Top Farmer magazine, May-June 2018

How to earn Sh300,000 from an acre of watermelon

Pop and pageantry as top farmers are feted

May - June 2018

The ten richest farmers in the world Kenya’s Ndengu Revolution

How to become a basil herb millionaire

Best egg laying chicken breeds that give you up to 300 Eggs per Year

Read these Top Farmer publications Profitable Dairy Co w A Kenyan Farmer’s Handbook

SELECTING BEST TYPE OF CHICKEN AND HOW TO FORMULATE FEED

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

RABBITS

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

To order your copies and for retail distribution rights: Email: editor@topfarmer.co.ke Call: 0722634099

Contents How to become a basil herb millionaire

18-19

Crops How to earn Sh300,000 from an acre of watermelon

12-13

Agri-business The ten richest farmers in the world

14-15

Poultry Farming Best egg laying chicken breeds that give you up to 300 Eggs per Year

33-35

Cover story

Kenya’s

Ndengu Revolution TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

5-8 2

Editor’s Desk

Let us learn how to harvest rain water.

I

When doing so, remember that wastage channels include leaking pipes, taps and hosepipes; dripping reservoirs, evaporation and seepage from open unlined ground receptacles.

With good planning, especially for smallholder farmers, simple water storage facilities such as plastic, cement and metallic water tanks, drums and jerry cans, ponds similar to fish rearing ponds, installed underground water tanks and pans can offer good storage.

But the most important issue is to ensure that you have quality water too. Remember that some roofing materials such as asbestos and some tiles makes the water unfit for farm use due to corrosion and contamination of the water with the toxic roofing material.

But you can purify some of the water through filtration or boiling for purposes of human consumption.

But first, let us learn how to harvest rain water.

Jennifer

t has been raining – and plenty of water has been going to waste. As farmers, this is bad news since we do not have structures to harvest the water.

We have been unable to collect the run-off water into containers and reservoirs or in situ which involves increasing soil and water-holding capacity technologies.

Rainwater collection system is now widely available to support different household needs. Fortunately, the installation of several important components like storage tanks, small pipe, and hose, spigot, and collection systems is easy with the help of professionals. By simply using the rain gutters on your house’s roof and directing the collected runoff to your storage tank is the easiest and simplest way to collect rainwater and use it for any purposes If you carry out a farm water audit, it can assist you in estimating how much water to collect. The audit should include water for household use, livestock, crops and fish use where applicable.

For instance, a cow is estimated to consume an average of 50l/day while irrigation will utilise 60, 90 and 120m3/ha/day for drip, overhead and surface systems.

We know that rainwater harvesting on its own is not enough, and that efficient use of water coupled with reduced wastage assures one the value for money invested.

Farmers’ Letters Deal with Maize Cartels

Publisher Top Farmer Ltd Editor Jennifer Wanjiru Contributors: Anne Munene Stellar Murumba Maureen Maina Kennedy Kipkorir Joshua Kibet Jochebed Emali Special Contributors Dede Amanor-Wilks Esther Ngumbi Designer Benjamin Njuguna Marketing Theresa Muli Printing Picco Print House

Email them to: Editor@topfarmer.co.ke

Unbelievable as this may sound, the icing on the cake is that memAmong the pillars of President Uhuru bers of these cartels, who have Kenyatta’s ‘Big Four’ agenda, agriculHow to earn Sh2,000 per kilo ture boasts pride of place as a suste- Chia Seeds secrets delivered cheap imported maize The next game changer to NCPB, have already been paid nance tool to most Kenyans. ahead of the farmers.

Many wonder, then, why maize farmDrastic action is needed on the isers keep on crying foul whenever it sue of middlemen. comes to selling their farm produce, Why should we enrich a neighthe only source of livelihood for most bouring country’s farmers at the of them. expense of our own?

There is a hue and cry from maize farmers, especially from the Rift Valley David M. Kigo, region, the bread basket of Kenya, after Nairobi. the National Cereals and Produce Board announced that their silos were full with It seems that after struggling to revive one of maize.

The irony is most farmers still have a lot Kenya’s largest flower farm, the liquidators of of maize to harvest. And this is an annual Karuturi Limited have given up and put its assets on sale. ritual.

Although we live in a liberalised market It is high time that we learn some lessons from economy — and as one anonymous trader Karuturi and the most obvious is that we need to in Eldoret said, there is nothing wrong with support our own flower growers who do not walk doing business under the East African com- away at the slightest sense of trouble. More so, mon market protocol — we are sitting on a our farmers invest locally and plough back their time bomb. No lesser a person than Deputy profits here.

President William Ruto has lamented that The fall of Karuturi was also brought by mismanthe ever-active cartels have made it very agement. The rest is politics difficult for the government to address the Follow us on Conrad Maina farmers’ woes.

7 new apps for farmers Scholar decodes science of fruit packaging

Dec 2017 - Jan 2018

PLUS

Why poultry farmers fail; Why others succeed

Farmer Top Farmer magazine is published

by Top Farmer Ltd. Printer’s Arcade, Kweria Road, off Kirinyaga Road.

P.O Box 40739 - 00100 Nairobi.

Email: editor@topfarmer.co.ke Web: www.topfarmer.co.ke

The editor welcomes letters from farmers.

ABC of tomato farming

TOP

Has my cow conceived?

New Technology gives you a quick answer

Step by step guide to pig farming

Top Farmer may not be copied and or transmitted or stored in any way or form, electronically or otherwise, without the prior and written consent of the publisher. Top Farmer is published by Top Farmer Ltd. Printer’s Arcade, Kweria Road, off Kirinyaga Road, P.O Box 40739 - 00100 Nairobi.

Email: editor@topfarmer.co.ke, P.O Box 40739 - 00100 Nairobi. Telephone: 0722 634 099. Registered at the GPO as a magazine.

All correspondence to the editor is assumed to be intended for publication. Top Farmer admits no liability for unsolicited articles or pictures.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine, the authors, publishers and editors accept no responsibility of any loss, financial or otherwise, sustained by any person using this publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval systems or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of Top Farmer.

All rights reserved.

@Top_Farmer

Naivasha

3

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

6-7 March 2018 | Nairobi, Kenya Partnerships, Innovations & Financing for Climate Smart Agriculture

180+

attendees

40+

speakers

30+

partners

Engage with key stakeholders in agriculture and play part in Africa’s sustainable agricultural transformation • Thinking Big – Scaling up smart farms • Innovative finance – Lack of adequate investment • Combined powers – Why partnerships are becoming more important in CSA • Global Climate-Smart Agriculture – A Comparative view • Agriculture, Africa’s Quiet Revolution – Insurance and Ensurance

• Sharing Innovation – Enriching farmer’s livelihoods • Changing the face of farming – Moving on from precision agriculture to decision agriculture • Minority Report – Inadequate empowerment of women and youth • The power of agriculture intelligence and big data • Water smart agriculture

Register now at csa-africa.aidforum.org

ICT For Agri I mAgri I Soil Fertility Management I Water Utilisation I Precision Farming

#CSAAfrica

Cover Story

Kenya’s Ndengu Revolution

T

here is a huge market for green grams (ndengu) in India and other Asian countries – and Kenyan farmers are now being asked to export to these markets.

For several months now, the Indian High Commission in Nairobi has been scouting for importers who can benefit from the Sh400 billion green gram industry in India – although it has restricted imports to no more than 300,000 tonnes.

As the push to lift the ban continues in India, here is a market that Kenya can take advantage of since it has an MOU with India.

Kenya’s production of the grain legumes now stands at 0.76 million metric tonnes per year. Even with that, we are the fourth largest producer in Africa after Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia and 17th in the world meaning that we have a big opportunity to make money.

India, with a population of 1.3 billion, plans to spend about Sh400 billion on

By Jennifer Wanjiru importing four million metric tonnes of grain from the continent. Kenya has failed to meet the Indian market demand for pulses two years after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the supply of beans, peas and green grams.

In the MoU signed in 2015, India had given Kenya a quota of four million metric tonnes which still stands as part of a trade agreement.

“We request the Kenyan Government to continue supporting grain farmers so that they can produce more and thus increase their market share as well as boost their financial base,” says India Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya Sushil Singhal said during a recent forum. “Based on our demographic factor, which forms a huge consumption market, we are determined to import from Kenyan farmers as well as other African countries.”

India is the biggest producer and consumer of pulses in the world, and international prices have always trended

5

along with Indian pulses prices.

Grain legumes includes chickpeas, pigeon peas, lentils, black and green grams, grass peas and cowpeas.

The Indian government says it is willing to partner with would-be exporters to set up processing zones where the grains would be processed to enhance quality inspection and trade requirement compliance ahead of exportation.

The East African Grain Council has promised to mobilise and facilitate smallholder farmers’ production in Embu, Kitui and Makueni counties which dominate local pulses supply, followed by those from western and southern Nyanza regions.

It is estimated that 2025, India would require 29.43 million metric tonnes of pulses, which would require bringing additional millions of hectares of land under pulses cultivation, and improving yields from the present 700 kilogrammes per hectare to 1.3 tonnes; a formidable task given the competition for land usage.”

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

The Kenya Red Cross secretary general Abbass Gullet has promised to put aside Sh500 million to buy ndengu from local farmers to shield them from exploitation by middlemen.

“The demand for Kenyan green grams in Asian countries, including India, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, among others, is inexhaustible and farmers should strive to produce more,” he says.

Already, the Kenya Red Cross has started to distribute seeds in Kitui South which is planning to kickstart the “Ndengu Revolution.”

“We will walk with Kitui people in this journey of actualising the ndengu revolution and we are willing to pump more money in providing linkages with better paying international markets,” the Kenya Red Cross boss said.

