available that would help mitigate climate change in the sector.

La Nina is coming, farmers warned

Artifical meat September-October 2010

September-October 2010

We want to give our contribution to agriculture by filling in the gaps through providing adequate information creatively and interestingly to you.”

growing pressure from demand that is also pushing prices higher. The 2009 drought that saw millions of people starve, major crop losses and thousands of livestock wasted, has perhaps served as a lesson on the importance of agriculture. That is why the sector is beginning to get more attention recently, with budgetery allocations to it getting more considerations. The push is now for small-scale farmers to go commercial or engage in agribusiness to enjoy more benefits from their hard work. To shift from subsistence farming to commercial, the farmers must be informed and have tools to guide them. They also need to have role models to look up to, to get a clearer understanding of what they need to do. But a major problem that has existed in the sector is lack of proper channels of dissemination of information. The farmers already engaged in serious commercial farming and other industry players too, also require a platform from where they can get and disseminate information. SmartFarmer magazine, run by a team of professional journalists familiar with the sector, aims to do just that. We want to give our contribution to agriculture by filling in the gaps through providing adequate information, news and education to the farmer creatively, interestingly and journalistically. SmartFarmer aims to give you the farmer a wholesome experience through its witty, informative articles. We also recognise that farmers too, have other interests, which is why we have introduced columns that deal with health issues, cooking, money and other interesting one’s to follow. Join us in this journey to bring you all that you need to know about your sector. Be a part of the change. This is your magazine. Welcome Asanteni.

EAGC trade fair

By MIKE LORIKUNI

long drought is likely to occur in most parts of the country at the end of the year, the Kenya Metrological Department (KMD) said recently. Dr Joseph Mukabana, director of KMD, has advised farmers to work with the ministry of Agriculture on the best crops to plant during the short rains. “In the months of October to December, the rains will be adversely affected by the occurrence of the La Nina phenomenon resulting in poor rains in most areas. However, a few storms may occur during the season’s peak month of November,” he said. The director asked farmers in areas with normal rains to maximise on production in order to support others in coming months. He also urged them to consult officials for advice on the drought-resistant crops they can grow, including cassava. The weatherman also warned of a disease outbreak due to the expected low rains and urged the government to be on high alert. “Due to depressed rainfall, diseases associated with poor sanitation like typhoid and cholera are likely to emerge in various parts of the country,” he said. He urged the Public Health and Medical Services ministries to be on the lookout for such outbreak cases by ensuring that health facilities are equipped with the necessary drugs. According to KMD, Western Kenya should expect normal rainfall and farmers should liaise closely with the Agriculture ministry to maximise on the expected crop yield. In pastoral areas of northeastern Kenya, foliage and pasture are expected to deteriorate during the season due to the expected poor rainfall performance. The forecast indicates that areas which include Kakamega, Busia, Kitale, Eldoret, Kisii, Kericho, Kisumu, Nyamira, Gucha, and Kuria will continue experiencing rainfall during the first week of October, then cease during the third to fourth week of December. Dr Mukabana said the department is deploying professional weather experts in the counties so that they can give correct information to the people they will be serving. “Previously, we relied on provincial administrators, which made information reaching the public distorted. That will soon be no more.”

informing and entertaining farmers

ear farmers and farmers at heart, welcome to our first edition of the SmartFarmer magazine that aims to inform, educate and entertain you in a most refreshing way. It is a great opportunity and honour for us to be able to interact with you and join you in this interesting moment in the history of agriculture. Never has there been a clearer time than today, of the importance of agriculture in our lives, our communities and the economy, not excluding the global platform. For a long time, agriculture has been viewed with disdain by the larger public, as just a means to subsistence and has never really been taken seriously. This is despite the fact that about 24 per cent of our gross domestic product (GDP) comes from this sector, while it employs about 70 per cent of the population. That it has been given little attention has been typified by the little monies it has often been allocated by government budgets. However, today, things are changing and no government can afford to continue ignoring such an important sector. With the changing climatic patterns, growing populations that must be fed and an increase in the number of people who can spend more on food, there is a

informing and entertaining farmers 4

N E W S

5 If you live to 2050, then eating artificial meat, known as invitro meat, could be one of your everyday delicacies, just like the usual meat you have on your table currently. According to scientists from the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, mankind may have to rely on ‘tools of science’ to produce foods, artificial meat included, and use nanotechnology to help supply food to the world’s population. In a research paper written by Philip Thornton of the institute, increasing demand for livestock products will give rise to competition for land between food and feed production; while increasing industrialisation of livestock production may lead to problems of pollution of air and water. “The tools of science will be critical for bringing about food security and well-being for a global population of more than 9 billion people in 2050.

ON THE SCENES

informing and entertaining farmers

From clockwise, President Mwai Kibaki being shown Kenya Ports Authority achievements by its managing director, Mr Gichiri Nduha (centre), during this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mombasaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ASK show in August. With them on the right is Transport PS, Dr Cyrus Njiru. Higher Education minister, William Ruto, is taken through wheat plots during the Moi University agribusiness trade fair. The minister at the same fair looking at products by the university students. Grade Cows on show at the Mombasa ASK. President Kibaki, examines fish displayed on a pick-up. The fish belonged to the ministry of Fisheries.

2 3 4

September-October 2010

September-October 2010 6

PICTORIAL

N E W S

per hectare and this can sometimes reduce by half-a-tonne. The new high yielding variety can fetch over 5 tonnes per hectare by the fourth year when production starts to peak,” says CRF director of research, Mr Joseph Kimemia. “I understand that the new variety also retains the renowned high quality attributes of Kenyan coffee. This is yet another milestone in Kenya’s prowess in research and development, coming closely after the achievements of Ruiru 11,” said assistant minister for Agricul-

ture, Gideon Ndambuki, during the launch of the variety earlier this month. Though the launch of the variety comes at a time when the sector is faced with various challenges including escalating costs of production and erractic weather, “recent trends point to numerous opportunities, which include rising demand for good quality coffee, improved prices, interest in coffee farming in the non-traditional coffee growing areas and advances in research technologies…” he said. This is all good news for an industry that has weathered many challenges and experiences, slumping to low levels in the 1990s that saw traditional coffee farmers, especially in central region, uproot their crop to plant more lucrative ones. The industry has also been plagued by rising costs of production with inputs, labour, electricity and fuel, resulting in poor and decreased crop husbandry practices. Competition from other lucrative enterprises like horticulture and real estate development, the global economic downturn and the collapse of the coffee organisation quota system, also contributed to the sector’s malaise. Once the leading foreign exchange earner, coffee is today number four contributing about 10 per cent of the country’s GDP. In 2009, the sector earned the country Sh10 billion in foreign exchange. Since 2003, the government has put in place measures to boost the industry including the liberalisation of the marketing system, licensing of more players in marketing and milling, waiving debts to growers and establishing a branding initiative. According to government records, 40 per cent of the coffee is produced by coffee estates on 53,344 hectares, while 60 per cent is produced on 106,656 hectares by small holder farmers.

The tea industry is one of Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earners and among the most successful enterprises in the agricultural sector. The industry accounts for up to 4 per cent of the GDP and supports directly and indirectly 4 million people across the value chain. This success story, however, has not been without challenges. One such challenge is the ever growing cost of energy. Electricity accounts for nearly one quarter of the Sh55 required to produce 1kg of made tea. The cost of electricity and furnace oil have been rising, while the price of tea in the international market has been dropping as a result of over supply and competition. As a result, small-scale tea farmers, whose average land sizes under tea stands at 0.18 hectares, have seen their incomes drop and their hard work going unappreciated. This has been worsened by changing weather patterns that have seen water levels in power generating dams drop, further escalating the cost of power. Two years ago when the cost of furnace oil hit the roof, small-scale tea farmers were at risk of seeing their incomes wiped out as a result of the high cost of production.

To help address the challenge of rising costs of power, the idea of generating own electricity through mini-hydro projects working on the run-of-river principle was mooted. The first to take up the challenge was Imenti Tea Factory. The 5,189 tea farmers contributed equity and obtained a bank loan to help them develop the 1MW project at a cost of Sh160 million In June 2009, KTDA signed a power purchase agreement with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company on behalf of Imenti Tea Factory, allowing it to sell surplus power from its mini-hydro project to the national grid. The second project is a 17MW power project on Gura River in Nyeri that will benefit four tea factory companies, including Chinga, Gathuthi, Gitugi and Iriani. This project is in its early stages of development. Ten other sites whose feasibility studies were sponsored by the ministry of Energy at a cost of Sh40 million are also being considered for development. The 10 have an estimated total capacity of 22MW. To consolidate these efforts and lead the push for alternative energy generation, KTDA has registered a new subsidiary, KTDA Power Company, to deal with power generation.

September-October 2010

How KTDA factories are saving on energy costs By FREDRICK GORI

new coffee variety and rising international bean prices are set to change the face of the industry

Things in the coffee industry are looking up. With the continued rise of coffee prices internationally due to low volumes being experienced, and efforts by government to boost the sector, farmers are set for better days. Recently, the ministry of Agriculture launched a new Arabica variety known as Batian, which is expected to earn better prices for the industry. It is a disease resistant variety that could save growers up to 30 per cent in terms of fungicides and labour used to control leaf rust and coffee berry disease, says the Coffee Research Foundation. Batian also matures faster than its predecessor Ruiru 11 and other traditional varieties, going into production in the second year after being planted. Ruiru 11 takes three years to grow before yielding any cherries. This means farmers will have earlier flows in benefits. Besides maturing faster, cherry ripening also comes earlier than that of SL28 and Ruiru 11 varieties, the researcher adds. “It is a high yielding variety with good bean and cup quality, and is suited for all coffee agro-ecological zones,” a document from the organisation states. “Farmers are currently getting about two metric tonnes of coffee

A coffee crop fresh from spraying. Bottom: Assistant minister of Agriculture, Gideon Ndambuki, during the launch of the new coffee variety, Batian, recently.

