February 2014

Five years ago Kansiimire Francis could not feed his young family and despite his tireless efforts in agriculture; his two acre farm barely gave him the returns to support him. Frustrated, the father of three pondered on moving to Kampala to change his livelihood but was deterred by his low academic background having only managed […]

A dairy farmer is reaping from his own milk formula that combines creamy milk from Ayrshire cows with that of Friesian, a move that has not only given him a wider market but also opened doors for value addition ventures. Willy Kirwa from Uasin Gishu was traditionally a maize farmer who was struggling to make

A group of successful American farmers is set to train their Ugandan counterparts on modern farming to increase yields and address weather changes at a time when yields across East Africa have depressed on poor farming techniques. The program which aims to connect farmers in the United States with their counterparts around the world for

A farming model that places potato farmers in clusters to grow high quality potatoes which they sell to Nairobi processors is giving farmers guaranteed markets and tripling their yields at a time when potato prices have fluctuated due to glut. The clusters, comprised of more than 800 farmers in the communities of Kibirechia, Timau and

In a tiny village of Kyumbuni along Kithimani market in Eastern Kenya, two greenhouses stands out from swathes of dry barren land. The greenhouses can be confused for a project owned by the locals wealthy businessmen. But behind the greenhouses is the determination and resolve of a 21 year old man who left the city

A project to create plastic floating islands containing papyrus plants known to clean dirty water is promising to not only clean Lake Naivasha but provide feeding options for aquatic animals in a lake which is chocking with filth. The project which involves Finlays Horticulture Kenya aims to recreate the water-cleansing services of papyrus as artificial

Seed companies are sounding the alarm on the circulation of fake and substandard seed commonly referred to as ‘Dubai seeds’, as farmers prepare for harvesting season with details emerging that in previous seasons, farmers bought upto 30 percent of substandard seeds. Seed and agro input stockists say they have also heightened awareness on best seed

A research paper on goat milk has been the spark that has transformed an idea of an intern into a milk supply station processing over 120 litres of milk daily and now delving into yoghurt processing. Dr Simon Mwangi has no regrets for having taken up goat milk processing. A veterinarian by profession, Mwangi now

Ugandan farmers are embracing a traditionally cheaper therapy of soaking banana buds in livestock urine before planting as banana diseases and pests take toll on a crop that provides income and food to over 85 percent of East Africans. Fuelled by the skyrocketing prices of conventional pesticides, the seemingly innovative Matoke farmers vowed not to