Kenya Red Cross is partnering with the County government of Kitui and both have pulled together 400 tonnes of seeds worth Sh108 million, including transport logistics.

The Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu said each of the 200,000 households got 2kg packet of free seeds, as part of the capacity building investment, hopes to harvest at least 200 kilos in the next four months.

“If each kilo of seeds yields a bare minimum of 100 kilo produce, this will give our county a total of 40,000 metric tonnes of green grams (40 million kilos),” said Ms Ngilu, adding if the harvest was sold at a conservative price of Sh100 per kilo it will earn the county an estimated Sh4 billion in one season.

Farmers cite early maturity, low water demand and ready market as the reason for embracing the crop.

To grow the crop, one starts by preparing the land using an oxen drawn plough or one drawn by a tractor.

Then one should plant certified seeds in furrows; two seeds spaced at 10cm between plants and 60cm between rows.

An acre takes 4kg of seeds. The seeds should be planted shortly before rains.

Once they germinate and flourish, weeding should be done using hoes.

Also spraying the crop with pesticides is also done around this time.

The crop takes three months to mature and harvesting involves removing the pods manually.

After harvesting the pods, they are dried, threshed, winnowed and packed in bags. Threshing should be done lightly to avoid breaking the seeds.

Also, the Kenya Seed Company has contracted some farmers for seed proTOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

duction. The seed firm buys a kilo of the crop at Sh120.

The shift towards the growing of green grams is the outcome of years of advocacy from government and development agencies on the need for farmers in arid areas to grow highly valued drought resistant crops.

For a very long time, farmers have been complaining of the rapid reduction in green grams yields. But now a group of farmers is smiling all the way to the bank. Research institutes like KALRO have been working tirelessly to ensure farmers have green gram varieties with much higher yields than the local green gram varieties.

Indigenous green grams have small seeds with the plants maturing at different times. Most of the time they mature late. Consumers complain that such varieties have a lot of stony seeds, which makes a green gram meal difficult to eat.

The improved variety K26

On the other hand, the improved KALRO variety has large seeds that gives high yields with the plants ripening at the same time. K26 variety also

6

matures early and does well in dry areas. Currently, a bag of green grams goes for Kshs.9,000. The seeds are available at any KALRO office. Farmers need to contact KALRO station near them.

Land preparation and planting

Prepare land early enough so that planting can start when the rains begin. Green grams can be planted alone or intercropped with other crops like maize. When planted alone, sow at 1 ½ ft between rows and ½ ft between plants. One acre of land will require 2 to 4 gorogoros (4 to 8 kg) of seed for planting. Climatic conditions, soil and water management Green grams grow best at an altitude of 0-1600 m above sea level and under warm climatic conditions (28 to 30degC). They are well adapted to red sandy loam soils, but also do reasonably well on not too exhausted sandy soils.

Green grams are not tolerant to wet, poorly drained soils. They are drought tolerant and will give reasonable yields with as little as 650 mm of yearly rainfall. Heavy rainfall results in increased vegetative growth with reduced pod

setting and development.

Avoid planting green gram for more than one season because toxic residues and disease organisms from the previous green gram crop may affect the following crop adversely.

Land should be prepared to a medium tilth before planting and early enough so that planting can start immediately after the rain starts. When using oxen plough for planting, place the seed at the side of the furrow.

Propagation is by seed. There is no seed dormancy. Seeds may sprout in the pod under very humid conditions.

In areas with higher rainfall, it is recommended to grow green grams on raised beds. Prepare the beds, raised about 20 cm and spaced 1 m from the centre of one bed to the centre of the next. Sow seeds on raised beds in two rows per bed, spaced 45 cm apart.

Green grams will respond to fertiliser or manure application but will normally give satisfactory results if grown on relatively good soil. Green gram is grown mainly on smallholdings, often as mixed crops or intercrops. Associated crops are usually of longer dura-

tion than green gram (sugar-cane, cotton, sorghum). To make use of a short cropping period, short-duration green gram is often relay-cropped.

Weeding

The first weeding should be done 3 weeks after the seeds have emerged followed by the second weeding 6 weeks later.

Harvesting

Harvest green grams when most of the pods have turned black. You can pick and dry individual pods or uproot the whole plant and dry it for about 2 days, then thresh and clean it.

Storage

Grams must be dry before storage. Like most pulses moisture content at storage should not be above 13%. Grams are very susceptible to bruchid (bean weevil) attack and are best stored immediately after sun drying either in airtight drums tins, gunny bags and be kept in a clean, ventilated place. Mixing seed with ash is effective against bruchids, also treatment with sunflower oil or mixing with neem leaves is said to be effective against storage

pests. Proper drying of grains is very important to prevent the growth of fungi and contamination with aflatoxins. Infected grains should be separated from sound grains to avoid aflatoxin contamination.

Yields

Average yields range from 1 to 2 bags (90 -180 kg) per acre. If you follow the above steps you can get up to 4 bags (360 kg) per acre. The stalk is good livestock feed.

Apart from planting high yielding varieties of green grams, farmers can increase the productivity of their green gram beans and other legumes by keeping bees in the farms. According to research, total yields in crops can increase by up to 30 per cent through pollination by bees. Avoid the use of chemicals if you want to benefit from pollination services from bees.

Where to get the seed

Seeds can be obtained from Kenya Seed Company, KALRO Katumani, KALRO Kitale. You can also contact your local extension officer for guidance.

Pests and diseases

PESTS Insect pests that attack green grams are bean aphids, bean fly and bruchid weevils. They can be controlled by planting early and practicing crop rotation. The main disease that affects green gram is powdery mildew. You can detect it when you see whitish growth under the leaves. This can be controlled by using certified seed and practicing crop rotation.

Bean flies

Bean flies are tiny about 2 mm long, shiny black-bluish in colour. They can

cause serious stand reductions at the seedling stage. Bean flies lay eggs in punctures of leaves near the petiole.

The small white maggots feed inside the main stem just above the soil line.

Pupation occurs inside the stem. The life cycle may be completed rapidly, often in less than 2 weeks.

Seedlings attacked by bean flies may wilt or die. Leaves of older plants may be yellow and stunted. Stems are thicker than normal and cracked lengthwise just above the soil. Maggot feeding facilitates the entry of disease-causing microorganisms leading to secondary infections. In cases of heavy infestation, many plants die. Bean flies are important only during the seedling stage (up to 4 weeks after germination).

What to do:

1. Plant early in the season. Bean fly numbers tend to be low during the early stages of the growing season and increase with time.

2. Plant after green manure crop.

3. Avoid planting near cowpea, beans

7

and other leguminous crops, that may be the source of bean flies.

4. Practise crop rotation with non-legumes such cereals.

5. Ridging the plants 2-3 weeks after germination helps to cover the adventitious roots produced by plants damaged by bean flies (these roots grow directly from stems and/or leaves). The soil support prevents lodging and improves the survival of the damaged plants.

6. Mulch with rice straw. The mulch covers the seed leaves (cotyledons) making them inaccessible for egg laying.

7. If necessary, spray neem extracts.

Frequent foliar applications of neem extract give satisfactory control of bean flies.

8. Remove and destroy crop residues and all plant parts with symptoms of damage by bean flies.

Cow Pea Weevils

Cowpea bruchids (Callosobruchus spp.) are the most common and wideMay - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

significant damage to flower buds and flowers.

What to do:

spread insect pests in storage. Adults are 2 to 3.5 mm long. They are major pests of pulses (cowpeas, pigeon peas, soybean, green gram and lentils). They attack both pods in the field and seeds in storage. They attack nearly mature and dry pods. Infested stored seeds can be recognised by the round exit holes and the white eggs on the seed surface.

Post-harvest losses are highly variable, but losses can be over 90%.

It is a serious storage insect, which can destroy whole seed-lots.

1. Monitor the crops frequently as there is only a brief period from hatching to entering buds or pods.

2. Hand pick and destroy eggs and caterpillars. This helps when their numbers are low and in small fields.

3. Biopesticides such as Bt or neem products usually give good control of pod borers, provided they are applied to the young caterpillars before they enter into the pods.

DISEASES Bacterial blight

What to do:

What to do:

1. Plant resistant varieties.

2. Plant early.

3. Remove weeds.

Dry grains to moisture level below 13%.

Store grains in dry, well ventilated areas.

Rust

Pod-borers (African bollworm, Legume pod-borer, lima pod borer)

Pod borers such as the African bollworm (Helicoverpa armiguera), the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata), and the lima bean pod borer (Etiella zinckenella) can cause serious economic damage. Young caterpillars of the African bollworm feed on leaves by scraping tissue for short time, and then bore into the pods and feed on the seeds with their heads thrust inside and most part of the body outside. The entry hole is large and circular. They also cause

TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

Powdery mildew

White powdery patches appear on leaves and other green parts, which later become dull coloured. These patches gradually increase in size and become circular covering the lower surface.

When the infection is severe, both the surfaces of the leaves are completely covered by whitish powdery growth.

Severely affected parts get shrivelled and distorted.

Leaf spots first appear as small, water-soaked or light-green areas on leaflets. They later become dry and brown.

Severely diseased pods shrivel. In humid weather, a yellowish crust of the blight bacteria covers the spot surface.

What to do:

1. Eliminate weeds, volunteer beans and other potential hosts of bean blight, as this will reduce disease incidence.

2. Good weed control will also improve aeration around the crop so that the plants dry faster, this will reduce the chances for bacterial spread and infection.

3. The bacteria are readily spread by water, and walking or working in the field while plants are wet will splash the bacteria and create wounds.