NEWS

September-October 2010

informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 8

Coffee set for better days

NEWS FEATURE The system and its benefits at a glance

Grain farmers get a reason to smile

ew warehouse marketing system will help cut out the roving middleman and his low buying prices, and usher in value for your maize, writes JULIUS SIGEI

Like other small-scale commercial farmers in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya’s leading maize belt, Ben Chekwanda has found it impossible to get ahead financially, despite intensive farming over the years. Although his 25 acres of rented land has good yields, he struggles to support his large extended family and keep the farm running from one harvest to the next. “With bills piling up during the growing season, which takes several months, when harvest time comes, we sell our produce immediately to roving traders to get cash for school fees and food, and buy inputs for the next crop,” he says. Because most of the farmers will have harvested at the same time, maize will have flooded the market and prices will be very low because of the forces of supply and demand. But the farmers find themselves with little other choice. They need money, but because Kenya’s financial sector has traditionally viewed them as too risky to deal with, especially renters who have no land for collateral, borrowing

from a bank or other financial institutions is not an option. This is, however, set to change with a new marketing system where farmers can use their grain as collateral to get loans, even as they wait for favourable prices. Mr Chekwanda will now be a welcome customer at his local Equity Bank thanks to this system. “I cannot wait to harvest my maize in October. Most of my colleagues here had contemplated leaving this business, which drains us during planting season, but does not return us enough when we harvest,” says Mr Chekwanda. The system, known as warehouse receipting system, was launched early this month on a pilot basis by the National Cereals and Produce Board chairman, Jimnah Mbaru, in Narok. It is set to be rolled out eventually in the country’s 110 warehouses by the end of this month (September) Under the system, farmers deliver their grain to a warehouse and are issued with a receipt, which they can use as security

“The fee will cover grading, cleaning, weighing, bagging, fumigation, handling and other miscellaneous services,” said the board’s managing director Prof Gideon Misoi. He called on the private sector to come on board and support the initiative. In his 2010/2011 budget, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta set aside Sh750 million for upgrading stores and other NCPB facilities. Already 13 warehouses in various locations in the country have been prepared and certified by the Eastern Africa Grain Council. They are Narok, Nakuru, Nairobi, Kitale, Moi’s Bridge, Eldoret, Bungoma, Kisumu, Kilgoris, Meru, Shimanzi and Chamgamwe. The move was immediately welcomed by farmers with Cereal Growers Association chairman Timothy Busienei and his predecessor Hugo Wood saying it would substantially increase farmers’ earnings. “This initiative will solve our marketing woes. We encourage our farmers to come on board in big numbers as they can access money even long before they sell their produce,” said Mr Busienei. Already, several farmers in Bomet and Narok have delivered their maize at the Narok silos,” said Busienei, adding that more publicity was needed to make farmers appreciate the concept. Mr Mbaru said the initiative is the first of its kind in the region and is modelled on Chicago’s, Indian and South African systems. He said that while the project will immediately start with maize and wheat, they will eventually move on to other crops in a move to bolster food security. A small-scale USAID-funded programme in Eastern Uganda has reduced post-harvest losses and turned around the fortunes of many farmers.

I cannot wait to harvest my maize in October. Most of my colleagues here had contemplated leaving this business, which drains us during planting season.” – Mr Ben Chekwanda, a small scale farmer

September-October 2010

Mr Ben Chekwanda in his maize farm. The farmer is excited about the new marketing system that has just been launched, saying it will give him a good opportunity to earn more from his crop and also enable him to get loans

to borrow money from the bank, as they wait for the prices of the produce to go up before selling. “This innovation will cushion our farmers from the vagaries of demand and supply. It will also solve the perennial problem of delay in payment,” said Mr Mbaru. In an interview with Smartfarmer, Mr Mbaru added that this will enable depositors to sell their grain when market conditions and prices are favourable among other raft of benefits to farmers, traders and millers. “When I was appointed to NCPB last year, I scratched my head to see how we could alleviate farmers’ suffering,” said the founder of the Nairobi Stock Exchange. In a move that is modeled on the stock exchange market, the package also includes a commodity exchange platform from where interested traders will buy and sell the receipts. “Even the government will now be required to buy the strategic grain reserve from the commodity exchange platform which will function like the Nairobi Stock Exchange,” said Mr Mbaru adding that the depositors’ grain which is stored with the NCPB is fully insured and in case of damage or loss, they farmers will be fully compensated. “The minimum number of bags to be accepted at the warehouses is 110 bags, but small-scale farmers are encouraged to pool together in a system known as aggregation. Already, USAID has started training aggregators,” said Mr Mbaru. The charges are Sh75 per 90kg bag in the first month and Sh15 per subsequent month for up to six months, during which time market prices of the commodities will have become favourable.

storage is 110 bags of 90kgs. If you don’t have enough bags you can join with others to raise the number Charges per bag for storage are Sh75 for the first month and Sh15 for following months up to six months Fee will cover grading, cleaning, weighing, bagging and fumigation among others. Already, 13 warehouses are ready and certified by the Eastern Africa Grain Council

informing and entertaining farmers

Farmers are given an opportunity to store their grains, sell whenever they wish without having to move it around and wait until prices improve on the market The grains will be certified, its quality and quantity known, enabling buyers to do purchase without having to physically see it. With the receipt given on approval of your maize you can borrow a loan from a bank Minimum amount of maize accepted for

BUDGET CHECKLIST

n this year’s budget, the government allocated Sh381 billion for agricultural development and Sh8.091 billion for public sector salaries in agriculture, including the reintroduction of extension agents. Mr Kenyatta set out plans for the sector, putting emphasis on areas that could help alleviate the sector’s challenges. Let’s have a look at what you should expect

By SMARTFARMER WRITER

Milling rice plants For rice farmers, 15 new milling plants are to be purchased and installed. For this, Sh525 million was allocated. Warehouse receipting The government also set out to introduce a warehouse receipting system in various National Cereals and Produce Board stores and launched the system earlier this month in Narok. Depositors of grains into these warehouses will be able to use the receipts provided as security for finance, sell their grain whenever they wish without moving around with it and

Fish storage and processing facilities To deal with supply chain constraints, 80 mini fish processing and cold storage facilities in key centres at a cost of Sh400 million will be established. Private sector players were urged to invest in marketing fish products locally and internationally to open up markets.

animal tagging for traceability and disease control purposes. This will help provide positive identification and recovery of stolen animals; a database that will assist livestock farmers to improve their livestock keeping practices; and enable them to access export markets for their beef or animal products that have stringent requirements on traceability. Dams Lack of adequate water in Asal areas has been major challenge that has prevented the region from growth. Sh2 billion for the construction of about 25 medium-sized dams in arid parts of the country was allocated to sort this problem out. Another Sh375 million was planned for the construction of mini-flood control dams and disilting of water pans in northern Kenyan. slaughter houses Two slaughterhouses in Isiolo and Garissa were initiated last year and are nearing completion. Another Sh150 million was allocated to push the on-going work and construct four

expect in your sectors from this year’s budget. Rural infrastructure Recognising the importance of road access to markets and other services in rural areas, allocation for roads maintenance was increased from Sh4.6 billion to Sh5.7 billion. This means that you should at least expect an allocation of about Sh27 million from Sh23 million per constituency. CDF In the 2009/10 budget, Sh12 billion was allocated towards rural projects under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). In 2010/11 Sh14.3 billion for the Constituency Development Fund, intended to finance other critical development programmes, has been allocated. Irrigation To expand fish farming, irrigated agriculture and support livelihoods in ASAL areas, the minister allocated Sh11.4 billion. Expanded irrigation is expected to boost production, reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture, assure sustainable food and reduce poverty. Irrigated agriculture for maize and rice production was expanded by about 27,000 acres with an estimated two harvests totaling 1.6 million bags of rice and 500,000 bags of maize in the year ending 2010. In the 2010/2011 budget, plans are to expand irrigation to new areas such as around Lake Challa in Taveta; Yatta and Makueni; Lower Tana; Turkana, Marsabit; and Upper Tana and North Eastern covering Garissa to Mandera. Extension officers: To help the ministries of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water and Regional Development to address these projects more adequately, six extension officers on contract terms for every constituency will be employed. 300 vehicles were also to be provided for use by the officers.

September-October 2010

September-October 2010 12

With the country earning about a quarter of its income from agriculture and providing about 70 per cent of its population with bread and butter, you would think the sector has had everything going for it. But no. For long, this sector has gone through plenty of ups and downs, with the same government that heavily relies on it allocating it just a fraction of its earnings and neglecting systems that would boost it. Among the challenges it has had to face is unpredictable weather. One year it rains the next it is a severe drought. The normal planting and harvesting seasons have also become unpredictable, leaving farmers unsure of whether to start planting or not. Sometimes the rains are so heavy they end up destroying crops and causing deadly floods. Livestock farmers too have not been spared the vagaries of the weather. 2009 was one of the saddest years ever for livestock as thousands of animals perished due to the long drought. Farmers have also often ended up with the heavy loans due to failed crops and dying animals, while millions of Kenyans have been left at the mercy of starvation. The cost of inputs is also another factor. Fertiliser and diesel, which farmers use to plough their land, are expensive while the small size of land that most farmers till does not make things any better. Lack of proper roads and markets for farmers is also another problem. They have often found themselves in a dilemma over what to do with their harvested fresh produce, as finding a market for the produce can be a challenge. In Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s June 2010/2011 budget, the agricultural sector was allocated Sh8.091 billion for public sector salaries in agriculture, including the reintroduction of extension agents, and Sh381 billion for agricultural development. Mr Kenyatta set out plans for the sector, putting emphasis on areas that could help alleviate the sector’s challenges. Let’s have a brief look at what you should

To deal with post-harvest management and reduce losses to farmers, Sh400 million was allocated towards purchase of fixed maize driers to be installed in maize growing areas not currently served. Another Sh360 million was allocated for the purchase 30 mobile maize driers.

for are constructed and fully stocked with fingerlings. There are also plans to invest in feed and seed production, and to also encourage private sector participation. Besides the first allocation, the government allocated Sh120 million for construction of 200 more fish ponds in another 20 constituencies not covered in phase one. Sh360 million was allocated for the construction of 3 shallow wells in each of the 160 constituencies and Sh300 million towards purchase of sheet lining for use by farmers in ponds. The minister also allocated Sh340 million and Sh1.2 billion for production of fish seeds and fish feeds, respectively, enough to take care of about 300 fish ponds in the 160 constituencies.

