It is common to spot rickety trucks in Karangi Village of Gatanga, Murang’a County, crisscrossing the chilly hamlet, picking up avocado fruits in the evenings to be transported to Nairobi ready for export.

On the dusty and bumpy feeder roads, it is hard to miss the rotting fruits usually rejected by the aggregators, due to immature harvesting or low quality standards.

And driving along the Thika-Sagana highway, which cuts across the county, avocado seedlings dot the road, and traders are making a killing selling the grafted Hass and Fuerte avocado varieties for Sh150 to Sh400 per piece. Business is booming, going by the number of stopovers travellers make at the nurseries.

Most (80%) of the acreage under avocado is planted with Fuerte followed by Hass, Pinkerton, Ettinger, Reed, Simmonds and Puebla (Mugambi, 2002).

The common rootstock cultivars are Fuerte and Puebla (Griesbach, 2005).

Most registered nurseries that propagate avocado in Rift Valley (31), Central (29) and Eastern (23) Provinces whereas Western, Nyanza, Coast and Nairobi Provinces have between 1 and 6 (HCDA, 2004; Griesbach, 2005).Most (80%) of the acreage under avocado is planted with Fuerte followed by Hass, Pinkerton, Ettinger, Reed, Simmonds and Puebla (Mugambi, 2002).

Several kilometres away in Kiamutiga Village, Tetu in Nyeri County, it is the same script, but with different players. Mr Jesse Mworia, of Forest Edge Nurseries, said business was good. Going by the trends across several counties, including Murang’a, Meru, Embu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kiambu, Trans Nzoia, Kisii and new entrants Kakamega and Uasin Ngishu, an avocado revolution is happening.

This nutritionally complete fruit that is a treasure trove of essential vitamins and minerals, is literally on every farmer’s mind.

Even the populous maize growing Rift Valley has joined the bandwagon.

And stung by the avocado bug, many farmers are transitioning from subsistence farming to the high-value export market through contract farming. Murang’a County leads in avocado production, accounting for 57 per cent of what is produced by the counties. It produces

It produces mostly the Hass and Fuerte varieties. Hass takes 20 per cent, while Fuerte 80 per cent of the export market. Duke, Pueble and G6 are for the domestic market.

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With benchmarking activities by newly entrant counties into avocado producing regions at its peak, avocado is poised to be the next “gold”. Smart Farmer Magazine recently caught up with the Deputy Governor of Uasin Gishu, Mr Daniel Chemno, and his team who had travelled to Murang’a on an avocado farming fact-finding mission.

“We want to change from being branded the food basket to the money basket due to this fruit,” said Mr Chemno. According to him, Uasin Gishu had an elaborate plan to turn around the fortunes of avocado farmers. The county has set aside about Ksh20 million to improve the status of the fruit.

“We are currently working with contract farmers and large scale avocado producers to transform farming, which is undergoing a myriad of challenges,” he added.

The county is using extension services and whereas Western, Nyanza, Coast and Nairobi Provinces have between 1 and 6 (HCDA, 2004; Griesbach, 2005). Several kilometres away in Kiamutiga Village, Tetu in Nyeri County, it is the same script, but with different players. Mr Jesse Mworia, of Forest Edge Nurseries, said business was good.

Going by the trends across several counties, including Murang’a, Meru, Embu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kiambu,Trans Nzoia, Kisii and new entrants Kakamega and Uasin Ngishu, an avocado revolution is happening.

This nutritionally complete fruit that is a treasure trove of essential vitamins and minerals, is literally on every farmer’s mind.

Even the populous maize growing Rift Valley has joined the bandwagon. And stung by the avocado bug, many farmers are transitioning from subsistence farming to the high-value export market through contract farming. Murang’a County leads in avocado production, accounting for 57 per cent of what is produced by the counties.

It produces mostly the Hass and Fuerte varieties. Hass takes 20 per cent, while Fuerte 80 per cent of the export market. Duke, Pueble and G6 are for the domestic market. With benchmarking activities by newly entrant counties into avocado producing regions at its peak, avocado is poised to be the next “gold”.

Many parts of the country are experiencing above-average downpours. This has led to flooding in some areas, ravaging both animal and human lives. In some regions, it has been moderate, promising a bumper harvest, making it either a boon or bane, depending on whom you ask and where they come from. Without a doubt, the season presents peculiar challenges to livestock farmers, but also comes with promise and opportunities.

In this article, I will highlight aspects relating to animal husbandry that are key for farmers to heed to ensure that they sustain production and the survival of their treasured livestock. We shall look at the different aspects of animal husbandry that cut across livestock ventures.

Housing

Feeding

Disease Control

Article by:

Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology

Egerton University.

Contacts – nderitunyaga@gmail.com 0729562450

Of all the animal parasites, ticks are one of the most stubborn. They are a menace and can cause havoc of monumental propositions despite their miniature stature. They transmit some of the most economically important animal diseases, affecting both productivity and profitability of livestock. Their irritation affects animal feeding, which reduces intake, subsequently reducing milk yield and weight gain. The cost associated with tick management is huge, especially because many of them develop resistance to acaricides pretty fast. The eradication of ticks is a pipe dream and the key goal is to keep them in check.