Therefore, avoid field operations when it is wet.

4. A rotation of at least 2 years between bean crops will give time for the bacteria population to decline in the debris.

5. Deep ploughing will also encourage the breakdown of infected plant debris.

8

The disease appears as circular reddish brown pustules (blisters) which appear more commonly on the underside of the leaves, less abundant on pods and sparingly on stems. When leaves are severely infected, both the surfaces are fully covered by rust pustules.

What to do:

Plant resistant varieties, if available.

1. Avoid continuous cropping with legumes.

2. Practise crop rotation with non-legumes such as cereals.

Why tomatoes crack and what you should do to prevent fruits are known as radial cracking and are the most serious. This pattern of splitting commonly occurs during hot, humid weather. Cracking that occurs in a circular pattern at the top of tomato fruits, ringing the stem end, is known as concentric cracking. When cracking of either type occurs in green tomatoes, fruits are likely to rot before they fully ripen if left on the vine.

Tomatoes with radial cracks will rot quickly if left on the vine.

With both radial and concentric cracking, your best option is to harvest fruits immediately, before they begin to rot. These fruits are edible and can be allowed to finish ripening indoors, though any fruit that develops a sour smell or begins to ooze should go straight to the compost pile. Fruits that ripen off the vine, as well as those that ripen on the vine during cloudy, rainy weather will be less flavorful than those that mature fully on the plant during sunny weather.

How to Prevent Tomatoes from Splitting?

O

ne of the more frustrating things about growing tomatoes is watching a tomato ripen on the vine, slowly growing and changing from green, to pink, to red…. and then looking one morning and seeing that that tomato you’ve been waiting for has cracked.

What is cracking?

Cracking is the splitting of the epidermis around the calyx or stem scar.

There are two types of fruit cracking in tomatoes.

1. Concentric cracking, which is a splitting of the epidermis in circular patterns around the stem scar.

2. Radial cracking which is a splitting of the epidermis from the stem scar towards the blossom end.

When Does racking occur?

Cracking occurs as the tomato nears maturity. More susceptible varieties crack in the mature green stage and more tolerant varieties at later stages.

The earlier the cracking then the deeper and longer the crack becomes. The problem is usually more severe on the lower trusses. Circular cracking often occurs on ripe tomatoes that are on the vine too long.

What Causes Tomatoes to Split?

Side splitting and cracking up are terms you want to hear in reference to a joke you just made, not about your tomatoes. Heavy rain, especially when preceded by dry weather, is the leading cause of fruit cracking and splitting in tomatoes. This type of damage is most likely to occur as tomatoes begin to ripen and you are anxiously anticipating harvest, though green fruit can be effected as well.

Cracking and splitting occur when rapid changes in soil moisture levels cause fruits to expand quicker than the tomato skin can grow. There are two different patterns this damage may take. Vertical splits along the sides of

9

The most important thing you can do to minimize fruit cracking in tomatoes is to maintain even soil moisture levels by watering during drought. Most vegetables require around one inch of water per week to remain productive.

Soaker hose and drip irrigation systems are the best way to provide this water to vegetable and ornamental plants because these systems apply water directly to the soil. This reduces water loss through evaporation and keeps plant leaves dry, which helps limit the spread of leaf diseases. Mulching your vegetable garden will also help keep the soil evenly moist and minimize moisture related problems.

Cracking tomatoes are just one of those things that every vegetable garden seems to deal with at one time or another. The good news is that cracked tomatoes are still edible, so feel free to harvest and eat them. They won’t store long, so be sure to eat or cook with them right away.

Now that you know how to protect your tomatoes from cracking, here’s hoping you have a beautiful, bountiful harvest.

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Food requirements for healthy calf

Growing French beans for your regular income

How to plant Amaranth (Terere, Lidodo, Mchicha, Ododo)

TOP

Farmer

Next Big Thing

Become a Layers’ millionaire

How to mix and sell chicken feed All the formulas you need

Banana: How to start a profitable enterprise

Making money from silk farming How to control killer animal ticks

Legumes that can improve your farm

Kenya Sh200, Tanzania Sh5,000, Uganda Sh7,000

December - January 2016-17

December - January 2015/16

How to start small and

PLUS

5 Steps to better farm financial management

Farmer TOP

Secrets of making

millions from Hay Farming What growers never tell you

PLUS

Using urea (fertilizer) to soften fodder

How many animals can you feed from your shamba?

Make Serious Cash From Rabbit Farming

Rwanda’s fast How to grow growing nduma How to break even carrots from seed in Pig farming now in Kenya to market

Chris Lati: The ideal cross-breed National Farmers Awards 1 cow for semi-arid areas 2015 Winners

Know about bacterial wilt and control it

Massey Ferguson’s new package for farmers

TOP

Farmer

April - May 2016

Cut your farms costs

How to make cattle, poultry and pig feeds

PLUS

Chris Lati: How we condition cows to be high milk producers

The ABC of onion farming

Before you purchase one day old chicks, read this…

How to get single spinach tree deliver 48kgs per year

See inside for details

Order your E-Copy or go to your nearest vendor for a copy today

Improved green grams hold hope for farmers

Why Tumbukiza method doubles milk yields

Farmer TOP

Kenya Sh200, Tanzania Sh5,000, Uganda Sh7,000

December - January 2016-17

How to own and run

Multi-million

PLUS

Secrets of making Sh1 million from one hectare of capsicum

One-day old chick

business

» » » » »

Making a brooder How to control temperature Transportation Cleanliness Health management

How to Use Machicha as Animal Feed

How to grow and defend tomatoes from bacterial wilt Feeding dairy cattle with yeast adds farmers three litres of milk

Fight maize’s worst enemies with push-pull

Get your own vineyard: The basics of growing your own grapes

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success - Henry Ford TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

10

11

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

I

How to earn Sh300,000 from an acre of watermelon

t is now possible to earn up to Sh300,000 in three months from one acre of watermelon. This is from a yield of 20tons if you are to sell them at the going price of Sh20 per kg. That means you can get a turnover of Sh400,000.

If you deduct the cost of production which is estimated at sh100,000 – all other factors constant – you can walk away with Sh300,000.

What matters is how you handle the watermelons when harvesting and while transporting to the market. If not properly handled, spoilt watermelons will indeed reduce your income and that is where farmers burn their fingers.

But to get here, you must do the right thing and follow instructions.

Watermelon is planted directly from seeds. Although other people prefer planting them on nursery then transferring the later. It all comes to your own decision.

There are several varieties that are suitable in Kenya. They include: 1. Sukari F1 Hybrid- this averages 7kgs per fruit and is very popular due to its size and sweetness.

TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

2. Early scarlet F1.

3. Sugar baby, who fruits average 3-4kgs and crops mature early 6280days.

4. Charleston grey variety fruits that average 9kg and is late maturing 85110 days. It is also the best drought resistant variety.

5. Pato F1 it’s as sweet as Sukari F1.

6. Sweet beauty- which it takes 80 days of maturity and has red-flesh.

7. Golden midget which takes 70days to mature. Bears petite, yellow skinned with pink flesh.

Watermelon requires lots of water and nutrients. Thus a farmer must have a stable source of water and the soil should be rich of nutrients. If not, a farmer should add organic fertilizer.

Enough sun

Spacing.

While Watermelon requires a lot of water it also needs a lot of sun. It is good to note that watermelons do not cope well with extreme weather conditions. Humid and foggy conditions are the best weather conditions for fungal diseases and this will wipe out all the watermelon in no time. Thus, temperatures of about 20c-25c are the best to grow and ripen watermelons.

Water.

Start the water melon seeds in the ground, right where they are supposed to grow. Though some people do transplant them, it is better to know that they may not adapt well at first after the transplant hence others may die or take time to recover. In order to get it right, put manure to the ground before planting and plough well to make sure they mix well with the soil. Watermelons grow well in soils with alkaline PH. It is therefore advisable to add lime to

Spacing of watermelon generally is 1.5m from row to row and 1m from plant to plant. Watermelon can grow best in hot dry areas under irrigation and rain-fed in marginal areas. Watermelon can also perform well in higher areas during hot season under irrigation. When under irrigation develop a good systematic watering system since fruits become stressed when the pattern changes and this affect the fruit development and spray program.

12

Planting Watermelon.

the soil so as to maintain the alkaline PH. This should be done at an interval of 3 years.

Remember that watermelons germinate in 7 days and the first fruits are seen from day 30. It’s believed boron helps the plants to produce sweet fruits.

Taking care of watermelons

1. Mulching with black plastics will serve multiple purposes: it will warm the soil, hinder weed growth, and keep developing fruits clean.

2. Watering is very important from planting until fruit begins to form.

While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week.

3. Keep the soil always moist but not waterlogged. Water at the vine base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once the fruits are growing. Dry weather produces the sweetest melons.

4. If you choose to fertilize make sure it delivers more nitrogen than phosphorous and potassium. However after flowering begins use a fertilizer with less nitrogen.

5. Pruning isn’t necessary, but vine productivity may be improved if you do not allow lateral vines to grow and stick to the main vine.

When the plant is young, just cut off the end buds as they form before they become vines. You can also pinch off some blossoms to focus the energy on fewer melons .

6. Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the males appear. Do not be concerned if the male flowers fall off.

The female flowers, (which have a swollen bulb at the base) will stay on the vine and bear a fruit.

7. Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees.

8. As fruit is ripening, prevent rotting by gently lifting it and putting some cardboard or straw between the fruit and the soil.

jembes.

Maturity.

Watermelon’s maturity depends on the breed. As stated above, some species vary from the other but all fall under a maturity period of 80-100 days.