informing and entertaining farmers

A look at what 2010/2011 budget holds for farmers

Storage and drying:

Clockwise: Finance minister, Uhuru Kenyatta just before unveiling this year’s budget in June. Rice farmers at Mwea Irrigation scheme threshing out the produce. Sh525 was allocated to the industry for the purchase and installation of 15 new milling plants. Cattle grazing in the Mwea scheme. Various allocations were made for the livestock industry including allocations for electronic tagging of animals. A fisherman on lake Victoria. The sector was allocated Sh400 million for 80 cold storage facilities.

have certified and known quality and quantity of grain, which does not have to be physically seen by buyers before purchase. Commodities exchange Warehouse receipting works hand in hand with a commodity exchange where receipts can be traded. Buyers of the receipts can then collect the grain from the warehouse or resell them. A legal framework to introduce the exchange is in course. The exchange will allow farmers to trade produce freely and at a time of their choice through warehouse receipts and future contracts. Fish farming Last year, the government started a Sh1.12 billion Fish Farming Enterprise Productivity programme to construct 28,000 fish ponds in 140 constituencies countrywide. The government hopes to provide a facilitative role in the medium-term, with the private sector expected to be the main mover of fish farming, seed and feed production and marketing of produce. However, the budget set out to ensure that all the 28,000 fish ponds planned

Funds for 100 motorcycles for use by extension officers and for recruiting three additional fisheries officials for each of the 160 constituencies mapped for fish farming were also allocated. ASAL areas Despite the many challenges Asal areas face, the minister acknowledged that they have enough potential to uplift livelihoods and address regional disparities. To help start jumpstart what he termed as a journey of transformation and empowerment in North Eastern region, he allocated Sh16 billion for financing various ongoing and new development projects. These include expansion of water supply which got an allocation Sh3.8 billion for dam construction. Sh550 million was also set aside for alternative sources of energy, and in particular, solar power. Cattle tracking To help provide a lasting solution to insecurity associated with cattle rustling, Sh200 million was set aside to be used for implementation of an electronic-based solution to aid in

other modern state-of-the-art slaughterhouses in West Pokot, Wajir and Kajiado. These will be managed by farmers through co-operatives to promote exportation of beef, generate foreign exchange and income. Another Sh250 million went to the planned construction of 10 slaughterhouses for beef meant for domestic markets. Leather factories Sh175 million was allocated towards construction of 5 mini leather processing factories to encourage growth of the industry and value addition to farmers for their skins. Ten selected ranches for beef production in Asal areas will be established and two feedlots of disease free zones at the coast, specifically to expand beef export will be made operational. Funds were also allocated to provide strategic feed reserves and reseeding in Asal areas. These will cost Sh330 million. To build the capacity of the ministry of Livestock and the ministry of Regional Development to make this interventions, the minister promised 100 additional veterinary officers, 20 in each ASAL district and 180 motor vehicles for use by officers to facilitate their work.

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

Mr Wood and his wife Rachel in their homestead at the Oleria Farm in Narok.

It was a scenic journey through endless shrubs and plains, suddenly breaking into large tracts of wheat farms. In the large expanse of the golden crop, 10s of combine harvesters roared; line by line, as though in a symphony. And across the harvested farms and pasturelands, thousands of indigenous zebu cows grazed, neighboured by several choice jersey cows at a farm off the Narok-Bomet road. Some distance later, the fields broke off into what deceptively seemed like a small rural town with large depots and lots of vehicles. But it was not a town; we had finally arrived at our destination - Olerai Farm, the most mechanised and exotic farm in the region, and Hugo Wood’s multimillion estate. It was such an exciting moment and I could not wait to meet this man who seemed to command such wealth and greatness. However, I got a sinking feeling when we were told the farmer was not at home. But this was just for a moment because we were directed to a factory some 15 kilometres away. We drove through some more wheat fields and an occasional Maasai Manyatta and arrived

at the factory, a massive architectural piece of work, which seemed to jute out of the industrial revolution of Europe. But it was built only 13 years ago, we learn later. At the factory we meet a white man in his 60s wearing shorts and politely shouting orders amid deafening turning turbines and I thought: that must be the foreman. How wrong I was. “Hello, my name is Hugo Wood, are you the journalists from Nairobi?” he offered as we quickly tried to reconcile the massive empire with this shaggy unassuming old man, who did not look any bit the business mogul worth more than Sh700 million. Looks notwithstanding, Mr Wood is certainly a businessman and farmer to reckon with. With a flour-milling factory, a seed plant, five combine harvesters and 12 tractors, 8,000 acres of wheat, 1,300 acres of maize, 1,000 acres of green beans and hundreds of dairy and beef cattle, he is now a force in Agriculture. But Mr Wood’s story is not only as impressive as it is inspiring. His is a story of a man who came, saw and conquered. In 1977, at the age 28, he descended on the

Nkorinkori plains in present day Narok South district, armed with a tractor and plenty of hope. Today, 34 years later, he is a household name, not only in the district, but throughout the country, having served in various positions, the latest being at the helm of the National Cereal Growers Association where he is the outgoing chairman. Recently, we sought him out at his farm some 200 kilometers south west of the capital Nairobi. “But this is not something that came overnight,” says the down-to-earth farmer when we settle down at his modest factory office. “I have seen it all, including the historic 1984 drought in which we even sold wheat straw to the bank manager to help us reduce the loan we had.” He adds that during the early days, game was a big menace as their farm was a migratory route. “There were hundreds of lions, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest, the latter being the most notorious,” he says, adding that they would often wake up at night to shoot or drive

them away. “My wife Rachel and I lived in a tent for two years as we tried to make ends meet,” he says later in the day during our interview at his gallery-like sitting room. The room is donned with photographs that colourfully chronicle their struggles and achievements in the land of sojourn, which has come to be their home. An interior designer by profession, Rachel has beautified their cheap, but exotic farm house situated deep inside the district on the foot of the Maasai Mara. The two are naturalists and their compound is a marvelous work of landscaping. Weaverbirds patch in the many Olerai (Acacia) trees (hence the name of the farm in the local Maa language) offering melodious music throughout our interview. “When we arrived here we did a little bit of commercial ploughing with our tractor before borrowing some money from the bank to start wheat farming,” says the agriculturalist who is a stickler for time. “I cherish those days when all the wheat had to go through the Wheat Board, now National

Cereals and Produce Board, as everyone was sure of being paid,” he says reflectively. Hugo is the son of Dr Michael Wood, the plastic surgeon who founded the African Medical Research Foundation, AMREF Flying Doctor Services in 1970 and Lady Susan who founded the beads export business - Kazuri Beads - on Karen Blixen’s farm to help poor and single mothers earn a living. Originally from Hampshire, England, his parents first lived in West Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. In 1975, their estate was nationalised

I enjoy living in the countryside. Growing crops is the next thing to the act of creation. If I were to live my life over again, I would do the same thing” – Hugo Wood

September-October 2010

Hugo Wood: portrait of a professional farmer

informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 14

n 1977, aged 28, he descended on the Nkorinkori plains with only a tractor and plenty of hope to his name. Today, he is a household name across the country, writes JULIUS SIGEI

under the infamous Ujamaa philosophy. They then moved to Nairobi where they have a home to date. A second generation of Kenyan whites, Hugo was born in Nairobi 62 years ago. He attended Pembroke House School, Gilgil and later the University of London where he studied Agricultural Economics. Upon graduation, he was employed in Tanzania and then Brazil as a dairy manager, before deciding to go it alone. The elder Wood, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, in 1985 wrote on founding Amref: “it dawned on me that only a small percentage of the inhabitants of the earth had access to medical care — I was staggered by a statement which a friend quoted to me that 50 per cent of the population of the world was born, lived and died without seeing a doctor.” It would seem this missionary spirit runs throughout his lineage as the younger Wood and his wife are currently putting up a hospital at Ololulung’a, a few kilometers from their home to help far flung communities access health facilities cheaply. “We have already secured Sh10 million from friends in Canada who buy our French beans and from the Constituency Development Fund,” chips in Rachel who is running the project. This is not their only charitable project, though. “The name Olerai (the couple’s company) is very dear to the local community. Hugo is a man of the people, he assists the community a lot,” says Mr Sukhi Singh, a neighbour and director of Oldonyo Nairasha Estate who has known the family for three decades. “He runs a programme where he supplies fertiliser and other farm inputs to farmers as he keeps their grains to wait for their prices before he helps them sell and recover their money,” says Mr Singh. Mr Wood has also helped found many schools in the area including Nkorinkori Secondary School, a centre of excellence, where he is the treasurer. Hugo is said to be popular among the locals for his generosity and charming mien. Tim, one of his drivers who has served him for the last 30 years, says his boss is very humble, understanding and respectful. So what makes this farmer tick? “I enjoy my work very much. I enjoy living in the countryside. Growing crops is the next thing to the act of creation. If I were to live my life over again, I would do the same thing,” says the farmer, whose day starts before 6am. On waking up, he exercises before reporting to his office at seven. His love for farming is further evidenced by the fact that two of his children are managers in sections of the farm. “Tarquin runs our 1,300-acre irrigated farm in Mara while Alastair manages the factory plant,” he says. Venessa is a teacher in China, while Daniel is a surveyor

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

informing and entertaining farmers

From clockwise: Weaver birds nesting on Olerai (acacia) trees at the farm. The name of the farm was borrowed from the many Olerai trees in the area. One of the cottages in the home used by the couple’s children. Mr Hugo on one of his combine harvesters. At home in the living room with photos that colourfully tell their stories of the good and bad times in the land of soujourn Left, composting in process in a bin and fresh worm castings.

“This, coupled with wheat stem rust in some parts of the world, will push our prices up even though it will spill over to Kenya slowly and we might get Sh3,000 per 90 kg bag,” he says.