Proper and effective management of ticks is based on several factors:

  1. Understanding the biology of ticks.

Ticks are not all the same. They differ in size, shapes, colour and predilection sites (preferred sites of attachment on a host). Equally, there are species’ differences in their biology. Of paramount importance in regard to their management is the life cycle. Generally, ticks undergo metamorphosis from egg, larva, to nymph and adult. Some ticks will climb onto the host, at the larval stage after hatching and stay until they become adults. The females will then drop off to lay eggs after mating. Such a tick is called a one-host tick. Others will parasitise on different hosts across their life cycles. They are either two-host or three-host ticks. It is important to understand the specific tick to be controlled in this respect, as it will influence the frequency of application of an acaricide. As a diligent farmer, consult your veterinarian to examine the ticks in your farm and institute a corresponding tick control strategy;

Although this is not the only method of controlling ticks, it is the most common. Acaricides are chemicals used to kill ticks and mites. They are mainly used in dips or applied using sprayers. There many classes of chemicals used, including organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethrins & synthetic pyrethroids among many other classes.

Development of resistance is the major challenge in   use of acaricides.  This means that once effective acaricides can lose their potency and have no effect on the ticks. Many farmers grapple with this reality. Additionally, the acaricide’s environmental degradation and residues of the same in animal products are important aspects to consider in their use.

Most farmers do not understand the active chemical in an acaricide. Since the same compound can be traded by different companies under different names, farmers just change the trade name on the packaging, oblivious of the fact that the compound is the same and this fuels resistance. It is paramount for farmers to seek professional advice as they design an ‘acaricide rotation’ schedule.  Additionally, these chemicals must be used properly and prudently according to the manufacturer’s guidelines;

For effective tick control, a series of complementary measures must be put in place. As we have seen earlier, there is no magic or wonder drug to wipe out ticks. As a farmer, you must be deliberate in the endeavour to control these little menacing creatures.

First, it is advisable that animal breeds are selected with their tolerance in mind, especially in areas where tick-borne diseases are a big problem.

Manage your grasslands to ensure that there are reduced populations of ticks. This can be achieved by rotational grazing, alternating crops and pastures as well as alternating animals that utilise the pastures for example alternating sheep with cattle.

Thirdly, proper use of acaricides is important. Acaricides rotation should be practised as informed by your animal health professional. The more you keep the tick population in check on your farm, the less trouble they give. For farmers with different species of animals, ensure that you control ticks in all, including chicken. Dogs are especially notorious for bringing ticks to your farm from their errands.

Finally, tick-borne diseases are expensive to treat. Please make tick control a priority.

Dr Nderitu Nyaga, BVM, MSc,

Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology,

Egerton University

By James Kamau

Most people will throw away the messy remnants from burning firewood, including the ash. It is because they do not know that what they consider as waste can be beneficial in their farms.

Ash, especially for an organic farmer, is a very important asset.

There are many types of ashes but the ash from wood and plant matter is the best for use in gardens compared to that obtained from coal, briquettes or fake logs.

When applied to soil, ash provides important nutrients such as carbon, potassium and lime. It also controls pests in the garden and on animals and trace elements like phosphorus, calcium, and boron.

Potassium contained in wood ash regulates water balance, keeping plant tissues firm and juicy. Lack of potassium causes plants to become vulnerable to frost, dry climate, pests, and diseases.

Keep your ash as potassium is very soluble and if your ash is rained on, it will be lost through leaching.

Potassium helps in transporting nutrients and creating starches and sugars in plants.

Use ash around the roots of crops such as potatoes or carrots, peas, and beans as well as soft fruit bushes like plums, pears, cherries, strawberries, and blackcurrants.

Apply it sparingly since excess alkalinity can negatively affect plants that prefer acidic conditions. Too much alkalinity can also hinder the functions of some organisms in the soil or compost.

Uses of ash:

1. Ash raises the pH of acidic soil. Sprinkle it lightly onto the soil and mix. However, test your soil pH before application and avoid adding it onto soil with high pH. Do not add ash onto crops that thrive in acidic conditions such as sweet potatoes;

2. Apply lightly between the layers of compost materials to reduce acidity;

3. It fights frost and fungi and stops the reproduction of fungi spores, reducing their spread;

4. When sprinkled around vulnerable plants, its rough texture irritates the soft bellies of snails and slugs and repels them;

5. Pouring ash where there are ants repels them;

6. Sprinkling your poultry houses with ash keeps them dry, wards off pests like mites and keeps bad smells at bay. Make a dust bath for your chickens by mixing sand and ash. The mixture controls fleas and mites on their bodies as they wash themselves in the bath.

7. When sprinkled on ponds it controls growth of algae by encouraging growth of good aquatic plants. Since wood ash contains micronutrients that plants need to thrive, it strengthens aquatic plants. In turn, the boosted aquatic plants are able to compete with algae and slow its growth

8. It reduces calcium deficiency in tomatoes. Add about 1/4 cupful of ash to the planting hole and mix it thoroughly with the soil. Transplant your tomatoes and cover with the mixture. You can also make ash tea to apply on tomatoes during their flowering stage for extra potassium for better fruit formation.