In order to see if the fruit is ready for market turn the fruit around to see if the fruit is having a yellow patch on the side on which its lying on the ground with. If it is difficult to pass your finger nail in the watermelon, it’s well ready for harvest and you can even confirm by cutting one to see if it has matured.

They are ready for harvest if matured.

You can also thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, its ripe. You can also check on the tendrils. If it’s green, wait.

If it’s half dead the watermelon is nearly ripe or ripe.

PEST AND DISEASES CONTROL. The major and common diseases of watermelon are the leaf spot, dumping off, powdery mildew and blight. It can

also be attacked by Beetles, mites, leaf miners and thrips.

Dumping off is a fungal disease that causes the seed to rot before they germinate.

Spider mites are serious pests of watermelons especially during hot, dry weather and they feed on the plant sap and can defoliate vines in a few weeks.

Leaf miners cause injuries to leaves resulting to destruction of leaf tissue.

Thrips are insects which invade flowers and feed on plant juice, they are visible to the naked eye.

Always use recommended fungicides, insecticides and herbicides and this are available in local agrovets. Always read the labels and follow instructions.

This will not only help to protect your plant, but will also protect your health and environment. Apply chemicals using appropriate equipment at the recommended application rate. The labels should provide information on recommended use, ingredients, mode of action, and formulation of the product.

Weeding.

It’s important to weed the land by removing weeds that compete for water and nutrients with the plant. This can be done the third or the second week after germination using herbicides or

13

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

The ten richest farmers in the world

New Hope. They inherited the business from their father Kolombo Perich, who left his family in Croatian home and sailed to Australia in 1938. He met his wife Julia on the boat, and they soon settled down in the then broad acres of southwest Sydney to start farming. His dairy farm became the bedrock that his two sons, Ron and Tony, would later inherit.

The Perich brothers have since expanded into property development, and the family fortune recently topped $1 billion.

6. Blairo Borges Maggi

T

here are billions of dollars in farming. We now bring to you the ten richest farmers in the world. Read and get inspired.

10. Howard Buffet

Son of US billionaire investor, Warren Buffet, Howard Graham Buffett is an American farmer and businessman. He spent most of his life as a farmer, with little financial support from his father— until recently when he was appointed the CEO and Chairman of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation.

Buffett has travelled to over 130 countries to document the challenges of preserving biodiversity and providing adequate resources to support human demands.

“I’m a farmer. I know what I can get from improved seed. I know what I get from fertilizer. But technology can’t build organic matter. It can’t create topsoil. It can’t magically protect water quality. It’s a quick fix, and Africa needs a long-term solution,” he once told a US magazine.

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation supports projects in the areas of agriculture, nutrition, water, humanitarian, conservation, and conflict/unaccompanied persons.

His wealth is estimated to be $200 milTOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

lion.

9. Colin Armer and Dale Armer

The two husband and wife New Zealand dairy farmers remain the most celebrated in the world. Both own Armer Farms company in New Zealand’s North Island, which milks 13,000 cows on 14 farms, and are major shareholders in corporate business Dairy Holdings with 59 dairy farms, 48,010 cows producing 17.3 million kilograms of milk solids a year. The Armers started building their dairy operation 40 years ago, buying 140 cows to sharefarm, starting with zero capital and focusing on profit. They have an estimated wealth of $240 million and owns the Dairy Holding whose value is estimated at $535 million.

8. Tony and Rich Perich

Brothers Tony and Ron Perich started out with dairy business. The family’s Leppington Pastoral now has 2,000 cows on 11,000 hectares. They also own more than half of listed Freedom Foods and a big stake in joint venture Australian Fresh Milk Holdings, the country’s largest dairy milking operation; another partner is Chinese agricultural giant

14

He was born in Brazil and owns a large soy plantation. A former governor of the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil, he graduated from Federal University of Paraná, majoring in agronomy.

He is the son of Andre Maggi who founded the Andre Maggi Group, the largest soy producer in the world.

Maggi also owns the Amaggi Group, a large company that harvests, processes, and exports soybeans. The Maggi group is also involved in the infrastructure projects that are necessary to sustain the soy industry, notably soy terminals, highways, and waterways. Maggi is the world’s largest soyabean producer. Maggi’s net worth is estimated by American magazine Forbes at $960 million, based on his 17% stake in Grupo Andre Maggi.

His company has interests in fertiliser, energy, rubber extraction and transportation. Maggi is one of the richest men in the world.

5 Harry Stine

Harry Stine is synonymous with many titles – innovator, businessman, entrepreneur – but the title holding the most significance to him is farmer.

Raised on the family property in Dallas County, Iowa, Harry graduated from Central Dallas High School and then McPherson College in Kansas. In 1964, he joined his father’s soybean cleaning business in Adel, Iowa.

Harry’s interest in research and seed breeding started when he found some unusual soybean plants in one of the company fields. He saw the value and profit opportunities that breeding, developing and growing newer, higher-yielding soybean varieties would have for his company and farmers.

While yield checking the soybean lines, he came to understand what a conventional breeding program could bring to

the soybean industry and growers. His estimated Net Worth is $3.4 billion.

2. Liu Yonghao

4 Stewart and Lynda Resnick

into one of the largest agricultural business enterprises in the country.

He also helped found China Minsheng Bank, the only bank in the country since 1949 to be established without direct state ownership.

Today, Mr Liu holds about 7 per cent of China Minsheng Bank’s shares, and his New Hope Group retains extensive interests in animal feed, property, logistics and dairy products.

He is ranked by Forbes list among the 400 richest Chinese with an estimated fortune of $4.9 billion.

1. Liu Yongxing

Stewart and Lynda Resnick are the biggest farmers in the United States, a fact they have tried to keep hidden. It all started in 1978, when the Resnicks entered the agricultural business with the purchase of some orange groves in Kern County. Their initial fortune came not from agriculture but from the Teleflora flower delivery service.

They later expanded their assets, buying farms on the cheap during the drought years of the late 1980s. Their company—then known as Paramount Farms, but now called the Wonderful Company—soon became the largest producer of pistachios and almonds in the world. Their many brands include Wonderful Pistachios, Halo clementines, Fiji Water, and Pom Wonderful and nearly half of all Americans purchase one of their products, including Halos mandarin oranges, POM Wonderful and Fiji Water. Their real time wealth is estimated as $3.9 billion.

One of the richest people in China, Liu Yonghao and runs the largest agricultural companies in China. Mr Liu is the vice-chairman of China Minsheng Bank and chairman of the New Hope Group. In China, he is often referred to as the richest chicken farmer, thanks to his humble beginnings.

Mr Liu, now 59, was once a technical school tutor until 1982 when he quit and started selling bicycles together with his three brothers. That is how he managed to raise $120 start-up capital.

They invested in breeding quails and chickens to sell to other farmers near their home in rural Sichuan province and soon branched out into the animal-feed business.

By 1992, their company, Hope Group, was one of the largest animal-feed groups in China and one of the largest non-government conglomerates in the country. In 1996, the brothers split their empire and branched into other ventures, with Mr Liu building his portion, renamed the New Hope Group,

Liu Yongxing is the Hope Oriental Corporation Chairman and has a net worth of $13.5 billion in January 2018.

He started selling chicken and quails in China together with his brother Liu Yonghao (above) before venturing into selling pig feeds.

He today chairs East Hope Group, whose business interests include heavy industry, agriculture and real estate.

Mr Liu formed East Hope Group in the 1990s after amicably parting ways with his 3 brothers; the siblings launched agribusiness company Hope Group in 1982. Since then, the East Hope Group of Liu Yongxing with headquarter in Shanghai, has developed into one of the biggest privately owned industrial materials manufactures in China. The Yongxing’s cooperation is putting at least $1 billion in an aluminum as well as power complex in Xinjiang. In addition, it is venturing into commercial real estate in the capital of Sichuan.

3. Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer

A member of the Saudi royal family, Prince Sultan Al Kabeer founded the dairy company Almarai in 1977. In 2005, he made the company public, keeping 24% stake, which brings him to a net worth of $3.8 billion. Almarai is one of the largest dairy operators in the Middle East, transporting the milk obtained from its Holstein cows throughout Gulf countries. Asides from the dairy farms, Prince Sultan Al Kabeer also owns a stud farm outside of Riydah, where he trains approximately 100 horses.

15

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Guest Columnists

How women can transform

African agriculture and the economy

Dede

Amanor-Wilks

O

ver half of Africa’s farmers are women. They could be our next generation of entrepreneurs, driving the agricultural revolution our continent needs to feed its growing population and boost its economies.

But this will not happen without radical changes to our land ownership and financial systems. Women do the most work on our farms, but have the fewest rights. The majority of them are not able to own land or access financial services, which means they can’t use their plots to secure loans and invest in improveTOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

ments such as irrigation and machinery. They are shut out of the markets in which they might flourish.

This is obviously unfair to women, but it’s also holding our economies back.

This is a key message from our latest report, launching this week at the World Bank’s Annual Meetings. Drawing on comprehensive data and analysis from across the continent, we argue that Africa’s current agricultural policies are preventing us from realizing farming’s vast economic potential.

We have more than half the world’s uncultivated arable land in Africa and a diverse climate well suited to farming, yet we spend $68 billion a year on food imports — a figure that is rising. It doesn’t need to be like this. If we create the economic conditions for farmers — including women — to operate as business people, we can feed not only our own people, but the rest of the world too.

Indeed, women lie at the heart of this transformative agenda. Getting them access to land and finance could double the number of small farmers with the potential to become thriving business people, and would benefit the wider economy via more affordable food and increased disposable income.