Hugo’s lessons: Avoid being a master of all trades, you’ll end up being a master of none Do not fear borrowing money from financial institutions like the Agricultural Finance Corporation. Borrowing can be the key to unlocking the potential of your investments Do not give up too early and take advantage of the emerging innovations and technology to boost your enterprises

Vermicomposting: How to make your own organic fertilizer BY LESIEW KENNEDY Mounds and mounds of waste liter our urban centres, forming eyesores and polluting the air, which leads to respiratory problems and skin diseases. In the rural set up, all organic wastes go up in smoke. This need not be. There is ‘gold’ in garbage after all. With the organic wastes on your farm, you the farmer, can save yourself some money and protect the environment by making your own fertilizer. Yes, there is nothing new in composting, but a technique that uses worms to produce the fertilizer is new heree. Vermicomposting is the process where red worms and other decomposer organisms process organic waste and turn it into a natural fertilser known as vermicompost. Vermi composting is easy and requires very few supplies. It can be done by anyone. A simple box or container can make a fine worm bin and keeps worms and decomposing food scraps in one location. The worm bin is kept indoors or out, depending on your needs and preferences and may be fed most of your non-meat food scraps. The worms require very little attention, do not get sick, and don’t mind if you go on vacation. Red worms are voracious eaters that

are happy to spend the day eating organic waste, excreting worm castings and making more worms, thereby providing you with high quality compost. In a few months, they will have turned your food scraps into vermicompost. This technique also does not require hundreds of worms to munch through the garbage to produce the fertilizer. Only 30 to 40 worms are sufficient for the job. After the worms are done with the composting, they are used as chicken and fish feed. In Eldoret, a European Voluntary Service group is collecting garbage from several estates and is already processing the mountains of wastes to compost manure, and the efforts are being felt. We are getting there. We are about to reduce the amount of waste being dumped in various points in the town and estates, and in a few months we should have overcome it, ” says Mr Justinas Kilpys, a member of the organisation. “People burn or throw away organic waste because many organisations and institutions have not adopted the technology of organic fertiliser production,” he adds. “But we involve the community in garbage collection and instead of burning it, use it to produce organic fertiliser,” he says.

The worms used by the voluntary service are imported from California to Kipkaren Agricultural Training Centre located on the outskirts of Eldoret town, where they are being bred. At Kipkaren, one can obtain these worms, but not before being taught on how to compost the organic wastes. “Our aim is to first teach farmers and any other interested person,” he says. Many people in Eldoret and its immediate environs have welcomed the idea, saying the project will cut their cost of production. “If farmers adopt this system of fertiliser production, they will be able to use their organic matter from their farms adequately,” says Edwin Owino, secretary of Art Youth Research Centre in Eldoret, a group which produces bowls and ornaments using plastic waste, an idea given to them by Mr Kilpys. However, there are others who are not receptive. “This project is viewed as something new and most farmers have not experienced its benefits, because they have not given it a try. They would like to be left alone to continue purchasing fertiliser from their traditional suppliers, but we hope to break even in the near future,’ he says.

September-October 2010

HOW TO...

September-October 2010 16

in Nairobi. While he encourages innovation and diversification, Hugo discourages businesspeople from trying to be jacks of all trades, which he says turns them to masters of none. “I know a butcher friend who was running a booming business in Nakuru. When he heard there was some money in wheat he came here and because he could not adequately attend to stem rust disease, he ended up losing the crop and the butchery because of trying to be everywhere at the same time,” he says. He advises farmers not to fear borrowing from the Agricultural Finance Corporation. “Too many Kenyans fear borrowing, yet it is the key to unlocking the potential of many an investment. I still borrow even today,” says the chairman of the Mara River Water Users Association, a lobby which manages the river that feeds the world-famous Maasai Mara game reserve. He adds that it is easier in Kenya to borrow money for farming than for any other venture. So what does he do with the proceeds from the vast business? “I put it back there and what remains I invest in research and innovation,” he says. He should know, for he is now producing his own maize seed varieties, which grow well in the South Rift region. “We have just produced 3000 tonnes of Olerai 22 and Olerai 19 and we intend to produce more once we have a wider reach out there,” says the farmer who at any day has between 600 and 1000 workers. He further advises farmers not to give up too early and to take advantage of the emerging innovations and technology that can boost their enterprises. He is optimistic that the new constitution will put in place structures that will accelerate Kenya’s growth. “Kenya is on the right track to recovery. It is like a baby whom family members complain is not growing because they are always seeing her, but when you go out a bit and come back you appreciate that she has indeed grown.” On the drought situation in Russia, Mr wood says it has raised the price of wheat in the world market by about 80 per cent, the highest ever in history. Russia, which is the fourth largest exporter of wheat after USA, the European Union and Canada, is currently facing the worst drought in half a century, which has forced the government to ban exports to stave off hunger, feed Russia’s cattle and build on grain reserves

MAIN STORY

In the 2009/2010 budget, the government introduced an aquaculture programme that was meant to see all constituencies adopt fish farming, with the State providing funding and technical support. It was an idea whose time had come, aimed at providing the country with an adequate supply of fish to help improve family diets and boost livelihoods through returns from fish sales. Of the 210 constituencies in the country, 120 were to get fish ponds in the first phase of the project, each having a provision of 200 ponds. However, the fish farming project has not been without its challenges. In its first year of operation, the government has encountered a surprisingly high demand for the fish ponds; has lacked adequate funds to meet demand; has faced the challenge of having very few personnel on the ground to train farmers and has found itself a victim of unscrupulous traders who have supplied it with tadpoles instead of fingerlings among many other problems. However, in spite of all this, there is a region that has welcomed the project with open arms and is now bringing competition to more well established fishing regions. For a long time, the only indication that residents of Central Province knew anything about fish was through the exploits of small boys fishing in area rivers and ponds. They would boil the fish in tins, most of the time dirty, and eat them in the secrecy of bushy fields. The situation largely had everything to do with the stereotypical notion that the Luo community was synonymous with fish eating while Kikuyus were born to eat Githeri. Slowly, along the Sagana-Nyeri road on River Tana bridge, youths out to make an honest income started fishing from the river and hawking their catches to commuters.

Mrs Gathecha on her farm. Behind her is one of the fish ponds. She says it has been a challenge setting up but she is determined to succeed.

And even to date, they sell a catch that has a market value of Sh150 at Sh50, owing to lack of information about the fish industry. But now, how farmers in the area have wholeheartedly embraced fish farming, is the stuff that seven wonders of a region are made of. “I do not even understand it myself! Everyone is scrambling to transform this region into a Lake Victoria. We do not have a lake but we are now headed to becoming competitors in fish production,” muses Lilian Mwende, a fisheries officer in Kiambu. The journey towards this new trend started a few months ago when the government released Sh8 million for fish farming in all constituencies under the Economic Stimulus Programme. Those interested were required to present their proposals to the district’s fisheries department to get funding. One needed to have a source of water on their land that satisfied the government’s requirement

of a pond of 300 sq metres, and an interest in fish farming to qualify for the funding. The government was then to meet the costs of establishing the pond and stocking it with 3,000 fingerlings. Today, it seems every farmer in central region with such qualifications wants a fish pond established on their farm. Monitoring the progress and feeling elated at seeing farmers take deliberate moves to embrace a government initiative to empower themselves is the PC of what was formerly Central Province, Kiplimo Rugut. “For once, we are moving in tandem with the farmers. This is a project registering marvelous success and I am happy,” he says. He adds that the area can take advantage of its rich water mass to engage in fish farming and create a small industry capable of expanding the job market. “I must appreciate the hard work and spirit of

I feel like a carnivore that has scented blood and the last thing I will do is to keep off my instincts towards the prize. I must succeed” – Mrs Agnes Gathecha

September-October 2010

hat was a foreign practice to residents of the region is now becoming a favourite source to tap money from and provide the family with a healthy diet, writes MWANGI MUIRURI

these people and their focus towards success, even in the face of setbacks,” he adds. One such farmer is Mrs Agnes Gathecha, who besides embracing the government funded fish pond, has established privately, an additional three ponds on her farm. “While my interest was to farm fish for my family’s consumption and beautify my compound, I have realised that fish farming is a lucrative form of agriculture. You do not have to depend on rain or the size and type of your farm,” she says. Mrs Gathecha resigned from her teaching profession in 1990 to join her husband in business, but they were to later move to the US after her husband won a Green Card. In 1993, she came back to Kenya, protesting that she was born to soil her hands, and not to live like a queen. “I could not afford the life of the palace where my husband worked while waiting to be provided for. I left him in the US with our four children and returned home to farm,” she says. Already in horticulture, dairy and poultry farming, this entrepreneur aspires to take fish farming seriously, and use it as an extended form of personal finance empowerment. “Besides participating in the government procedure of clustering us into cooperatives for easier and convenient marketing of our fish, I am planning on opening a fish joint in Githunguri township,” she says. Together with other farmers, she has been conducting a market survey in food joints where they have been donating fish. The feedback has been encouraging, she says. Area residents have become interested in eating fish, owing to the huge interest in fish farming, she adds. “This is where a new concept is emerging; where the high interest in farming a produce is causing a huge appetite for it,” she says. Though she is going through some challenges in her project, she says her ultimate prize is success. “I feel like a carnivore that has scented blood and the last thing I will do is to keep off my instincts towards the prize. I must succeed,” she says. Some of the challenges she is faced with include the lack of know-how in this new project and its financial implications. “When the government initiated this project for me, I was made to understand that it would fully finance me until I hit the market with my fish and pocketed a tidy sum of hard cash. It turned out to be a false hope,” she laments. She came to realise that the government had only set aside Sh25,000 for digging a pond measuring 300sq metres. “This money was linked to the Kazi Kwa Vijana programme where 10 youths were paid the amount. I was then left on my own to do the final touches for my pond,” she says. This proved to be a financial dilemma for her since she had to purchase a polythene liner for

informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 18

How central is taking over fishing, without a lake

her pond to act as a holder of water in the earthen pond, which left her Sh23,000 poorer. With other costs, her bill towards completing the fish pond consumed Sh31,000 from her pockets. She says that when the government stocked her pond with fingerlings, they turned out to be toads within a month. The pond was restocked and it is then she realised that she had no technical know-how on fishpond management. She went to the ministry for help. “I was taken to Fisheries Research Centre in Sagana where I was trained for two weeks. On coming back, I realised that there were no fish feeds in the market,” she says. The ministry came to her rescue. “Today, in my seventh month of struggle, I am headed somewhere. All my four ponds have fish that will be ready for harvesting soon,” she celebrates. She is specialising in Tilapia, which she says does not multiply fast; hence, not a management challenge as she learns. But she adds that soon, she will go for trout that has a market value of between Sh450 and Sh550 per kilo. Trout is cheap to rear and is profitable, she says, but local production does not meet demand. Mr Raphael Kasio, Kiambu District Fisheries development officer, says the government has found it hard to keep up with demand from farmers wishing to engage in fish farming. “Demand is stretching us to the limit. It has reached a point where the programme cannot move in tandem with farmers’ need for the ponds,” he says. He adds that the plan was for the ministry of Fisheries to oversee construction of 200 fish ponds in each of the 140 constituencies, “but it has come as a shock that demand is averaging 1,500 per constituency,” he says. While the government initially planned for the project to benefit members of a registered group of at least 15 people, many farmers want individual ponds, owing to the private nature of land ownership in the area. “We do not have communal land where such groups can engage in group farming. Every farmer wants a pond in his or her own compound,” he says. The Fisheries department also found itself flat footed by the project’s demand for field officers and need for facilitation. “We had to cooperate with CDF ground committees to assist us in coordination and implementation of the project,” he says. Mr Anthony Kanene, central region Fisheries Officer, says the government has been taken by surprise by this enthusiasm. “We have realised that we do not have adequate training facilities for the farmers and only rely on Sagana Fisheries Station for training needs. With the entire region presenting us with a need to train about 10,000 farmers at a go, we are overstretched,” he says. But Kasio says the government has learnt the lessons and is now ready to face the new fish farming demand in the region. “Already, in the current financial year, the government has set aside more funds for the project. We are encouraging farmers who can establish their own ponds to go right ahead and finance their projects. We will refund them,” he says. But this is as long as they first register their projects with their area Fisheries department and get certified as per the laid down procedures.

hough this technique is not a new feature in the country, BENSON MATHEKA, tells you why more farmers are taking it up and its advantages over traditional methods. Green house farming is becoming the new vogue among Kenyan farmers; both small and big. Though this technology is not a new feature in the country’s landscape, it has for long been associated with flower farmers and those rich enough to afford the equipment. But the serious drought that left almost 10 million Kenyans on the brink of starvation in 2009, has led farmers to think of new and better ways of production; and greenhouses are taking a place in this scope of things. But that is not all: farmers, who earlier struggled to make ends meet, are finding a new source of revenue and laughing all the way to the bank. Consumers too, have something to be happy about – availability of foods like tomatoes, and hopes of the commodity being available throughout the year and at affordable prices.

Tomatoes have been going through cycles of boom and bust, where the price of a kilo of the produce that normally costs Sh59 in the supermarket inches up to about Sh89 and back. At the estates in urban centres, residents have been parting with Sh20 for three tomatoes, which normally cost Sh10. That is why the growing use of greenhouses is providing much needed relief, because they neither rely on wet, hot or cold seasons for successful production of crops. Under a project being championed by the Kenya Horticulture Development Programme (KHDP) and agricultural inputs suppliers Seminis Seeds and Osho Chemical Industries, all a farmer needs to get started is 240 square metres of land, or at least a quarter-acre of land and a greenhouse kit. This piece of land can grow 1000

Advantages Mr Randa also points out the many advantages of greenhouses. Among them, he says, is the ability to produce huge quantities of the produce on a small piece of land and be able to continuously harvest the crop. He says tomatoes grown using this technique have a shelf-life of 21 days compared with 14 for those grown in the open. Greenhouse tomatoes also take only two months to mature, instead of the three taken by outdoor farming. Under normal circumstances tomatoes are highly susceptible to diseases, requiring heavy application of pesticides. However, under the greenhouse growing techniques, which come with basic training on hygiene, most common infections are easily kept at bay. Also easily controlled are insects and other pests known to invade plants. Besides huge savings on crop protection chemicals, which constitute a huge part of production costs, less labour is employed in a greenhouse while exposure to chemical toxins associated with application is minimised or eliminated altogether. It is also good for the environment. Planting materials for greenhouse tomato production have been specially developed as high yielding, although they can grow outdoors as well. “The introduction of greenhouse tomatoes in Kenya heralds what could be a major shift from open pollinated farming to hybrid high yielding meth-

Where to get information on greenhouses and equipment The Horticultural Development Authority offers information on how to put up a greenhouse. It has a demonstration greenhouse in many of its branches all over the country. Agricultural input supplies firm, Amiran Kenya, which has been in the front line advocating for greenhouse farming in Kenya, also offers training to its clients. It also sells a full greenhouse kit at affordable prices. One can also visit the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute for information.

Advantages of greenhouses They do not rely on wet, hot or cold seasons for successful production of crops Produce huge quantities tomatoes on a small piece of land and allows the continuous harvesting of the crop Tomatoes have a shelf-life of 21 days compared with 14 for those grown in the open. They only take two months to mature, instead of the three. Tomatoes are highly susceptible to diseases and require heavy application of pesticides but under greenhouses common infections are easily kept at bay. Also easily controlled are insects and other pests known to invade plants. Less labour required in greenhouses

For Moses Muia, life has never been the same since he adopted greenhouse farming. He has pulled himself from the chains of poverty by earning enough money to keep his family, and has some savings for the future. From a 300-square-metre structure made of wood and polythene – roughly a quarter acre plot of land, the father of two has since started earning much more than he ever dreamed of. And he is now making more than other farmers in the area, who are yet to adopt the technology. Ever since he began in 2009, he has already earned more than Sh600,000 in gross income. And this is in the semi-arid Yatta District where water is scarce. To overcome the water problem Muia drilled a borehole, which produces enough of the precious liquid for his project. “Greenhouses do not require much water,” says the farmer who came across a greenhouse for the first time during a visit to the ASK agricultural trade fair in Machakos. A former subordinate staff with the ministry of Agriculture, Muia resigned to engage in horticulture. “I invested all my savings in this project after I made my mind to retire early,” he says.

“This is where I earn my living,” said the farmer when we caught up with him humming a gospel tune in the structure. He spent Sh150,000 to set up the greenhouse and has no regrets. “Besides the money I have been able to make, my kit is still intact and I expect to make more money,” he says. He sells a kilo of tomatoes in the market for about Sh50 and harvests more than 1000 kilogrammes of quality tomatoes every two weeks. This translates to at least 2000 kilogrammes a month and 24,000 kilogrammes in a year. The 36-year-old farmer says the system has given him flexibility and a good income. “There is little preparation to do after installing the greenhouse and it brings good results,” he says. All one has to do, he adds, is to follow the instructions and regulations of putting up the structure. Every greenhouse has an installation manual. “Companies like Amiran Kenya also train clients on how to put up greenhouses,” he says. Mr Muia says he grows his tomatoes and other vegetables in containers or bags, two popular methods many farmers have adopted in the area. “Because of the difficulties of growing tomatoes in border soil, this systems have become popular,” he says, adding that both methods are good and reliable. The father of two plans to use the system to grow other food crops in future. Already, he is installing a new kit for growing kales, spinach and cucumbers. He has been receiving training from agricultural extension officers in the area, but occasionally travels to Nairobi to add knowledge from experts with the Kenya Horticultural Development Authority and input suppliers firms. “I learn a lot from the experts, which has kept me going,” says Muia.

Top, a happy Mr Muia. Below are his children passing through his plants grown in containers and bags, a popular method in his area

September-October 2010

plants. According to Peter Randa, KHDP marketing manager and project technical advisor, one plant can produce up to 15kgs at first harvest, which can rise to 60kgs by the time it completes its full cycle, a span of about one year. The cheapest kit required for a greenhouse comprises of a 500 litre water tank, irrigation drip lines, plastic sheets, seeds and chemicals, all of which cost Sh150,000. Farmers are taught how the system works at the demonstration site at the Horticultural Crops Development Authority compound near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. KHDP says this particular greenhouse tomato project is borrowed from Israel, where the country has most of its agriculture under greenhouses, due to scarcity of water and land. It is also widely practised in the United States.

Greenhouse tomatoes flavour farmer’s life informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 20

Greenhouse farming: a fast picking trend in Kenya

ods, which if adopted in other sectors could lead to massive improvements in crop production, output, incomes and ultimately self-sufficiency in food production,” says Mr Mike Mwikya, an agricultural officer in Machakos. According to Mr Mwikya, there has been a marked uptake of improved planting materials in the country, a sign that farmers are keen to adopt new products and technology. The programme, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development, estimates that in the next five years, most tomatoes grown in Kenya will be under greenhouses; which is good news to consumers. Other crops that are suitable for greenhouse farming include green pepper, cucumber and even spinach.

CASE STUDY

CROP MANAGEMENT

F E AT U R E

or farmers, 2009 was a bad year due to drought. Many lost most of their crops. In early 2010, a bumper harvest was attacked by aflatoxin and in Marigat the maize streak virus struck... Besides losing this harvest and leaving farmers hungry and angry, was the great loss on inputs and in many cases borrowed monies that left farmers with huge debts and messed up livelihoods. The closing months of the year brought lots of promise to farmers and 2010 started just great. The rains finally let loose and there was

Aflatoxin is a chemical by-product of Aspergillus flavus, a fungus. It infects maize grains under highly humid and temperature conditions and renders the grains unfit for human and animal consumption. Aflatoxin is a slow killer causing liver cancer and growth retardation

In the Eastern parts of the country, which has for eons been plagued with food insecurity, farmers ploughed their way into bountiful maize fields, only for something akin to a curse to strike. What they had so painstakingly worked for after a prolonged drought that led to the starvation of over 10 million Kenyans in 2009, ended up in loss and disappointment. Culprit? Aflatoxin. This chemical by-product of Aspergillus flavus, a fungus, invaded most of the maize and rendered it unfit for

perature conditions; and Kenya’s climate in some of its regions make it very conducive; turning the country into one of the world’s hotspots for the infestation. In fact, research has found one of the most toxic strains of the fungs, the S. strain to be only dominant in severely affected areas of the country. Infection of the maize is enhanced if drying is delayed. Damage by insects or rats can also facilitate mould invasion and toxin production during storage. The situation can be improved through prudent post harvest handling of the grain. This would involve better drying and storage of the cereals by the farmers, maintaining grain quality, and sanitising grain-handling equipment.