Put 100-200 grams of ash in a cloth bag or an old pillowcase and tie. Place the bag in a garbage bin or bucket filled with 10 litres of water. Allow it to sit in the water for several days. Once the ash tea has brewed, pour about a cup around your potassium-deficient plants once a week until the pH balances out. Too much will cause nitrogen deficiency and can affect the ability of your crops to ingest other important nutrients.

In summary, ash plays a multifunctional role in plants and soil health, which is an important aspect in organic farming. It is also important to note that a little goes a long way.

Slugs and snails are cousins in the mollusk family of animals.

They live in damp habitats and crawl on the ground eating green vegetables. They enjoy the cool environment of dusk and dawn coming out early in the morning and late in the evening.

These pests can be a nuisance on the farm when they invade in large numbers. They consume several times their body weight each day and often hide on the undersides of leafy greens.

Below are ways to control the pests:

1. Natural predators

Make your garden friendly to predators such as frogs, lizards, chameleons and toads and encourage them to come naturally to the snails and slugs’ habitat. They will feed on these pests and other insects and also add to the bio-diversity.

To attract lizards and geckos, make a ‘lizard house’, ‘lizard lounge’ or ‘lizard habitat’. Select a quiet, warm, dry and sunny spot in your garden and plant indigenous plants – those that grow naturally in the area. These could include grasses, ferns and vines, which tangle up to form great hiding spaces.

Next, loosely stack stones, bricks, old concrete blocks or dead wood on top of each other allowing for cracks and holes. Lizards like to squeeze into these spaces to feel safe. Other insects such as beetles and spiders also like this atmosphere; hence, more food for the lizards and bio-diversity for your garden.

Toads and frogs are amphibians. However, toads spend more time on land and live in burrows while frogs spend most of their lives in or near water. These amphibians feed on pests such as bugs, beetles, caterpillars, cutworms, grubs, slugs and snails.

Amphibians prefer damp shady areas and need protection from the sun’s heat, which may cause dehydration and make them vulnerable to predators.

To attract them, construct a shelter for them by arranging stones loosely into a small cave or use a ceramic pot turned upside down. Use stones to prop it up and a small space to allow them slip inside. Provide water next to the shelter in a shallow basin, a small pond, or a shallow water hole because toads and frogs only drink by sitting in water, not through their mouth. Change the water every week.

Avoid use of herbicides, pesticides or synthetic fertilisers in your garden. Toads and frogs breathe through their skin and such chemicals will poison them.

2. Ducks are also a good bet. They feed on the mollusks and not the plants, while giving the farmer eggs, meat and feathers. Ducks should be in a flock to operate efficiently. According to the Western Australian Agriculture and Food Division, two dozen ducks can service 50 acres. However, when the snail numbers have been reduced, the ducks may stop actively hunting for them.

3. Create rough environments

Snails and slugs avoid gritty or rough environments since they get injured or killed as they move on them. Sand, ballast, coarse diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells drive them away when sprinkled around plants. This method is effective, although not completely foolproof, as some of the slugs and snails might still get through.

4. Snail traps

Setting snail traps is another effective method of controlling pests.

5. Barriers

This involves putting something in their path that they do not like. These materials include copper wire, Vaseline, mesh turned outwards or leftovers wool from a textile factory. Coffee grinds and wood ash are other natural barriers, although some snails may cross, it’s still an effective, cheap and natural method.

6. Biological pest control also works quite well. Water your farm with a solution of nematodes (microscopic worms). These penetrate the slug, infect and kill it.

Small piles of wheat or corn bran kill the slugs and snails when they eat it. These are organic and wildlife can eat their corpses safely.

7. A popular method used to get rid of snails is salting them. However, this is not recommended since over time it will salinise your soil.

6. Keep your farm as dry as possible to create an unwelcoming atmosphere for snails. Use of drip irrigation rather than overhead sprinklers can deter them. In addition, water your plants early in the morning rather than late in the evening.

8. Mulching: Snails will hide beneath the moist, warm mulch. When mulching, ensure  the mulch does not touch the base of your plant.

9. Trap crops: Slugs like soft leafy vegetables and you can plant them at the borders of your garden to keep them away from your main crop. Examples of crops that attract slugs are marigold, maize seedlings, cabbages, lettuces and the seedlings of most vegetables. When using trap crops, monitor the activity of the pest. You do not want to attract many slugs and have them move onto your main crop. Also, plant flowery crops to attract predators that will attack the snails.

10. Plant a bit earlier so that by the time the rains and wet conditions set in your crop will have grown past the stage where it is highly vulnerable. Maize is less affected by snails after it reaches the five-leaf stage.

https://theorganicfarmer.org/

By Mercy Wanjama

Kenya has concluded a trade deal with the United Kingdom that will benefit many farmers. The UK-Kenya Free Trade Agreement was finalised after top officials met early this month.

It guarantees companies operating in Kenya, duty-free access when exporting products to the UK. This comes as a reprieve for most farmers as the UK’s biggest imports from Kenya include tea, coffee, vegetables and flowers.