Empowering women would not just create more farming entrepreneurs, but a different type. In Zimbabwe, research has shown that men tend to prioritize maize as a cash crop, while women — who cook more often and take taste into account — plant a wider range of crops and get them to market. Similarly, involving women in plant breeding in Rwanda and parts of West Africa has improved the diversity and performance of bean varieties. By encouraging women to participate in agriculture as a business, we stimulate the wider agricultural economy.

In order to realize the significant latent potential on this continent for a transformative agricultural revolution, tools for small-scale commercial farming

16

should be marketed at women in ways they can understand. For example, using pictures in areas where girls tend not to go to school has led to increased uptake of new technology. Women should be able to own the same size plots of land as men, and access loans tailored to the things they tend to farm.

Where they cannot access loans, seed varieties that do not need fertilizer — and therefore cash — should be made available.

Our policies must be flexible, because there are so many diverse environments across Africa’s economies and farms. A female smallholder in Ghana does not face the same challenges or opportunities as her sister in Zimbabwe or the DRC. But across the board, we must recognize that Africa’s female farmers currently produce less than their male counterparts not because they are less able, but because our policies and business practices exclude them. We can and we must reverse this trend, for the sake of the whole continent.

The changes we recommend make good social policies too. Empowering women as commercial farmers will mean they can access more land, grow more crops, and put more money into the economy.

This will benefit everyone, from the husbands and children of the women empowered, to the people employed in marketing and distributing their produce, to the everyday consumer and citizen who benefits from cheaper, better food and a thriving African economy.

Dede Amanor-Wilks is director of communications and external relations at the African Center for Economic Transformation and previously worked as a consultant to the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa. She was formerly ActionAid’s international director for West & Central Africa, based in Nairobi, and director of the Inter Press Service Regional Centre for Africa, based in Harare.

To survive, we must scale up Agricultural Innovations and Technologies in Africa

Esther

Ngumbi

T

he West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD), with the support of the World Bank, recently rolled out an initiative aimed at placing innovative climate-smart technologies in the hands of farmers so that they are better protected from the impacts of climate change. This is sorely needed.

The African continent and African agriculture is expected to be hit hard by the changing climate according to a recent report by The World Bank. African smallholder farmers who depend on agriculture as their source of livelihood suffer the impacts of a changing climate, such as drought and extremely high temperatures, increased water shortages and food insecurity. Ensuring that they have access to new technologies would help them to improve agricultural productivity and increase their resilience to the impact of climate change.

The increasing occurrence and severity of extreme weather events linked to climate change necessitates all stakeholders involved in agriculture, including national governments, public and private research institutions, universities and non-governmental organizations, ramp up their efforts of making sure that newer agricultural innovations and technologies are available to farmers.

Luckily enough, new agricultural tools, innovations and technologies such as

those that are going to be rolled out by CORAF/WECARD are launched almost every day in Africa. From stress tolerant crop varieties, to better crop seeds, to soil health building innovations, to innovative solar powered irrigation technologies to apps and drones. If adopted, these game-changing innovations can help improve Africa’s agricultural productivity and help farmers to thrive and become food secure even under the changing climate.

The question then arises, how can development practitioners that are coming up with these innovations scale up the adoption and use of these technologies? How do we make these innovations and technologies easy for them to master?

The truth is most of the new agricultural technologies and innovations are not easy to grasp. There is a need to provide avenues for farmers to learn this technology. Demonstration farms can effectively serve as an avenue to help showcase, spread, and accelerate the adoption of these game-changing innovations.

Indeed, several countries including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania are actively using demonstration farms to help spread some of the newer agricultural tools, technologies and innovations.

At the same time, some NGOs like Development in Gardening and research institutions like the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa have used demonstration farms as tools to spread agricultural innovations. Other African countries should follow suit.

What’s more is that demonstration farms could help African farmers learn about newer concepts such as precision agriculture: a system that makes sure that crops and soils get exactly the inputs they need for maximum growth and productivity.

Extension services Agricultural extension encompasses a wide range of supportive programs that exist around farmers to help them to utilize research findings and other newer agricultural innovations and technologies. It includes trainings, advisory services and technology transfer schemes.

Across Africa, there are numerous ex-

17

amples where extension services have played a crucial role in spreading and increasing the adoption of newer innovations. In Ethiopia, for example, agricultural extension helped increase the adoption of improved Tef (one of Ethiopia’s commonly consumed cereal) seed varieties. Because of agricultural extension, in four years, the number of farmers planting this cereal increased from 300 to 7741. Similar agricultural extension successes have been recorded in other countries including Uganda and Mozambique.

Digital extension in particular may enhance the success of extension services in Africa since about two-thirds of Africans have mobile phones. Indeed, several stakeholders including NGO’s have taken advantage of the digital boom to help scale up and spread new innovations. In Kenya for example, through cell phones Ojay Greene shares about new varieties and inputs farmers need to use to succeed in their farming ventures. And in 2014, the Government of Kenya launched e-extension program - a program that would allow the government to share to over 7 million farmers up-to-date information and other agricultural tools needed to improve agricultural productivity. Other countries that are utilizing digital extension include Ethiopia, Ghana, and Tanzania.

The changing climate necessitates that farmers stay ahead and have access to the tools and innovations being rolled out every day. By making it easy for farmers to mentally grasp and use these technologies, African smallholder farmers can strengthen their resilience to climate change. Just like in It’s time for governments, universities, research institutions and private partners and NGO’s to join together and help make game-changing research and technologies available to farmers.

Dr. Esther Ngumbi is a Distinguished Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Entomology, a World Policy Institute Senior Fellow and an Aspen Institute New Voices Food Security Fellow as well as a Clinton Global University Initiative Agriculture Commitments Mentor and Ambassador May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

T

How to become a basil herb millionaire

hose who have known the secrets of growing basil keep it to themselves. The potential to make money and the likelihood of a breakthrough is what is driving farmers into thios market.

At the 250-acre farm belonging to Kajiado East MP Peris Tobiko’s are four huge greenhouses where she grows basil herb for export.

She can’t meet the market demands – and has been asking other farmers to join the lucrative market. Previously, she thought there was money in rearing cattle.

“Forget about cattle. Yes, I have them, but that is not my secret gold. I discovered the gem in herbs and have never looked back,” she says.

Her greenhouses sit on six acres of the farm. For the last five years, Madam Tobiko — who happens to be the first Maasai woman to be elected Member of Parliament — has been growing basil for export.

And business is good, she says. “We harvested some 4 tonnes last week. This batch is due for harvest this week. They mature after one and a half months.

TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

They take three weeks in the nursery and three weeks after transplanting they are ready for harvest. After harvest we will sort and package them for export to the Netherlands and Sweden,” she says.

Before diving into it, Mrs Tobiko did her research and discovered a rich market for the herb in Europe and tapped into it. “One thing with the export market especially Europe is that the receiving company wants tonnes and tonnes which sometimes I cannot meet.

I would encourage other farmers to tap into this gap,” says the MP. She goes on; “For instance, the basil herbs we exported on Monday was immediately taken with the customer demanding that we get her the sum of 400kg by this Friday.” But what is basil and what are its benefits? Basil herb is one of the ancient and popular herbal plants with important health-benefits. This highly prized plant revered as a “holy herb” belongs to the family of Lamiaceae, in the genus: Ocimum.

According to Wikipedia, basil herb is originally native to Iran, India and other tropical regions of Asia. Basil leaf is

18

a herb with many uses in cooking, natural medicine, and more. Nutritionists say it can cure headache, soothes ear infection or reduce blood sugar.

We harvested about 300 kilos on Monday with more harvest on the way. I am expecting close to four tonnes by the end of this Friday,” she says.

For those interested in export business, she says the process is intense, but rewarding. “After harvesting, I make prior arrangements with the flight bookings and have a refrigerated track on standby on the day of harvest before proceeding to the airport.” She says once exported, there are always ready customers waiting at the airport to have them. She landed a deal with a British company who have linked her to the UK market.

For production, she says a farmer must get some things right. First, is soil test to establish which nutrients are missing. “Every season before I plant, I call in an expert from a local company called Crop Nuts to find out what nutrients are missing. You see, most farmers just start planting before testing the soil. They just farm blindly which is disastrous,” she says. She further explains

that it takes three weeks for the herb to be propagated in the nursery before it can be finally transferred to the farm where it will need another three weeks before it is ready for harvest.

Like all crops, basil are prone to attacks by pests and diseases. In order to counter such attacks, especially mildew and developing too much moisture she makes it a point to have an agronomist visit her farm on a regular basis.

Though the herbs business is thriving, like a wise farmer, she has diversified her ventures. “My cattle are my back up plan. You never know… with farming.”

Growing Basil

Growing basil is simple. Although the crop can be grown in open fields, growing in a greenhouse ensures good quality crop that meets market requirements. Basil is first raised in a nursery four to six weeks before transplanting.

The crop requires sufficient water especially the first three weeks after planting. From the fourth week, the amount

of water is minimised. The crop thrives in wide range of soils provided they are well-drained with a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5. The crop takes 42 days to mature producing light green silky leaves with a strong smell. The leaves are harvested after every 10 days. Basil needs shade and heat to thrive. It cannot survive the chilly night condition.

Basil can be grown in most parts of the country. All it requires is that you must do a soil analysis and a comprehensive market research. You need to get good quality seeds for a quality produce. Invest in a good storage facility to maintain farm freshness. If you are targeting the export market, you will be expected to conform to Global GAP Certification and Euro GAP which include good chemical store, a hand washing unit, a foot bath and good water supply. Such farming practices include pest management and use of certified propagated materials plus traceability.