Many farmers are demoralised and some have reduced acreage under maize, while others resorted to planting other crops” – Weston Lanoi, chairman Water Users Association, Perkerra Irrigation Scheme

Maize streak virus turns expectations to loss By JEREMIAH CHOGE

Maize streak virus:

Marigat district agricultural officer, Ezekiel Chepkwony, shows a sample of maize plants infected by maize streak virus at Perkerra Irrigation scheme.

The disease is caused by the leafhopper, which is the vector. It has no cure. Exercise field hygiene to discourage a favourable breeding environment for the vector. Diversify and plant other crops to starve the vector and break its life cycle. Be on the look out for symptoms of the disease, which include stunted growth and yellowing of plants. If 50 per cent of the crop has been destroyed by the vector, the crop is uneconomical. Destroy it all and plant something else.

In Marigat District, farmers were upbeat that food production would be boosted following the heavy rains experienced in the area this year, but they are now a sad lot, after incurring a loss of over Sh7 million in the last few months. Reason: outbreak of a maize streak virus that has destroyed over 100 acres of their maize plants. When the Smartfarmer magazine visited Perkerra Irrigation scheme, which is the worst hit recently, we found out that many farmers have cut down their premature maize plants and turned their farms into grazing fields. The farmers led by Mr Michael Bartonjo called on the Ministry of Agriculture to come to their rescue. “Over 10 acres of my maize plantation has been affected. I have no choice but to cut the plants to stop the spread of the disease,” he said. He added that he had already lost over Sh500,000 and won-

dered how he would settle the loans he had taken from the National Irrigation Board. Some of the farmers attributed the disease to uncertified H513 maize seeds from Kenya Seed Company. “If that is not so why haven’t farms with other maize varieties been affected?” wondered Mr Reuben Saningo, another farmer. He fears the disease will spread to other farms if it remains unchecked. Mr Ezekiel Chepkwony, Marigat District agricultural officer, said that other areas the disease has been reported in include Eldume, Mukutani, Mochongoi and Sandai at the scheme. “The disease has no cure. Farmers should exercise field hygiene to discourage a favourable breeding environment for the leafhopper (Cicadulina mbila), which is the vector of the disease,” said the officer. He urged farmers to stop planting the H513 maize variety, which is more susceptible to the viral disease and stick to other

varieties such as DH03 and H624 that are more resistant. However, he downplayed farmers’ claims that the disease was due to affected seeds, saying favourable climatic conditions have encouraged multiplication of the vector, which had hibernated following last year’s dry season. Mr Chepkwony also urged farmers to diversify and plant other crops. “This will starve the vector and break its life cycle,” he said. Farmers should also be on the look out for symptoms of the viral disease, which include stunted growth and yellowing of plants. The officer said his department is looking for a permanent way to arrest the situation. “However, if over 50 per cent of the farm has been affected, it is uneconomical and farmers should destroy the whole crop and plant something else,” he said. But that is not all that has been affecting the maize farmers. Their woes have been aggra-

vated by the NCPB’s continued delay in paying for their maize delivered last season. Mr Weston Lanoi, chairman of the Water Users Association at Perkerra Irrigation scheme, says this placed farmers in a position of not being able to prepare their farms for planting and buying inputs this season. “Many farmers are demoralised and some have reduced acreage under maize, while others resorted to planting other crops,” said Mr Lanoi, adding that most of them have not been paid since December. The farmers also complained that Finance minister, Uhuru Kenyatta, set aside over Sh11.4 billion for irrigation schemes in the country during this year’s budget but no irrigation scheme was featured in Rift Valley province. On the loans issued to farmers, Mr Owila said it would be difficult to revoke them due to costs incurred. jchoge@gmail.com

September-October 2010

Maize farmers in Kenya have in the last two years gone through a medley of problems that has left many of them smarting from losses. In 2009, it was the severe drought that turned many a farmer’s sweat into thin air. Most maize fields were just a picture of dried up stalks of what would have been a sweet harvest.

Aflatoxin

Aflatoxin invasion

human and animal consumption. Aflatoxin is a silent killer that causes liver cancer, growth retardation and affects the body’s immune system. Many Kenyans have died after consuming maize contaminated by the chemical. Its invasion on the maize then meant that the crop had to be destroyed. What a pain for the farmers! To make the pain a little less, the government decided to buy about 2 million bags of the maize destined for destruction at Sh1,500 for a 90kg bag instead of the Sh2,300 it had been offering in 2009; a certain loss to taxpayers and to farmers, for whom earnings could not match costs of production. For the fungus that causes aflatoxin to develop it requires high moisture and tem-

informing and entertaining farmers

Maize farmers dogged by medley of woes

excitement across the land. But these hopes were soon dashed for some farmers.

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

By MIKE LORIKUNI and BENSON MATHEKA

For beef industry, supply does not meet demand

What the industry has decided is that the money should be used to construct one or two slaughterhouses that meet international standards.” – Mr Kareke Mbiuki, assistant minister for Agriculture

here is market for beef, locally and internationally, but the quantities produced cannot meet demand. KMC is underserved and is not producing to its capacity. This is despite the fact that Kenya has the potential of becoming a large exporter of the products. Livestock farmers, over to you...

In the local market, pork meat is not as popular as other types of meat like beef, mutton or poultry. Most of the pig production is carried out by small holders. However, purchase of pigs for slaughter by licensed abattoirs increased from 158,000 heads in 1999 to 175,000 heads in 2003 indicating an increase of 10.7 per cent. Farmers Choice Company is the main processor of pork products like sausages, ham, bacon and salami. Kenya has been exporting more of pork products than beef, mutton and goat meat combined in the last few years. Farmers Choice exports about 1,500 tonnes per year (20 per cent of its total produc-

complaints from farmers that the costs are too high and in some areas quality is poor. The uneven distribution of livestock feeds, insufficient and inaccessible mineral supplementation, inadequate supply of clean water for livestock, frequent drought situations, high transport costs and lack of market information are some of the drawbacks being experienced by cattle farmers. Recently, as a way of opening up market for farmers, KMC secured new beef and livestock markets in countries like Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malaysia. It has also opened a new income

September-October 2010

An employee examines beef at the Kenya Meat Commission.

stream for pastoralists hard hit by recurrent drought and livestock diseases. However, the commission still faces major challenges that threaten to slow down its growth. Recent media reports have shown that there are high electricity and manpower costs to contend with. There have also been complaints that KMC uses old machines, which require a lot of maintenance due to constant breakdowns. Lack of adequate slaughterhouses that meet international standards and the absence of disease free zones is also a big hurdle to the growth of exports for livestock and processed beef. Although the Livestock Development ministry was allocated Sh150 million to finance construction of modern slaughterhouses for export beef, some in the industry say the amount is too little. “What the industry has decided is that the money should be used to construct one or two slaughterhouses that meet international standards and make additions when more funds are available,” said Agriculture assistant minister Kareke Mbiuki. In this year’s budget, Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta provided Sh200 million for an electronic tagging project in northern Kenya that will help in creation of disease free zones and tracing of stolen livestock, as a way of curbing cattle rustling. Failure to create disease free zones has, over the years, cost the country loss in its beef export quota of up to 400,000 tonnes a year to the European Union. The quota was awarded to Botswana. The minister also allocated Sh150 million to push on going construction of two slaughterhouses in Isiolo and Garissa and for the construction of four other modern slaughterhouses in West Pokot, Wajir and Kajiado. Another Sh250 million went to the planned construction of 10 slaughterhouses for beef meant for domestic markets. The budget also set plans for 10 selected ranches for beef production in Asal areas to be established and two feedlots of disease free zones at the coast, specifically to expand beef export. Funds were also allocated to provide strategic feed reserves and reseeding in Asal areas. These will cost Sh330 million. To build the capacity of the Ministry of Livestock and the Ministry of Regional Development to be able to make this interventions, the minister promised 100 additional veterinary officers, 20 in each of the ASAL districts and 180 motor vehicles for use by officers to facilitate their work.

informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 24

With rising consumer demand for meat products locally and internationally, Kenya’s livestock farmers stand a chance to see their fortunes change for the better, if only they can adequately seize the opportunities. The growing population and improving incomes are is pushing industry demand. Due to this, the national meat processor, Kenya Meat Commission, is set to double its production capacity to meet demand. Production of red meat, a great favourite, is estimated at 362,815 metric tonnes (MT) with the bulk of the supply coming from ASAL areas. A small proportion of beef supply also comes from dairy herds. The value of annual red meat production is estimated at Sh43.2 billion with that of beef estimated at Sh34.4 billion, while combined goat meat and mutton are valued at Sh8.2 billion and camel meat at Sh0.66 million. With a production capacity of 1,000 large animals and 1,500 small stocks per day, KMC produces fresh meat, canned meat products and a range of by products to ensure optimal production. “But this is not enough for the local and international market. We plan to double this capacity to meet consumer demand,” says KMC’s director Ole Ncharo.

tion). Kenya’s total exports declined in 1985 as a result of the closure of the Kenya Meat Commission, which at the time was the leading exporter of canned meat. However, since it was re-opened in June 2006, the beef industry is now ranked as one of Kenya’s fast growing economic sectors through exports to overseas and is projected to hit the Sh70 billion mark in the next few years. Estimates indicate that Kenya has a cattle population of 13 million head with 90 per cent of them being in the hands of subsistence farmers and pastoralists. About 9.7 million head are beef cattle. Most cattle farmers produce meat and meat products both for export and local consumption. They also export both live animals and processed meat in the form of tinned meat and other preparations to East Africa and Middle East regions. For many years, livestock trading has been the domain of the private sector, following liquidation of the KMC in 1985 and the exit of the Livestock Marketing Division (LMD) from the markets. However, despite the potential growth in the beef industry, there are still lots of challenges that face farmers rearing cattle, goat and sheep for sell and meat consumption. While there is no real shortage of animal feeds in Kenya, there have been

AROUND THE HOME By GRACE MUIRURI

Just like the body’s need for a balanced diet, majority of houseplants like a balanced soil with a slightly acid pH level.”