Motor vehicle, pharmaceutical and paper imports from the UK will also enjoy duty-free access to the Kenyan market.

“Once fully implemented, the pact will boost trade. Our key exports such as flowers and fresh produce will benefit from enhanced privileges for agricultural goods with originating status traced to the EAC,” Industry and Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina said during the meeting.

Both countries will have access to each other’s markets under preferential terms.

The trade agreement come at a time when the UK is counting days to its exit from the European Union. The deal is a replication of one that Kenya already has with the EU. All trade deals the UK had signed earlier with Kenya through the EU will be valid until the end of the transition period on 31st December, 2020.

Lack of a trade agreement would mean Kenya losing access due to Brexit and facing higher tariffs on its products entering the UK market.

Minister for Africa James Duddridge said the UK’s approach delivers mutual benefits and that the trade deal with build on the historic ties between the UK and Kenya.

“It is the perfect springboard to increase our trading in future,” he said.

However, the UK-Kenya trade agreement has not been well received by other members of the East African Community (EAC) and could heighten the existing trade tension between Kenya and the other countries.

The EAC, which also includes Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan, had been negotiating a post-Brexit deal with the UK and talks had not been going so well. Kenya’s push to secure its own deal increased tension as it was strongly opposed by the other EAC members, which wanted negotiations as a trade bloc to begin in 2021, citing elections in the countries and the need for more time for the negotiations.

A dispatch from the UK High Commission, however, confirmed that the trade deal with Kenya would have entry clauses for the other EAC member states. Thus, they’ll retain preferential access to the UK market, getting an opportunity for increased exports, skills transfer and foreign currency flows, while the UK expands its trade footprint in Africa.

The UK has so far signed five trade deals in Africa mainly through economic blocs.

Kenya finalises UK trade pact amid EAC tensions

Byline??

Kenya has concluded a trade deal with the United Kingdom that will benefit many farmers. The UK-Kenya Free Trade Agreement was finalised after top officials met early this month.

It guarantees companies operating in Kenya, duty-free access when exporting products to the UK. This comes as a reprieve for most farmers as the UK’s biggest imports from Kenya include tea, coffee, vegetables and flowers.

Motor vehicle, pharmaceutical and paper imports from the UK will also enjoy duty-free access to the Kenyan market.

“Once fully implemented, the pact will boost trade. Our key exports such as flowers and fresh produce will benefit from enhanced privileges for agricultural goods with originating status traced to the EAC,” Industry and Trade Cabinet Secretary Betty Maina said during the meeting.

Both countries will have access to each other’s markets under preferential terms.

The trade agreement come at a time when the UK is counting days to its exit from the European Union. The deal is a replication of one that Kenya already has with the EU. All trade deals the UK had signed earlier with Kenya through the EU will be valid until the end of the transition period on 31st December, 2020.

Lack of a trade agreement would mean Kenya losing access due to Brexit and facing higher tariffs on its products entering the UK market.

Minister for Africa James Duddridge said the UK’s approach delivers mutual benefits and that the trade deal with build on the historic ties between the UK and Kenya.

“It is the perfect springboard to increase our trading in future,” he said.

However, the UK-Kenya trade agreement has not been well received by other members of the East African Community (EAC) and could heighten the existing trade tension between Kenya and the other countries.

The EAC, which also includes Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan, had been negotiating a post-Brexit deal with the UK and talks had not been going so well. Kenya’s push to secure its own deal increased tension as it was strongly opposed by the other EAC members, which wanted negotiations as a trade bloc to begin in 2021, citing elections in the countries and the need for more time for the negotiations.

A dispatch from the UK High Commission, however, confirmed that the trade deal with Kenya would have entry clauses for the other EAC member states. Thus, they’ll retain preferential access to the UK market, getting an opportunity for increased exports, skills transfer and foreign currency flows, while the UK expands its trade footprint in Africa.

The UK has so far signed five trade deals in Africa mainly through economic blocs.

After months of intense pressure, Hon. Betty Maina, Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Industrialisation finally met Greenpeace Africa to receive the 20,000-strong petition calling for her to take a stand against advocacy from lobbyists from the American Chemistry Council, to make Africa a dumping site.

“We are here to represent the voices of over 20,000 people who are concerned about the future of our country and continent at large. We want to send a clear message that we will not allow any lobbyists or the plastic industry to derail us from the progress we have made in the continent. Kenya cannot be coerced into lowering its environmental standards by corporations who put profits before people and the environment,” said Fredrick Njehu, Greenpeace Africa’s Senior Political Advisor.

Many voices have come together to place this injustice on the agenda. Recently 62 lawmakers from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives urged President Trump to oppose the export of more plastic waste to Kenya and support Kenya’s actions to curb the production of wasteful single-use plastic products. 

A recent opinion piece by the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, gives a clear indication that the U.S. is willing to proceed with its  Free Trade Agreement with Kenya, respecting its environmental restrictions. 

However, Njehu implored the Kenyan government to conduct an environmental, social and human impact assessment of its FTA with the US to inform its position.