Interested farmers have to undergo training by the exporting firms, to un-

19

derstand the quality requirements for export. After harvesting, farmers have to sort, grade and package the produce on their own before delivering it to the airport. Poor quality is rejected Knowledge on the quality of leaves and stems required in the international market is critical. As much as the demand for basil is huge, poor quality produce is not accepted. Basil is low maintenance because it is resistant to pests and diseases.

Occasionally thrips and downey mildew might attack but they are easily controlled by pesticides. Field hygiene is important in controlling pests and diseases. Drip irrigation is the most preferred method of watering as minimises the wetting of leaves which can be a source of disease. A standard green house of a dimension of 8 metres by 30 metres would produce up 100 kilos of basil. A kilo of basil sells at Sh200.

From a quarter of a plot a farmer can harvest 40 to 50 kilos or slightly more.

Sweet basil is the most preferred variety. Other varieties are Camphor and African blue. The herb is used to treat a wide variety of diseases. It is also common for anti-inflammatory properties and it is known to stimulate circulation, immune response and anti-oxidants. Basil is also used as a spice in preparing Italian, and Thai foods.

The herb is rich in vitamin K and beta carotene. After maturity, harvesting can continue for many seasons depending on good husbandry. Harvesting is by use of secateurs and is done in the morning when the crop is fresh and moist to avoid wilting and to maintain freshness.

Harvest leaves by pinching them from the stems any time after the young plants have reached a height of six to eight inches. Pinch the leaves from the tips of the stems to encourage the plant to branch and make more leaves.

Try to keep the stems pinched even if you don’t use the leaves; otherwise, the plant will begin to flower and make seeds, and will stop producing leaves.

Sprigs are cut according to the customers’ specifications.

International buyers say East Africa meets a paltry 15 per cent of their demand for the herb even as markets continue to balloon following discovery of new uses of the herb.

Key markets include the EU which in 2013 imported 302,000 tonnes of spices and herbs from developing countries like Kenya worth € 1 billion.

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Pop and pageantry as top farmers are feted

I

t was a day of joy for Lucy Muthoni, after she won top honours in the prestigious National Farmers Award competition – which is getting more competitive and as the search for this years winner commenced.

Organised by Elgon Kenya, a leading agro-input company in East Africa, the competition is now a calendar event in Kenya as more categories are added every year.

The competition, which now has eight categories, sees a top farmer and two runners-up picked from every category.

They are awarded trophies, some cash and farm inputs from the event sponsors.

The categories include youth in agriculture, women in agriculture, physically challenged in agriculture, large scale agro-input, small scale agro input, large scale fully commercialised, and small scale fully commercialised.

Also added is a ninth category targeting large commercial farms particularly those in the horticulture and flower growing sector.

The competition is a partnership between Elgon Kenya and the Ministry of Agriculture. Other sponsors include BASF East Africa, Aryster and Seeds of Gold.

By emerging the overall winner, Muthoni, the proprietor of Lucy Park Farm which specialises in growing horticultural crops such as lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, capsicum and a Chinese bean variety known as shing shing, showed that the small scale farmers have the potential to beat established farmers.

She was presented her award by PresiTOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

dent Kenyatta at the Nairobi Trade Fair and was later feted during a gala dinner at the Laico Regency, Nairobi.

The scheme was started five years ago to reward the best farmer as it seeks to improve the adoption of new farming technologies to enhance food security and incomes.

Elgon Kenya chief executive Bimal Kantaria said that winners of the farmers’ award enjoy a number of benefits, beyond the trophies and the certificates.

“The farmers are given farm inputs from our company to boost their production. They also become trainers of farmers a job which they do at a fee.”

Nelson Maina, Elgon Kenya’s Head of Communication and Marketing, explained that when a farmer registers in the competition, the company retains their contact in their database so that they can reach them in case of outbreak of a disease.

“We alert farmers in case of an outbreak of diseases and pests and inform them of possible remedies such as pesticides for addressing the outbreaks. We also give those in our database some discounts when buying our products,” Maina said.

“In the entry we encourage farmers to include particular challenges they are facing in their daily activities through which we are able to offer them the right advice.”

At the moment, Elgon Kenya has employed a team of experts to respond to farmers’ questions via social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

The judgement and inspections of the farms are conducted by agricultural experts from the Ministry of Agriculture. The judges look at the agribusiness aspects of a farming venture, farm records, and the environment under which the farming is done, among other things, such as technology.

Lucy said that she was excited about her win and thanked Elgon Kenya for making it happen.

“For 11 years I have been farming. Finally, the journey got us to shake the President’s hand. Thank You Elgon Kenya for the opportunity,” she said.

20

Youth in Agriculture Nicholus Njogu - Muranga County (Winner) Josphat Kipruto - Uasin Gishu County Mohamed Abdalla - Kilifi County Small scale farm gearing to commercialisation Lucy Park - Kiambu County (Winner) Lulu Farm - Vihiga County Mary Wairimu Oloo - Trans Nzoia County Physically challenged in Agriculture Anthony Kingori - Nyeri County (Winner) Francis Kimani - Laikipia County Allice Mukami Women in agriculture Gladys Migwi - Nyeri county (Winner) Hellen Wairimu - Nyandarua Nelly Enterprises - Kilifi Large scale agro–input dealer, over Sh5million investment Josemo distributors - Kisii County (Winner) Tarakwa Agrochemicals - Nandi County Muhoroni Agrochemicals - Kisumu County Small scale agro-input dealers, less than Sh5million investment Beatrice Okello – Kisumu (Winner) Green Track Investment - Laikipia Safina Farmers Ark - Vihiga Small scale farms fully commercialized Peris Wangui Gitau – Nakuru (Winner) Robert Githua - Nyeri Kenneth Anyoso Ongenge - Bungoma County Large scale fully commercialized Fresh Gold Kenya – Laikipia (Winner) Eldonyo-Narok - Narok County Patbon Investment - Kilifi

Be part of the Heritage

C H I C K S

Poultry Revolution Book in Advance through: 0721363719

We specialize in selling carefully selected and vaccinated chicks of all ages from ONE-DAY-OLD from mother stocks of Kuroiler, KARI, Kenbro and Pure Kienyenji.

We also give incubation services to private farms.

HERITAGE CHICKS

Where only the best are bred, hatched, and sold Proudly Serving Poultry Farmers Countrywide Visit us at Githurai Kimbo, Near Mumbi along Githurai - Mwihoko Road 21

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Corporate News

Global agricultural equipment distributor and Strathmore launches agri-business programme

A

GCO a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment has entered into a partnership with Kenya’s Strathmore University for a training program that will develop the skills, leadership and strategic expertise in the agriculture sector.

The launch of the new AGCO Agribusiness Qualification (AAQ) at Strathmore University was done on 6 March 2018 and was witnessed by AGCO Global Senior Vice President Asia-Pacific & Africa, Mr. Gary Collar – who was visiting Kenya for the first time- together with Mr. Nuradin Osman, Vice President and General Manager, AGCO Africa.

Twenty students have been enrolled on this brand-new program which is a. joint effort between AGCO, Strathmore Business School (SBS) in Nairobi, Harper Adams University in the UK and Kenya-based The Bridge Africa which runs programs to prepare graduates for employment.

The qualification delivers an accredited two-year agribusiness program for students aged 20-30 who already hold a degree. On completion of the course, successful candidates may have the opportunity to join AGCO and its partners.

Mr Gary Collar described the launch TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

as “an important day for agribusiness education in Africa and I warmly congratulate our new students on gaining their places on the program.”

He said that the AAQ was initiated by AGCO “as a direct response to attract and develop young talent in the crucial agribusiness sector. Together with our partners, we are making a long-term commitment to address the management skills’ shortage. We are determined to foster the expertise required to work successfully in the agricultural supply chain and tackle the current recruitment challenges our industry faces here.”

Students enrolled in the programme describe it as “unique”.

I’m interested in enhancing productivity and using technology in agriculture so the AAQ is ideal. The opportunities available in agriculture are massive – not just for people interested in farming but for people who can offer services that farmers can benefit from,” said AAQ participant Ernest Muchai.

A Fellow student Sharon Waswa adds: “Agricultural mechanization is the missing link between small-scale agriculture and commercial agriculture. By taking part in the AAQ, I hope to be able to help to bridge that gap. The only way that Africa can be transformed is through agricultural sector and this is

22

where the opportunities are.”

The AAQ course syllabus has wide scope covering areas such as agricultural mechanization, leadership skills, business management, agricultural science, marketing and farm management.

To provide essential on-the-ground, practical experience for students, the program includes workplace modules with AGCO and its business partners.

“The AAQ program is a catalyst for change in the agribusiness sector across Africa. We are all very proud and excited to see our vision for a new qualification become reality and wish our new students every success in their endeavours.”

The company is best known for providing farming solutions and making farms more productive and more profitable across the globe.

While the name AGCO may not be that familiar to most people, brands like Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Valtra and Challenger are very well known; and although the company is based in the US, 57% of its 2016 turnover came from the EMEA region (Europe/Middle East/ Africa). By 2016 AGCO’s turnover was $7.4 billion.

For more information on the AAQ, visit https://goo.gl/uW9if6

Best egg laying chicken breeds that give you up to 300 Eggs per Year

T

here are many chicken breeds out there in the world and if you want to have the best poultry farm, you should always pick the best there is today. Do not chicken out of your venture. Just go ahead and select from the best. We now bring to you the best choices there is.

sible to grow them in an open space, not requiring high shelter. Hens of this breed are quite resistant, easily passing over cold winters, without affecting their egg laying rate.

2. Lohmann Brown Classic chicken breed

mostly popular with small chicken farms because they can adapt easily to backyard conditions, they have a high resistance against disease and usually a rather tough temperament. A Rhode Island Red chicken can lay up to 260 eggs per year.