– Mrs Rebecca Mwicigi, a flower exporter

from a height are more suitable. Small flowers and little cactus plants that need controlled sunlight are suitable for corner stands, windowpanes and flower stands, while middle-sized plants are best for flowerpots and corridor settings to avoid obstruction The best houseplants are those that thrive well in the conditions of your indoor environment. Most of these plants flourish in shady places away from direct sunlight. Many indoor plants grow slowly with less demand. But most of the time, those that lack enough sun show signs of light deficiency by turning into a lighter unhealthy colour . Artificial light sources can provide an alternative or supplement to window lighting. Fluorescent lighting provides excellent light quality whereas standard incandescent bulbs do little to promote plant growth. “There are flowering and nonflowering types of plants. You can grow cactus, small shrubs and flower bulbs. You can even grow a variety of herbs,” says Mrs Mwicigi. Most of these, however, require more sunlight, she adds. Starting out Majority of plants in your outdoor garden compose for excellent indoor houseplants. Start planning early to identify what plants you want to bring indoors when the time arrives. Before plant-

September-October 2010

hey not only beautify a home, especially during flowering, but also help in cleaning the air by taking in carbon dioxide as you exhale, and then release oxygen crucial for your respiratory system

ing indoor plants, shop for the soil and containers you will need. The container should be usable both in-house and outdoors, especially during lighting the plants. Select healthy plants. The first sign of a healthy plant is vigorous growth. Make sure there are no insects on the plants or in the soil. After you have selected your plant, give it a pruning into the shape you want. Don’t be shy. A good trim will help the plant focus on developing and settling its root system in its new home, setting a good foundation for growth. Proper pot size is important. A pot that is too large will cause root disease because of the excess moisture retained in the soil, while a pot that is too small will restrict a plant’s growth. Select a container that has holes at the bottom to give it good drainage. Plants in water logged pots are like feet in wet shoes for periods of time. It is suicide to the plant. Most pots are made with a drainage hole and a dish below the pot. When selecting a pot, let it be big enough to allow room for the plants to grow without tipping over. An ideal pot should be a couple of sizes larger than the one the plant is currently in. The wider the pot, the better it is, especially for tall plants. Clean the pot(s) to kill any moulds and bacteria that threaten the plant before planting. If re-using clay pots, soak them for a few hours because they tend to absorb salts and chemicals in their pores. Soaking removes the salts and any excess chemicals. Use good quality, clean potting soil, which

informing and entertaining farmers

informing and entertaining farmers 26

Keep your air fresh and scented with indoor plants

Among the things that can help brighten up your home are houseplants. They cheer up a room, add life and a touch of colour, creating a sense of comfort and contentment. They help kill those often unexcitingly dull days. From the door step, the welcoming scents and beauty of the plants invite you as you walk in, says Mrs Rebecca Mwicigi a flower exporter. They not only beautify a home, especially during flowering, but also help in cleaning the air by taking in carbon dioxide as you exhale, and then release oxygen crucial for your respiratory system. They also reduce components of indoor air pollution, particularly volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. These compounds are removed by soil microorganisms. Plants also reduce airborne microbes and increase humidity. They spread beauty to the eye, scent to the nose, and oxygen to the lungs. The pots and containers you use reflect your decorating tastes and needs. That does not mean that if you can’t find the ideal container, you can not have plants indoors. You can always invent and put together one from just about anything that will hold soil and water, says the expert. The style of the house, space and design determines the kind of in-house plants to have. Farm houses with a landscape might have more flowers or plants outside while moderate town houses might have more plants indoors. In small houses where furniture seems to take most of the space, plants that can be suspended

includes soil conditioners to provide the plant with nutrients, support, adequate drainage, and proper aeration. Centre your plant in the pot. Spread out the roots and make sure they are completely covered with soil. Gently, firm down the soil. Water gently, using a light solution of liquid fertiliser. Add more soil if holes or low spots occur as the soil settles. “Just like the body’s need for a balanced diet, majority of houseplants like a balanced soil with a slightly acid pH level,” says Mrs Mwicigi. The soil should contain a good mix of nutrients to get your plants started in their indoor environment. It will also be properly blended to provide good drainage, yet retain moisture. Even if your plant does not grow much, it should be re-potted every couple of years with fresh potting soil. The old soil loses important minerals over time. After a while, top layer soil can become thick. Loosen it with a spoon or fork. Remove the top layer and add some fresh, sterile potting soil. Also use, slow release indoor fertiliser. Liquid fertilisers can be used once every two weeks. Plants need water to grow, moist soil is ideally recommended, however, water logging is suicide to the plant. Fresh water removes excess fertiliser and salts through the drainage system.

YOUR HEALTH

informing and entertaining farmers September-October 2010 28

Is what you are eating keeping you in pain?

ry an antiinflammatory diet: It could be the answer to eliminating your pain

By JESSE CANNONE When I say Inflammation, thoughts of painful joints, muscles, swelling and loss of mobility probably come to mind. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious disease such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease, to name just a few? The amount of inflammation in our body varies and is dependent on may circumstances like activity level, amount of sleep or stress in our lives and even the foods we eat. Now what you have to realise is that these factors are all accumulative and as the levels increase the risk for disease increases. In early life these levels can be so low that you would not even know that you have any inflammation in your body because our bodies do a fair job at controlling the inflammation at least for a while, and then one day you wake up and you are in your 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and something is just not right, then the fear sets in and you think to yourself what did I do, where did I go? Well, the first step is to get your CReactive Protein levels tested, you will need to ask your doctor and may even demand to have the test done, all it takes is a blood sample. Have your levels evaluated by your doctor and a registered dietician to help you formulate a plan of care because our diets can play a large part in achieving optimal health. If you have pain from inflammation you may choose to take the traditional medical path for inflammation such as, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and even joint replacement surgery in severe cases. The good news is that there are more natural ways to fight inflammation, and they do not have the

undesirable side effects caused by most typical medical treatments. What you eat makes all the difference The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation. The average diet consists of high fat, high sugar, loads of red meat and amounts of processed foods. These are all likely to increase inflammation, not to mention contributing to obesity, yet another high-inflammatory culprit. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan made up of healthy, whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and ease the pain and discomfort associated with it. The first step is to avoid processed foods, foods high in sugar and junk food whenever possible. Instead choose fresh, whole foods including anti-inflammatory varieties like lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. But choose carefully, in fact even some vegetables and pre-packaged health foods can work against you. Use this quick list of the best and worst foods in controlling inflammation: Anti-inflammatory foods Fresh whole fruits, vegetables Bright multi-coloured vegetables Green tea Water Olive oil Lean poultry Nuts, legumes and seeds Dark green leafy vegetables Old fashioned oatmeal Spices, especially Turmeric and Ginger Pro-inflammatory foods Sugar, from any source Processed foods French Fries

Fast foods White bread Pasta Ice Cream Cheddar Cheeses Snack foods Oils such as vegetable and corn Soda, caffeine and alcohol In addition to these dietary changes it is also recommended that you: Maintain a healthy weight. There is no question that eating healthy is not easy nowdays, either at home or at a restaurant. But you must at least start to do these three things. Decrease your sugars, Decrease your hydrogenated oils and increase your daily intake of fiber to 35 grammes, that is a tonne of fiber but just try, you may hit it, you may not, the point is try to. Get better sleep. Between seven to nine hours is mandatory for optimal health and the one thing that most people do not know, is that quality sleep is the key to controlling systemic inflammation. Relax more often to lower stress levels. Find time for yourself, morning, noon and night and focus on your breathing and clear the clutter in your mind, learn to stay focused on the most important tasks in your life. Exercise on a regular basis. Do something you like to do, granted you can tolerate it, shoot for 15 to 20 minutes three times a week. Making these changes to your diet and lifestyle will most certainly improve your overall health and help reduce the pain from inflammation. If you would like more information about reducing inflammation naturally and effectively click the link below to learn more.

IN THE KITCHEN

t all started when we tasted a piece of black forest cake as we took coffee at a restuarant in town (Nairobi). Several types of cakes were available but everyone opted for the Black Forest. Our curiosity to know how it is prepared led us to Golden Brown Cake House in Garden Estate, off Thika Road. Below is what we learnt:

informing and entertaining farmers

A two-hour journey to the world of black forest cake

Mr David Ngotho shows off the cake after a gruelling but entertaining two hours of mixing, baking and decorating to a perfect finish. He is the owner of Golden Brown Cake House Ltd.

Preparation of Baileyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s black forest cake Ingredients Sugar 250g Eggs -8 pieces Wheat flour-250g Butter -75 g Cocoa 50g Chocolate--100 g Double Cream-500ml Strawberry or grapes Sugar syrup (flavour optional) Whisk sugar and eggs thoroughly Remove the mixture from the

whisking machine and add the sifted flour bit by bit as you fold the egg/ sugar mixture Melt the margarine and add it into the mixture. Fold carefully so that it does not collapse Pre-heat the oven up to 180 degrees centigrade Put the mixture into a 9- inch oiled tin and dust with flour Bake for approximately 1 hour till you achieve a soft touch on top of the cake. A skewer inserted through the centre of the cake should come out clean Remove cake from the oven

and cool it on a wire rack for approximately one hour. This is the sponge cake Finishing (Icing of the cake) **Cut the sponge cake twice horizontally to get three layers **Whisk the double cream till slightly stiff to hold the pallet knife Using a kitchen brush, soak the bottom layer with sugar syrup Incorporate the cream liqueur and spread a portion of the whipped cream onto the layer and spread evenly on the cake

Put the chopped grapes or berries on top of the first layer Put the second layer on top of the first layer and soak again with sugar syrup. Repeat for the third layer Spread the cream on the sides and top of the cake Melt the chocolate and make flakes and coat the cake on the side and top. Leave the middle part for writing if need be Use the chocolate pen to write Garnish with a bunch of berries or grapes Best served chilled

September-October 2010

September-October 2010 30

By MUGO NDIARA

INVENTIONS

Now, having a bank account is as easy as holding a mobile phone in your palm By MIKE LORIKUNI For many Kenyans, opening bank accounts and taking out loans has often been a difficult task. Much of the population living in rural areas or city slums lack formal employment and credit rating necessary to apply for a loan or even to open a bank account. This has created an imbalance where very few Kenyans hold bank accounts and benefit from their services. Banks too have been reluctant to invest in rural and other remote areas for costrelated and security issues. But not anymore. The advent of the mobile banking phone and all the services it has spawned has changed all that. Slightly more than a decade ago, mobile phones were prestigious gadgets, a preserve of the rich and a few elite. Today, however, this small device has become part and parcel of most people’s lives. From making voice calls to writing messages, surfing the internet and reading emails, the mobile phone has ceased being a luxury item and is now a necessity. Among the functions of the mobile phone most treasured by Kenyans is the money transfer service. When Safaricom introduced M-Pesa, it took Kenyans by storm. What had been a most difficult process (sending money) especially to rural areas, became a function done at the fingertips of the user. Sending money to folks at home; to employees or for a job done became as simple as ABCD, in comparison to the earlier methods of sending by post or bus among others.