“Such analytical work will enable government to include provisions which align with to its  sustainable development objectives in order to improve the livelihoods of its people. With the ban on the use and manufacture of single-use plastic carrier bags, and the recent ban on plastic in protected areas, Kenya has made significant progress to reduce plastic pollution. CS Maina should not undo the progress made this far,” the Greenpeace Africa Senior Political Advisor said..

A group of young climate activists from Kenya formed a coalition during the recent global climate strikes, to try and hand over a petition by one of them and call on CS Betty Maina not to allow Africa to become a dumping site for the US.

Proponents of single-use plastics are pushing for more plastic production and exportation into Africa, which could undermine progress made by countries to ban single-use plastic products and combat pollution.

 The plastics and petrochemical industry plans to use the US-FTA negotiations to push for investments in plastics products, market access for recycled plastics in Africa and importation of plastics waste.

Greenpeace Africa and its supporters are urging the Ministry of Trade to say no to this deal.

CS Betty Maina confirmed receipt of the petition on behalf of the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development. She further stated that Kenya will keep in mind concerns raised by environmentalists during the full course of the negotiations in the making a free trade agreement

By Alex Gathii

Guiding cows through early lactation is key to their health and performance. Nutrition and health greatly affect milk yields and prevents health problems. Having good feed practices can improve peak milk yields.

What is peak milk?

Peak milk is the highest recorded test day milk production in a cow’s first 150 days in milk (DIM). Historically, producers used peak milk as a measure of the success of the dry period and early lactation nutrition and management. Peak milk indicates how well a cow responds to feeding during the dry period, calving, and early lactation.

Most cows achieve peak milk by 45 to 90 DIM and then slowly lose production over time. Many argue that each added half-litre of peak milk could lead to 100 litres more milk for the whole lactation.

Nutrition and health disorders in early lactation affect peak milk. For example, low fibre diet/sorting can lead to rumen acidosis, which can result in lameness or displaced abomasum. Both conditions reduce peak milk.

So, how can a farmer improve early lactation performance and peak milk yield?

  1. Start-off yourcows with a successful dry period

What you feed your cow during the dry period (two months to calving down) affects her health and performance after giving birth. Evaluate your dry cow programme if you are unhappy with your cow’s milk production. Key goals for dry cows include:

Reduce the risk of sub-clinical milk fever (low blood calcium) during the first week of lactation. Low blood calcium (less than 8 milligrams deciliter) correlates with the following:

To optimise cow comfort, use a stocking rate at 80 to 85 per cent of capacity. Keep cows in a fresh group for 14 to 21 days and provide 30 to 36 inches of bunk space per cow. Reduce social stress (especially for first-calf heifers), prevent cows from separating from the normal herd mates and invest in cooling for dry and lactating cows.

Providing a flake of Lucerne or grass hay for the first five days after calving would be very helpful. An early lactation diet should contain plenty of good quality digestible fiber (31 to 35 percent neutral detergent fiber (NDF).

A farmer should maintain fibre with consistent feed intake and avoid empty bunks, provide free choice buffer, and monitor buffer intake. It is critical to minimise the risk of slug feeding or diet sorting that may result in rumen acidosis (low rumen pH; sour stomach).

Cows with a history of milk fever, ketosis, or mastitis are likely to face these problems again. Keeping a close eye on such animals helps to prevent these problems.

Move cows carrying twins or first-calf heifers into the dry group early. Data shows a correlation with a seven to 10 days earlier calving date.

The target body condition score (BCS) at calving is 3.0-3.25. BSCis a visual assessment of the amount of fat and muscle covering the bones of a cow. The most common body condition scoring system ranks cows from 1 to 5, with 1 being thin and 5 being fat.

Avoid having cows reach a BCS greater than 4. A lower BCS at calving allows for 0.5 to 1.0 units of BCS within herd variation. This provides a safety margin to avoid overweight cows that have a higher risk for ketosis and fatty livers and are often more difficult to breed back.

Fresh cow groups are most likely to offer a return on investments (ROI) for feed additives. Studies support the following additives:

Anti-nutritional factors include feeds containing mold, wild yeast, and poorly fermented feeds. Mold counts of over 100,000 colonies per gram are likely to decrease feed intake and diet digestibility.

  1. Feed correct amounts of antioxidants

Antioxidants (for example, vitamin E and selenium) reduce the impact of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress could be too much fat mobilisation, poor air quality, or injury. All these decrease the efficiency of immune system function and consequently milk production.

Mr Alex Gathii is a certified Cow signals Trainer and a USAid Champion of Change

By Ambole Okata

Initially, the farmers were harvesting 20 bags per acre, but after getting help from the project, many of them are now getting 35 bags.

“The adoption of good farming practices by farmers is a key component in realising the increase in the production of cereals in Molo and Njoro,” said the Nakuru County Agriculture CEC, Dr Immaculate Maina,speaking during a review of the project and its success, as the project came to an end.

The e-Voucher system, which enables farmers to access fertilisers easily and cheaply, has also reduced the cost of production.

Ms Janet Moraa, a beneficiary of KCEP initiative, has increased production and commercialised her cereal farming. She did this after receiving training on production, processing, post-harvest management and marketing.