4. Sussex chicken breed

1. Australorp chicken breed

This breed originating in Australia was obtained in 1920, with deep roots in the Orpington breed. The name of this breed was given by the name of the Orpington breed “Austral Orpington Club”.

It’s a chicken breed specializing in egg production, being considered a true champion, because one hen from this breed laid 364 eggs in 365 days. The Australorp breed is found in three varieties of colors: blue, white and black.

The Australorp chickens are very active, having a rapid growth rate, starting to lay eggs since the 5th month.

They are suitable for growing in a sheltered enclosure, but they provide a higher egg production if they can walk freely in an open space. These chickens are not good at flying, making it pos-

It is the most widespread breed of laying chickens in the world and is found in almost all parts of the world.

The Lohmann breed has a small stature, having a body weight that doesn’t exceed 2 kilograms. A chicken from this breed produces annually up to 313 eggs, with a low feed consumption of just 110 grams per day.

3. The Rhode Island Red chicken breed

The breed originated in the US, where it’s used for a dual purpose, both for eggs and meat. These chickens are

23

Similar to the Rhode Island Red, this is a dual purpose breed, which means that the chickens are grown for eggs or for meat. The breed has eight different colors, but the most common ones are white chickens with black neck and tail feathers. Sussex chickens are very calm and tame, being suitable for growing even in a yard. The chickens are capable of producing up to 250 eggs annually.

5. Golden Comet chicken breed

This breed is actually a widespread hybrid, known for its ability to produce May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

between 250 and 300 eggs annually. The Golden Comets are very calm and tame chickens, perfect for open spaces and are easy going with other farm animals.

The eggs have a brown shell.

developed in Holland and it’s known for its glossy feathers. The chickens lay up to 200 eggs annually, having a light speckled brown color and a small to medium size.

6. Leghorn chicken breed

The breed comes from the port of Livorno, Italy, from a very old Italian population. It features 12 color varieties, but the white chickens usually lay the most eggs. Leghorn chickens have an average annual production of approximately 200 eggs, but it can go up to 280 eggs.

The eggs weigh 55-67 grams and have a white shell. The brooding instinct is manifested very poorly, the hens of this race brooding only in the proportion of 1-4%.

7. Marans chicken breed

It’s a chicken breed native of France, having a very rich and colorful plumage. It has an annual production of 180220 eggs and it can be grown both for meat and eggs. An average egg weighs 60 grams and the shell is brown.

8. Plymouth Rock chicken breed

This chicken breed is excellent for those who don’t have much experience in growing chickens, because they can easily adapt to a free range lifestyle. These chickens are usually very tame and lay around 200 eggs per year, having a small to medium size and a brown shell color. With proper care, they can lay up to 280 eggs per year. Plymouth Rock chickens are grey with white stripes.

9. Barnevelder chicken breed

This chicken breed is an interesting cross between the Asian jungle fowl and the Dutch Landrace. It was originally TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

the white variety.

A chicken produces 160-180 eggs per year, weighing 65-70 grams and having a white shell. The La Bresse is not only a productive laying chicken breed; it also has a very tasty meat.

13. Hamburg chicken breed

10. Buff Orpington chicken breed

Originally from Kent, England, this chicken breed is ideal for backyard growing, because it’s very tame and eager to socialize. The chickens tend to get broody during the summer months, which is why they lay just around 180 eggs each year.

11. Ameraucana chicken breed

This breed originates in South America, and it was named after the Araucanian Indians in Chile. It’s also known under the name of Araucana. The Ameraucana breed developed as a hybrid between several hens and wild birds from which they inherited the character that gives them the title of chickens that lay the healthiest eggs. The color of the egg shell has a bluish-green shade; therefore sometimes they are also called “Easter eggs.”

They have an annual production of 170-180 eggs, weighing 53-60 grams.

The egg production rate may not be a significant one, but due to the low cholesterol content in eggs, they are usually sold at a higher price.

12. La Bresse chicken breed

It is one of the oldest breeds of French chickens, formed by the selection of local chicken populations. It presents three varieties of color: black, white and gray, the most widespread being

24

The breed was developed in England by crossing the local breeds of Andalusia, Minorca, Sumatra and Sebright Bantam. The name has nothing to do with the city of Hamburg in Germany.

This breed produces an average of 150170 eggs a year, weighing 50-55 grams.

6 Tips to increase egg production

G

rowing a chicken breed suitable for egg laying is not enough to ensure a large egg production. Consider these tips if you want to make sure you obtain the best possible result from your chicken coop or farm: »» Chickens older than 3 years lay fewer eggs than younger chickens; »» Chickens need to have enough protein in their diet to lay eggs. The usual dosage is 20 grams of protein daily; »» Make sure the chickens have enough daylight – up to 14 hours a day for best egg production; »» It’s not recommended to force the egg laying process during winter by using artificial light. Chickens need this downtime period; »» Consider having chickens for brooding, so that you have constantly a stock of egg laying chickens because not all egg laying breeds are also good at brooding; »» Chickens should have enough space; free range chickens are those who usually lay the most eggs and also the tastiest.

Tough times, tough birds:

Kenyan farmers swap back to hardy chickens

I

n Elly Joy Kanini’s farmyard in Kenya’s Tharaka Nithi County, a few chickens perch while others peck for food, and a cock runs after a hen.

But when Kanani, dressed in a blue chequered apron and carrying a container of grain, walks past the chicken house and gives a familiar call, the yard is in no time packed with birds of many different colours, snapping up the grain almost before it hits the ground.

Kanini has been raising chickens for about four years, along with crops and other livestock, but she has not always reared the local variety of chickens that now make up her flock.

She began with imported cross-bred birds – the white or brown chickens common across much of the world and a variety good at gaining weight fast.

But Kanini is one of many Kenyan poultry farmers who have now renounced the imports, finding them less able to tolerate the more frequent extreme weather that is hitting the country as a result of climate change.

“I had reared the exotic breed for over two years, but the worsening climatic conditions coupled by frequent disease attacks on the birds made my farming a nightmare,” she said.

Imported chicken breeds require more food than native chickens, but chicken feed is no longer as cheap as it was as harsh weather hits crops, she said.

The exotic birds also need to have heated houses, especially during the cold season, bringing additional costs because of the high price of electricity, she said.

And unlike their native counterparts, they drink a lot of water, which is getting harder to come by in Tharaka Nithi County, a semi-arid region beset by droughts in recent years.

In the end, switching to local poultry was an easy decision, Kanani said.

“One of the most important positive characters of native chickens is their hardiness,” she said. “(They) can tolerate the harsh environmental conditions and poor feeding practices without much loss in production.”

Less Cost, Fewer Antibiotics

Elijah Kimani, a farmer in neighbouring Kirinyaga County, said that his parents made a living rearing indigenous chickens, and he began doing so himself in 2014.

Then a friend suggested he try imported breeds instead, pointing out that they matured more quickly and suggesting there was high demand for their eggs and meat.

But prospects for his business faded as he confronted a market glut of chicken meat and eggs, and growing disease problems, Kimani said.

He switched back to native chickens, where there is still strong demand for

25

both eggs and meat, in part because the chickens are less likely to have been fed antibiotics to keep them healthy.

“My priority, or any priority of a rural farmer today, is not just having birds that lay some more eggs, but birds that will also have an ideal body size with an optimal body weight,” Kimani explained.

Local breeds can thrive and produce eggs with minimal care and irregular feeding, he said. They can also tolerate a wider range of temperatures, and rainy seasons that can deliver a total of 1,250mm annually in Kirinyaga, one of the country’s wettest counties.

Indigenous chicken eggs also sell for about a third more than eggs from imported chickens, with the birds themselves also bringing a similar premium.

Benald Kinoti of Meru County’s agriculture ministry said farmers find raising indigenous poultry straightforward because the chickens can scavenge around the homestead, eating insects, leftover grain and kitchen scraps, which saves on feed costs.

“These chickens serve two main critical aspects. One, they provide good-quality protein to the families, and two, they provide livelihood security to the rural families, the youth and women, thus playing a key role in the rapidly growing economy while offering emergency cash income,” Kinoti said in a telephone interview.

(Thompsons Foundation) May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Farmer’s Health

9

Amazing Benefits of Black Pepper know the health benefits of black pepper in detail;

Improves Digestion

A

pinch of black pepper added to any recipe works as more than just a flavor enhancer.

This king of spices is known to offer a number of health benefits while providing an excellent depth of flavor to a dish. The use of black pepper in the diet helps promote weight loss, improve digestion, relieve cold and cough, boost metabolism, and treat skin problems.

What is Black Pepper?

Black pepper is the fruit of the black pepper plant from the Piperaceae family and is used as both, a spice and medicine. The chemical piperine, present in black pepper, causes the spiciness. It is native to Kerala, the southern state of India. Since ancient times, black pepper is one of the most widely-traded spices in the world. It is not a seasonal plant and is, therefore, available throughout the year. When dried, this plant-derived spice is referred to as a peppercorn. Because of its antibacterial properties, pepper is used to preserve food. Black pepper is also a very good anti-inflammatory agent.

The antibacterial property of black pepper helps fight against infections and insect bites. Pepper added to the diet helps keep your arteries clean by acting in a similar way to fiber and scraping excess cholesterol from the walls, thereby helping reduce atherosclerosis, the condition highly responsible for heart attack and stroke.

The outer layer of peppercorn assists in the breakdown of fat cells. Therefore, peppery foods are a good way to help you shed weight naturally. When fat cells are broken down into their component parts, they are easily processed by the body and applied to other processes and enzymatic reactions, rather than settling in your body and making you overweight.

