By George Munene On a 50 by 100 feet plot of land in Kasarani, Francis Milwani and his wife Mary Waithera run a thriving vegetable and fruit farm. Despite living some 9km away in Umoja estate, most days their 9 to 5 is taken up with farm work. From their little plot, the two have …
Artist farmers create urban farm hub from sacks and old plastic Read More »
By John Matava Carrots are becoming more popular as commercial crops for smallholders due to their marketability, short maturity and low labour needs. Nantes carrots take 60 to 75 days from planting and unlike other varieties, like Chantenay, Purple Drago, Atomic Red and Autumn King, it is highly resistant to powdery mildew, a disease capable …
FarmBiz TV:Nantes hybrid carrot emerges as front runner in Kenyan market Read More »
By George Munene A single freshly harvested vanilla bean is worth Sh250, but once you have the expertise to cure and grade it, that very bean could be worth up to Sh1000. Yet despite neighbouring countries, Tanzania and Uganda, having a vibrant vanilla agribusiness, Kenya’s potential remains unrealised. When Andrew Simiyu started vanilla farming in …
Farmers’ Friend: the inside-track on growing vanilla in Kenya Read More »
The Kenyan government and agricultural industry are launching an urgent offensive against a moth that has infested 70 types of crops, from roses to citrus fruits and capsicums, prompting a surge in Kenyan export rejections by the European Union, and an EU review that could now see a growing proportion of the country’s flower and …
Government and industry fast-track measures to save flower industry from EU-banned moth Read More »
By John Matava For about thirty years Christopher Wambua has been known as an okra farmer consulted by colleagues from Kiboko, Makueni County and beyond. From his acre farm, he harvests 300kg three times a week, translating to 900kg a week and retailing at Sh70 a kilo to earn Sh63,000 a week. After deducting input …
FarmBiz TV:Farmer grows fast acre of okra to make Sh6k in profits a day Read More »
By Jolene Njambi Declining budgets and changing technology have changed the way agricultural extension officers are working in Kenya, but are seeing them spread so thinly that their work is now entirely demand-driven: they only get to the farmers that ask them for help. According to Mr. Mungera who has worked for over 30 years …
Counties assign ‘digital’ extension officers up to 10,000 farmers each Read More »
By George Munene Andrew Simiyu, owner of Kusini Farms in Kwale County has ventured into the lucrative vanilla market by farming 500 vanilla plants on his three-acre farm where he potentially aims to earn about eight million in revenues after harvest. Vanilla is an essential in the food industry for making confectionery and yogurts. As …
Kwale farmer looking to make Sh8 million a year from vanilla farming Read More »
By John Matava A first attempt into Bird’s eye chilli farming has seen Shadrack Mutuku change the fortunes of his farm in Kiboko, Makueni County, making Sh30,000 in profits each month from his quarter acre piece of land. Shadrack, like most farmers, used to cultivate vegetables such as maize, kales, spinach, capsicum and amaranth for …
By George Munene When Sharon Muthoni bought a Friesian cow from Marimanti, Tharaka Nithi and brought it to Kanga, Menu she was sure it would thrive. It was, after all, moving to a region with abundant feed and a cooler climate – all of which she’d known to be factors that enable a cow, especially …
Farmers suffer milk collapse on changing cows’ environment Read More »
By John Matava Farmers are intercropping Hass and Fuerte avocadoes to improve cross pollination and boost avocado yields.From bearing 100 fruits per tree, the Hass variety increases to producing 115 fruits per tree, up to a peak of 2000 fruits from a single tree.While the Fuerte trees go from bearing 90 fruits per tree to …
FarmBiz TV:Intercropping Hass and Fuerte avocadoes can earn more than double yields . Read More »