“Apart from funding, the training on commercialising cereal farming has enabled us to focus on cereal farming as our key source of finance,” said Ms Moraa.

“We are producing enough for the family and the society because we are now able to sell the surplus unlike in the past, when the harvest was not even enough for the family.”

The KCEP was a four-year initiative, whose overall objective was to contribute to national food security and smallholder income generation.

It helped farmers to increase production and profitability of key cereal commodities, including maize, millet and sorghum.

Farmers were trained on how to tackle production constraints, post-harvest management, processing and marketing.

The programme was funded under a strategic public-private partnership between the Government of Kenya, the European Union (EU), the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and Equity Bank Kenya.

The project was implemented in 13 counties with high cereal production potential.

The benefiting counties were Nakuru, Kakamega, Bungoma, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Embu, Kitui, Tharaka-Nithi, Machakos, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita-Taveta and Makueni.http://www.kcepcral.go.ke/

The CABI BioProtection Portal – an online bio-protection resource, available in four continents – has strengthened its ability to promote the worldwide adoption of natural pest control by welcoming BioProtection Global (BPG), a worldwide association of biocontrol and bio pesticides industry associations, as an associate.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between CABI and BPG – the worldwide federation of biocontrol and biopesticide industry associations – that will see BPG’s member alliances promote the use of the CABI BioProtection Portal worldwide.

The BPG’s associations comprise primarily of manufacturers of biocontrol and biopesticide products for professional use in agriculture, public health, forestry, animal health and other non-crop uses.

Its influence in the biocontrol industry should encourage more manufacturers to partner with the BioProtection Portal, which is available in Spain, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Ghana and Kenya, with more countries expected to join soon.

A free-to-use-tool, the portal helps growers and pest management advisers to identify, source and correctly apply biocontrol and biopesticide products for their specific crop-pest problems.

Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann, the executive director, global operations at CABI said: “Globally, about 40 per cent of crops are lost to pests and diseases. The widespread use of chemical pesticides to fight crop pests is not sustainable economically and environmentally in the long run, especially when you factor in the impacts exacerbated by climate change.

“CABI is delighted to welcome BioProtection Global as an associate member. Our joint collaboration to promote the benefits of more sustainable pest management will not only benefit growers in the short term, but also the environment in the medium to long-term future.”

The CABI BioProtection Portal aims to become the go-to resource for identifying and sourcing biocontrol and biopesticide products. It will be particularly beneficial to growers keen to replace chemical pesticides with biological products in order to meet market or export standards, satisfy consumer demands for healthier and safer food and reduce pressures on the environment.

Mr Nicolás Cock Duque, president of BioProtection Global, said: “The CABI BioProtection Portal brings together the various safer and more environmentally friendly bio-protection products that growers can add to their ‘arsenal’ against crop pests as part of an integrated pest management plan.”

The innovative tool has been made available by CABI in collaboration with its network of partner biocontrol manufacturers, donors and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development.

It is surprising that farmers grow food and keep animals to feed millions of people yet they  are not the healthiest. Eating healthier food is not only good for our bodies but  also improves the health of our farmland,  environment and  rural communities.

Farming is perceived as a healthy lifestyle, but that is not  the case. It has become a much less physical occupation than it once was, with an increased digitization and mechanization. 

 What should you eat as a farmer?

1. Make water your best friend

Water is the healthiest and most natural beverage you can drink.

It helps flush the body of waste products and toxins, although most of us are always dehydrated — tired, with low energy, and headaches.

Stop peeling potatoes,  eat them with the skin, it  makes them more delicious and is  a great source of vitamins and minerals.

Also choose high fiber or whole grain foods like; brown rice, whole wheat, corn (githeri) and etc which keep you feeling full throughout the day.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

It is recommended to have at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in our diet every day.

Add an array of colors to your plate and think of it as eating the rainbow, dark, greens, oranges, tomatoes, avocadoes.

4. Limit processed food.

While the thought of processed food awakens our taste-buds, they are not the healthiest. Most processed foods have lost some of their fiber and nutrients and gained sugar, chemicals and other ingredients instead.

They have also  been linked to inflammation and an increased risk of heart diseases.

5. Eat more fish

Fish is a good source of vitamins and proteins. Oily fish like salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fats which help prevent heart diseases.

6. Read labels

We cannot emphasize this enough, food labels can help you limit the amount of fat, sugar and cholesterol in your diet by making it easy for you to compare one food item with another and pick the healthiest.

You can also use food labels to find food items higher in vitamins, fiber and protein. Be aware of health sensitive ingredients, net weight, serving size and nutritional amounts.

7. Cut down saturated fat and sugars

As famers we need all the energy we can get. It does not  help to have plenty of saturated fats and sugars in our diet. It leads to an  increased cholesterol in  blood, a predisposing factor for heart diseases. Exercise.

8. Exercise

If you are a farmer who digs your shamba a lot, the consistent bending can be bad for your physical structure over time. Make sure to exercise and do stretches to ensure your body is in good shape and form.

Exercise is good for everyone at any age. Regular exercise can improve your muscle strength and boost your immunity.