Black pepper helps in transporting the benefits of other herbs to different parts of the body, thus maximizing the efficiency of the other foods we consume.

That is why adding it to food not only makes it delicious but also helps to make the nutrients more available and accessible to our system.

Black pepper Weight Loss

Skin Care

Black pepper is a rich source of minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and vitamins like riboflavin, vitamin C, K, and B6. Black pepper has a high content of dietary fiber and has a moderate amount of protein and carbohydrates too.

Black pepper aids in weight loss, and treats sinus, asthma, and nasal congestion. It also reduces the risk of cancer, and heart and liver ailments. Let us

In Ayurvedic practices, pepper is added to tonics for treating cold and cough.

Pepper also provides relief from sinusitis and nasal congestion. It has an expectorant property that helps break up

Health Benefits of Black Pepper

TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

Antibacterial Quality

Consumption of pepper increases the hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach, thereby facilitating digestion.

Proper digestion is essential to avoid diarrhea, constipation, and colic. Pepper also helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas, and when added to a person’s diet, it can promote sweating and urination. Sweating removes toxins and cleans out the pores of the foreign bodies that may have lodged there and it can also remove excess water. In terms of urination, you can remove uric acid, urea, excess water, and fat, since 4% of urine is fat. A good digestion helps in weight loss, makes your overall body function better, and prevents severe gastrointestinal conditions. As black pepper is carminative [4] in nature, it easily expels the gas out of the body in a healthy downward motion, as upward moving gas can be dangerous because it can strain the upper chest cavity and other vital organs.

Pepper helps to cure vitiligo, which is a skin disease that causes some areas of skin to lose its normal pigmentation and turn white. According to researchers in London, the piperine content of pepper can stimulate the skin to produce melanocytes pigment. Topical treatment of piperine combined with ultraviolet light therapy is much better than other harsher, more chemical-based treatments for vitiligo. It also reduces the chances of skin cancer due to excessive ultraviolet radiation.

Black Pepper Nutrition Facts

the mucus and phlegm depositions in the respiratory tract. Its natural irritant quality helps you expel these loosened materials through the act of sneezing or coughing, which eliminates the material from the body and helps you recover from infection or illness that caused the deposition in the first place.

Provides Respiratory Relief

26

Antioxidant Potential

Antioxidants in pepper can prevent or repair the damage caused by the free radicals and thus help prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and liver problems. Free radicals are the by-products of cellular metabolism that attack healthy cells and cause their DNA to mutate into cancerous cells. Antioxidants neutralize these harmful compounds and protect your system from many conditions and even symptoms of premature aging like wrinkles, age spots, macular degeneration, and memory loss.

Enhances Bioavailability

Improves Cognitive Function

Piperine, one of the key components of black pepper, has been shown in numerous studies to reduce memory impairment and cognitive malfunction. The chemical pathways in the brain appear to be stimulated by this organic compound, so early research demonstrates the possibility of pepper to benefit Alzheimer’s patients [11] and those suffering from dementia and other age-related or free radical-related malfunctions in cognition.

Treats Peptic Ulcers

A number of studies have shown that black pepper may have beneficial effects on gastric mucosal damage and peptic ulcers, due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

History

Will Sasini thrive in historic Mweiga farm?

W

hen Sasini bought the Mweiga Coffee Estate, many people thought it would make profits out of it. They didn’t. Actually, it recently sold part of the estate to a developer hoping to recoup some of the losses.

The experiments going on in the Mweiga Farm have not yet borne fruits for the listed company, associated with business tycoon Naushad Merali, and overall this year, it reported that the net profit for the year to September has dropped 41.2 per cent to Sh339.7 million on lower gains from divestitures.

The Kenyan company, listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), had also sold Savanna Coffee House in a transaction which boosted its income

by Sh16.9 million in the period under review.

In 2016, Sasini had hoped to cut down the losses at Mweiga by installing its own biogas power plant. The Sh60 million plant supposed to generate 150kw of power, according to Managing director Moses Kiplagat..

Sasini in 2015 sold its building on Nairobi’s Loita Street, Sasini House, for more than Sh600 million. It recently raised Sh1 billion from sale of its land in agricultural operations it says are unprofitable, recording large capital gains from the properties it bought decades ago.

Mweiga is a historic place and Sasini is holding onto a piece of estate with a good history.

The original Mweiga Estate, as it came to be called, was approximately 1,100 acres before the land ran out to the great ranching areas to the north. On its western boundary it marched with the Aberdare forest and consisted of about 300 acres of red soil suitable for planting coffee, which, however, in some areas was marginal and underlaid heavily with murram.

The farm was taken up shortly after the Great War in about 1919 by Billy Sheldrick and Tommy Atkins. William

Ibbotson (later Sir William), a close friend of the great naturalist and writer Jim Corbett, was a sleeping partner, who subsequently sold the farm to Peter Marrian and his partners at the end of 1947.

Sheldrick and Atkins had come to Kenya from the Indian Army with two objects in mind – one was to plant and farm coffee and the second was to play polo. Over a period of years, 300 acres of coffee was planted under heavy shade consisting of grevilia and cordia holstein. Cultivation was by oxen with shallow ploughs and the main source of power for the pulping and the drying of the coffee was steam. To this end, steam engines were purchased and imported into the country, railed to Thika, which was the limit of the railway at that time, and hauled by oxen to their final resting place. Also imported were large rotary dryers for the drying of the coffee.

As there were no coffee mills at that time, machinery was also purchased for the hulling and grading of coffee.

Equally there was no marketing organization, and coffee owners were at the mercy of agents in London, who sold the coffee on the planter’s behalf, the proceeds of sale being received months after dispatch. During many periods, especially those of the depression of the 30s, the sale prices were hardly sufficient to cover the cost of production and it must have been a heart-breaking business. At this time nothing else was done with the remaining land other than the introduction of a herd of extremely low grade humped cattle, which were able to do little other than suckle their young.

On the lighter side of life, an area within a mile of the farm was found to enable the construction of not one, but two polo grounds with scarce1y having to level an ant hill. Here polo took place regularly every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning until the coming of Independence. Tragedy struck the

27

partnership in the middle 1920s when Tommy Atkins, who as well as being a great polo player was a great hunter, was killed by a rhino.

Mweiga was a marginal rainfall area with an average of around 33 inches per annum, and the only water available was the Mweiga stream which flowed at best at around one third of a cusec. Sheldrick, in order to protect what water there was, purchased a farm of 350 acres known as Kiguru through a strip of forest to the west. He also took a furrow off the Rahuti river, which almost immediately joined the much larger Amboni, and dropped the water over a saddle into the Mweiga in order to increase its supply. At no time, however, did he attempt to use irrigation on the coffee, which suffered indubitably from the low rainfall and the competing of the shade trees for what little moisture there was.

No history of the early days of Mweiga Estate would be complete without its Treetops connection. It was actually Sheldrick himself who, walking in the forest, came across the original Mugumo tree and realised its potential as an observation post for watching animals.

He himself built the first platform in the tree and subsequently this was taken over and made into a four roomed tree house by Sherbrooke Walker, the owner of the Outspan hotel. It was of course here that Princess Elizabeth became Queen of England during the night of 5/6th February 1952, a night recorded by Jim Corbett in his account entitled ‘A Princess becomes a Queen’.

Following the take-over of the farm by Peter Marrian and his partners on the 1st of January 1948, great changes took place. A quantity of the poorer quality coffee was uprooted and many different types of crops were grown with varying success: wheat, barley, oats, pyrethrum, maize and a large quantity of vegetables and, horticultural products.

Opportunity was taken to purchase an adjoining area of land known as Farm 12, which increased the total acreage of the property to around 2,500. Some of the land close to the Aberdare forest was very suitable for coffee and 120 acres were planted and inter-planted during the early growing stage with pyrethrum, which proved extremely profitable.

Whether Merali will make money here depends on how he utilises the land.

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

Photo of the Month

Know about bacterial wilt and control it

Massey Ferguson’s new package for farmers

TOP

Farmer

Know

about bacter ial wilt

Farme r TOP

April - May 2016

Cut your farms costs

How to make cattle, poultry and pig feeds

Cut

and contro l it

Massey Ferguson’s package for farme new rs

How your farms co sts poultryto make ca and pi ttle, g feeds

PLUS

Chris Lati: How we condition cows to be high milk producers

The ABC of onion farming

- May

Become a TOP FARMER today

2016

Before you purchase one day old chicks, read this…

PLUS

How to get single spinach tree deliver 48kgs per year

Chris Lati: How cows to be high we condition milk produ cers

The ABC of onion farming

See inside for details

See inside

Profitable Dairy Cow A Kenyan Farmer’s Handbook

Before you purch day old ase one chicks, read this…

How to get tree deliver single spinac 48kgs per h year for details

SELECTING BEST TYPE OF CHICKEN AND HOW TO FORMULATE FEED

Designed & Printed by Picco Print House For more information, write to: editor@topfarmer.co.ke or call: 0706 249 477

April

RABBITS

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

You can now order our Top Farmer publications via Lipa na M-Pesa Till No. 762871

A publication of Top Farmer magazine

Follow us on @Top_Farmer Join more than 15,000 followers on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/topfarmer

Call: 0722 634 099 TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

28

For more information visit www.topfarmer.co.ke

Grow your business day and night

To advertise in Top Farmer

Call 0706249477 (Jennifer) or 0722309752 (Theresa) Email: editor@topfarmer.co.ke

www.topfarmer.co.ke 29

May - June 2018

TOP

Farmer

TOP

Farmer

May - June 2018

30