It allows our customers, many of them previously unbanked, to retain features of M-Pesa while enjoying banking services.” – Michael Joseph, outgoing Safaricom CEO during the launch of Mkesho services.

However, the mobile phone has gone beyond what is now being seen as simple transfer to banking and it is what financial institutions are using to reach out to the unbanked masses in rural areas. Users can now get banking services without spending time and transport traveling to town centres. Those who already have accounts with banks connected to these services can check their balances and withdraw money from their banks into their M-Pesa accounts; pay electricity and water bills using the phone. Major banks including Equity Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, Co-operative Bank, Family Bank and others are offering various types of mobile banking and micro-

insurance services that provide a safety net to customers often beset by instability. Micro-insurance accounts may also provide a lifeline to small-scale farmers who rely on often unstable environmental conditions to survive. M-Kesho Account Recently, Equity Bank has taken an extra step and introduced M-Kesho in conjunction with Safaricom. This is a new innovation that gives an opportunity to all unbanked Kenyans with mobile phones to enter the financial system and enjoy the freedom of modern banking. Those who have this account are eligible to interest on deposits and have access to micro-credit and short-terms loans. “It allows our customers, many of them previously unbanked, to retain features of M-Pesa while enjoying banking services, which include short-term loans, medical and personal insurance, accident insurance and availability of credit,” said outgoing Safaricom CEO, Michael Joseph, during the launch of M-Kesho. “This new initiative with our partner Safaricom will target customers looking for the convenience of a bank account that uses M-Pesa as the tool to deposit and withdraw money into their accounts. This is a great idea that will drive customers to save money into their bank accounts and enjoy the benefits of having added value services of both M-Pesa and Equity Bank account,” Dr James Mwangi, Equity Bank CEO, said during the launch. The M-Kesho account also provides farmers and entrepreneurs in Kenya with startup capital for businesses.

They are made of plastic roof and walls. They heat up and retain the heat from the sun, which is absorbed by plants and soil. These are the greenhouses; the agricultural technology that has not only become popular in urban areas but also rural setups. Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and capsicum are some of the common high value crops that majority of Kenyan farmers are earning handsome returns from within a short period of time, using this technology. Greenhouses can be divided into glass greenhouses and plastic greenhouses. Plastics mostly used are PEfilm and multiwall sheet in PC or PMMA. Commercial glass greenhouses are often high tech production facilities for vegetables or flowers. The glass greenhouses are filled with equipment like screening installations, heating, cooling, lighting and may be automatically controlled by a computer. Greenhouses protect crops from too much heat or cold, shield plants from too much wind or rain, and help to keep out pests. Light and temperature control allows greenhouses to turn inarable land into arable land, thereby improving food production in marginal environments. The structures date back to the Roman Empire. Used for growing flowers, vegetables and fruits, the Roman emperor Tiberius (42 to 37 B.C) was known to eat a cucumber every day. His was not the form of the modern greenhouse, but his gardeners planted cucumbers in carts, which were taken out into the sunlight during the day and then wheeled back inside the house by night. The idea was to grow the plants in a controlled environment for subsistence at home. But its evolution did not stop there. Despite its usefulness, the ancient greenhouse was re-invented by Charles Lucien Bonaparte (1803 to 1857), a French botanist and a nephew of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who designed the first modern greenhouse in Leiden, Holland where medicinal plants were grown. Originally green houses were on the estates of the rich, but with the growth of the science of botany, they spread to the universities.

Top: The Eden project in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom’s largest greenhouse. Bottom: The Palm House built in 1844-1848 at Kew Gardens, London, England

September-October 2010

YOUR MONEY

September-October 2010 32

cucumber a day, is what the Roman emperor Tiberius had to eat everyday, and they had to be grown in a controlled environment. By Smartfarmer Reporter

informing and entertaining farmers

Greenhouse technology dates back to the Roman Empire

33 John Todd, a biologist invented another the crops. greenhouse with the capacity to turn sewThe transparent roof and walls of a age into water through natural processes. greenhouse allow heat and light from the Various agricultural companies have also sun to enter. The heat, reflected inside the re-invented the green house, coming up greenhouse is trapped causing it to warm with their own designs. up. Until recently, greenhouses were most Though many people have used green commonly used for the commercial houses to plant flowers, farmers in Kenya flower industry especially in places such as have grown varieties of fruits and vegetaNaivasha. But in the last one year, there bles and are producing significant amounts has been a surge in greenhouses in Kenya of horticultural crops each week with tofollowing the long dry spell and an increase matoes being the most common. automatic in food prices that prompted farmers to cooling system. A miniature greenhouse is take up small-scale greenhouse farming. known as a cold frame. “Greenhouse agriculture is the best way of getting returns and is not labour intensive. I look at this as a business,” said Mr Laban Kariuki, a greenhouse farmer in Kiserian, in the outskirts of Nairobi. Today, most greenhouses measure 240 square metres and could either be made of metal or wood frame covered with polythene. A pump is usually used for circulating water from water filled strata through the hoses, – Mr Laban Kariuki, a greenhouse farmer in Kiserian which then sprinkles water onto

Greenhouse agriculture is the best way of getting returns and is not labour intensive. I look at this as a business.”

M A R K E T S

informing and entertaining farmers

COMMODITY CEREAL

LEGUMES

September-October 2010

HORTICULTURE

OTHERS

Nbi

Msa

Ksm

Nku

Eld

Nyahu

Kitui

Busia

Tvt

Kisii

Mks

1400

1350

Dry Maize

Bag

1800

1400

1600

1200

1300

1250

1360

1100

1170

Green Maize

Ext Bag

115

3200

3590

1200

1500

1600

2000

1900

2500

1500

Finger Millet

Bag

4040

4500

4300

4800

5220

4200

3600

4500

Sorghum

Bag

2920

1350

2270

1800

4800

1450

1800

1260

4950

Wheat

Bag

2940

2683.333333

2800

2600

4150

5200

4500

4400

4500

2760

3000

4000

5000

5400

4500

4400

3500

4000

4050

4800

4500

4800

4500

3600

Beans Canadian

Bag

4400

Beans Rosecoco

Bag

4400

4300

Beans Mwitemania

Bag

4000

3540

4120

Mwezi Moja

ROOTS & TUBERS

6000 5800

2760 2760

Beans Dolichos (Njahi)

Bag

8500

6300

Green Gram

Bag

7460

6440

7200

6300 6000

6200

Cowpeas

Bag

4000

2430

2300

5000

4800

Fresh Peas

Bag

2280

1750

3600

2400

1866.666667

Groundnuts

Bag

110

9000

7480

7500

8000

6800

Red Irish Potatoes

Bag

110

3460

4390

2840

2500

1800

White Irish Potatoes

Bag

110

3680

4780

2840

2500

1700

Cassava Fresh

Bag

1380

1260

1100

7000

6800

7000

5800

7200

5850

3400

5400

3600

4400

4950 4400 3500 5000

8000

2600

3600

7200

11000

8800

8000

3700

2200

3500

3000

4400

3000

4500

2900 600

2970

Sweet Potatoes

Bag

2280

1150

1200

1500

1800

3000

1200

3920

1000

3100

Cabbages

Ext Bag

126

2480

3750

1840

900

1300

1380

2400

2000

3000

1000

900

Cooking Bananas

Med Bunch

536

450

300

450

380

425

300

500

250

200

350

Ripe Bananas

Med Bunch

642

360

300

250

400

500

400

1200

Carrots

Ext Bag

138

2180

2540

3500

1880

2200

2275

3600

2500

4000

1300

3200

Tomatoes

Lg Box

2340

1682

1520

1160

1866.666667

1300

1500

2000

450

1500

Onions Dry

net

870

810

980

900

650

780

650

2500

700

800

1400

Spring Onions

Bag

142

2310

1300

1700

1000

1200

3550

1200

3100

Chillies

Bag

2560

896

3000

720

780

Cucumber

Bag

1540

1630

Capsicums

Bag

2540

1500

1120

2000

Brinjals

Bag

1300

620

1300

Cauliflower

crate

2500

1373.333333

Lettuce

Bag

2040

1350

Passion Fruits

Bag

3080

3000

Oranges

Bag

1780

Lemons

Bag

1120

Mangoes Local

Bag

126

Mangoes Ngowe

Sm Basket

862

Limes

net

700

775

Pineapples

Dozen

600

740

1400

Pawpaw

Lg Box

1400

660

1200

Avocado

Bag

2080

1540

820

2000

800

Kales

Bag

1360

540

1600

400

Eggs

Tray

260

250

240

205

700

2000 1500

1200

1500

800

2740

3400

3420

940

2100

1800

450

600

700

1200

875

400

1640

1340

1860

5700

1600

1800

2200

2500

2000

2790

200

1000

1500

1600

600

400

600

500

1000

130

1800

900

250

480

325

1500

1200 1800

1120

1500

1800

550

700

215

230

1300 1500

450

700

400

230

300

270

250

SOURCE: MInistry of Agriculture (Market Research and Information). E-mail: marketinfo@kilimo.go.ke or info_amdi@yahoo.com, Maendeleo Hse 5th Fl Rm 506 Tel: 215704/8/9 xtn 1105. Week Ending 3.9.010