Exercise also delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently.

Researchers have developed a cheaper, more time effective molecular diagnostic tool that accurately identifies different subgroups of cassava whiteflies, bemisia tabaci. The team behind this is from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) http://www.iita.org/iita-countries/kenya/

Whiteflies transmit viruses that cause cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD), which wreak havoc on Africa’s cassava crop.

Damage from the two diseases results in over 50 per cent yield loss in East and Central Africa, estimated at more than $1 billion.

Efforts to control pests and diseases are founded on proper identification, and the tool will be useful in African laboratories that lack expensive sequencing technologies.

“Using this method, keeping track of potentially dangerous whitefly populations, will be very straight forward for many national laboratories in Africa with limited resources,” said Dr Everlyne Wosula, a vector entomologist based at IITA–Tanzania.

Cassava enhances the nutrition of children and livestock, and supports over 350 million people in Africa. The researchers also tested and identified the best cassava varieties for adaptation and good performance in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia

There are more than 400,000 dairy farmers in Kenya, with the majority keeping dairy cattle on small plots and in the urban and semi-urban environments. They meet the year-round demand for milk for the growing population, which is driving the increasing need for hay bales. Large-scale dairy farmers graze their cattle in fields or embrace zero grazing, and in extreme dry seasons, they can substitute with straw bales to supplement the depleted grass.

There is, however, a surprising lack of knowledge about the correct specifications for straw bales. 

A standard conventional two-string hay bale should measure 90cm x45cm x 35cm and weigh a minimum of 15kg, with 18-22kg being optimal. All too often, we see bales that fall short in both weight and length, but the price remains the same!

It is important that the bale density, size and weight be of an acceptable standard to give the farmer as more nutrient value for his or her money. Healthy livestock contribute to Kenya’s food security.

The standard bale length is twice its width, which means they can be stacked efficiently for cost-effective transportation. Bales should be stacked with their twines (used to bind hay) facing upwards to prevent damage during loading and to give stacking stability.

A hay bale that is stacked on its side so that twines are not visible from the top tends to break when being handled, leading to loss. Having bales twice as long as they are wide, minimises unnecessary air gaps during transportation

The bale density is important and hay balers are designed to compress as much dried grass into a smaller area to help preserve the nutrient value and make it easy to transport from farm to cow.

The market for hay is attracting more farmers to grow grass as a crop for baling. A range of haymaking equipment is readily available to meet their needs, including mowers, rakes and balers, which all work behind tractors.

In recent years, we have seen the introduction of mower conditioners, which reduce the moisture content of the grass when cutting to speed up the drying, whilst preserving the nutritional value.  This consists of the standard mower and a roller attachment that crushes the grass after cutting to bring out moisture within the stem.  When using a mower conditioner, the drying period before baling is drastically reduced.

Six points to note when operating hay balers:

Shear bolts (used to protect equipment from overload or sudden impact), such as flywheel, knotter, and needle shear bolts, break when foreign objects obstruct the bailing mechanism to protect the baler drive chain.  The

correct adjustment of the slip clutch is important to protect the PTO (power take-off) and baler gearbox.  

The breakage can also be caused by overload on the knotter, or needles.  Overload can be determined by checking the bale density setting on the baler. Read your operator’s manual, or ask a qualified technician to guide you through this task.

Failure in the assembly is caused by lack of greasing, hitting foreign objects or ground speeds that are too high for the windrow.

These are caused by loose needle bolts, incorrect timing of the needles so they are out of time with the plunger, and or presence of foreign objects in the bale or baling chamber needle slots.

The twine guide at the back of the stuffer chamber, when not aligned with the needle eye causes this.

A number of things can cause this. They include a blunt plunger and ledger knives, an uneven windrow, the auger stripper being absent, or the plunger stuffer getting misaligned due to wear in the bale chamber. This can be

corrected by sharpening knives and adjusting the bearings to help the plunger run true. 

Poor bale length is caused by failure of the metering wheel.  In this case, a new metering wheel should be fitted. Spares should be available from your dealer.

It is important to grease this daily. However, some of the issues with the knotter are caused by the twine finger not picking up the twine from the needle.  This can be corrected by adjusting the finger.  Another failure is when there is no knot in either twine, which indicates that the billhook is not rotating.  This is corrected by replacing the pin in the billhook pinion. There are other failures such as frayed twine ends, twine cuts, or double bowknot.  To resolve these issues, always refer to your operator’s manual.

The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) virtual technical workshop was supposed to take place in Norwich, United Kingdom, earlier this year but was postponed due to the pandemic.

The workshop will discuss the big challenges facing global wheat security. It will bring together researchers from Cornell University, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, and the John Innes Centre, alongside presenters from Kenya, India, Ethiopia, Australia, Finland, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

“We are already witnessing the devastation that the global spread of disease can cause. It underscores the continual threat that diseases pose to our most important food crops,” said Mr Ronnie Coffman, vice-chair of the BGRI and a professor in Cornell’s Department of Global Development and School of Integrative Plant Science.

Mr Coffman said that the wheat epidemics could be catastrophic to human health and well-being.

“This workshop is an opportunity for wheat scientists to converge virtually for the practical training and knowledge-sharing on fighting the numerous challenges,” he said.

Some of the topics for discussion include breeding technologies, disease surveillance, molecular host-pathogen interaction, disease resistance, and gene stewardship.

Dr Maricelis Acevedo, associate director for science for the Delivering Genetic Gain in Wheat (DGGW) project and researcher in Cornell’s Department of Global Development, said: “The BGRI has been at the forefront of developing the next generation of ‘wheat warriors’, especially in strengthening the technical and professional skills of women and men scientists from developing countries.”

He said they were taking a global approach to help reduce the threat of diseases that can overwhelm wheat fields.

“Issues related to improving world food security, especially in the face of climate change, can only be addressed by a diverse and united global community.”

The BGRI receives funding through the DGGW project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK Aid, an initiative of the British Government.

Wheat researchers are getting ready for a virtual conference to be held from 7th  to 9th October 2020.

The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) virtual technical workshop was supposed to take place in Norwich, United Kingdom, earlier this year but was postponed due to the pandemic.

The workshop will discuss the big challenges facing global wheat security. It will bring together researchers from Cornell University, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, and the John Innes Centre, alongside presenters from Kenya, India, Ethiopia, Australia, Finland, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

“We are already witnessing the devastation that the global spread of disease can cause. It underscores the continual threat that diseases pose to our most important food crops,” said Mr Ronnie Coffman, vice-chair of the BGRI and a professor in Cornell’s Department of Global Development and School of Integrative Plant Science.

Mr Coffman said that the wheat epidemics could be catastrophic to human health and well-being.

“This workshop is an opportunity for wheat scientists to converge virtually for the practical training and knowledge-sharing on fighting the numerous challenges,” he said.

Some of the topics for discussion include breeding technologies, disease surveillance, molecular host-pathogen interaction, disease resistance, and gene stewardship.

Dr Maricelis Acevedo, associate director for science for the Delivering Genetic Gain in Wheat (DGGW) project and researcher in Cornell’s Department of Global Development, said: “The BGRI has been at the forefront of developing the next generation of ‘wheat warriors’, especially in strengthening the technical and professional skills of women and men scientists from developing countries.”

He said they were taking a global approach to help reduce the threat of diseases that can overwhelm wheat fields.

“Issues related to improving world food security, especially in the face of climate change, can only be addressed by a diverse and united global community.”

The BGRI receives funding through the DGGW project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and UK Aid, an initiative of the British Government.

If conception fails after insemination, you incur losses due to repeat heats ranging between Kshs4,000 and Ksh12,000, and lose valuable milking and calving time. Inaccurate insemination timing in cattle is frustrating. When you have many animals, knowing the perfect insemination time of each can be daunting.

A special visual-aid patch is simplifying this for farmers by showing the perfect time to inseminate their cows. Known as the A.I Tag Heat Detector, the grey patch detects the best time to get your cow served by changing its colour. 

The A.I Tag is a pressure rub-off excellent Aid, with built in timing mechanism, activated by mounting activities. Mounting activates the patch at every stage of the heat cycle till the chevron colour image is about 95% visible. If the tags are applied and timely observed, there is zero chance of a false reading!

Dr Daniel Ogutu, a vet, from Mosocho A.I project, Kisii County, has used the patch with one of his farmers and was happy with the result. 

“I had a farmer whose cows kept mounting each other and identifying the one with standing heat was challenging. By using the patch on both animals and we easily identified the one with standing heat. I inseminated it, and the cow is now 4 month in-calf,” said Dr Ogutu. 

Larson Yuuna, an Animal Scientist, also used the patch on an animal at a farm in Makueni County. He tried the A.I heat detection tags and discovered that the heifer had silent heat and the farmer had been missing the signs all along. The cow is now 1.5 months in-calf.

How to apply the tag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_de9xj3L5Zk&feature=emb_logo

 Place the patch between the hip bones and the tail head area of the cow or heifer Prior to coming into heat. The patch reflects a bright

chevron-type image through the gray layer Rub Off after the first mounting, due to the rubbing pressure. Additional mounting increases image exposure, and displays the bright UV light reflection, which is easily seen for 24 hours. 90-95 per cent of the Chevron image visibility indicates that the animal is entering its ‘Peak’ heat cycle, and that is the best time to serve. 

For best results, clean the animal, peel A.I Tag Rub-off heat indicator/detector off the liner and press in place. In highly fly infested areas, it is advisable to place the tag directly on top of the tail head so that the tail cannot reach it while wagging to keep off/avoid flies. Press while holding the ends of the patch down firmly for 4 to 5 seconds. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

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Can confirm pregnancy in your animal

 Apply the patch from the 18th day after insemination date and monitor to day 25. Detectors remaining the same indicate no mounting, thus no return of heat cycle. The patch can be used by both small and large-scale dairy and beef farmers, and producers, and is valuable to every A.I Technician.

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Kenya Contact:

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Tel: 0718 714 858 / 0734 909 010/11 or 0712 347 627 I

Email: cowtechsolutions@gmail.com
Cowtech solutions Ltd.
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