July 2021 - FarmBiz Africa

Poor Kenyan farmers adopt digital currency to raise their economic output

By George Munene Across Kenya, in Kilifi, Kwale, Kakuma, Embu, West Pokot, the informal settlements of Kawangware, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, and Kibera poor farmers who were previously on the fringes of the larger economy are now leasing shambas, buying agricultural inputs, sinking water wells, buying and selling their crop, all with little engagement with the …

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Young Timau farmer moves from joblessness to earning Sh100,000 from garlic

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When Alfred Koome touched down in Kenya from India on September 5, 2020, with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture degree in hand he had it all mapped out: “I had received positive feedback from resumes I had sent out and was looking forward to getting employed at a flower farm around my hometown of …

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Government to increase minimum milk buying price to boost production

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By George Munene The government is targeting an increase in the current Sh33 minimum milk buying price to encourage improved production by farmers. Poor rains across the country and the high cost of feed have contributed to dwindling milk supplies, which have fallen short of meeting the existing demand. “The newly embarked on regulations within …

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Kenyan agritech startup raises farmer incomes 170% by value addition & streamlined market access

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By George Munene A little over a year after establishing Ifarm360, as a crowdfunding hub that helped pool investment for farmers short on capital, the company’s founders were faced with a challenge most Kenyan farmers are all too familiar with: difficulty in obtaining a consistent and ready market. This set them up with the small …

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How a Laikipia farmer is healing depleted soils through poultry keeping

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By George Munene On some 10 acres of farmland in Muramati, Laikipia county, Max Armbrust, keeps 5,000-6,000 chickens, 20 sheep, and 5 dairy cows. His, however, is no standard livestock farm. Farmer Max, as he is commonly known, is Kenya’s first adoptee of large-scale regenerative livestock farming, using free-range broiler chickens raised on pasture to reclaim …

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Malaa farmer turns his kid’s rabbit keeping hobby into thriving business

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By George Munene At Navina Rabbit Farm, George Kanyingi’s herd of over 400 rabbits is proof that rabbit farming is no child’s play but just as lucrative an agribusiness as any other. What started out as a hobby for his kids is now a lucrative venture that sees him supply rabbit meat to one of …

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New platform helps link avocado farmers to local and export buyers

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By George Munene Avo Pesa is a new platform that connects avocado farmers to local and international avocado buyers. Founded by The Avocado Society of Kenya (ASOK), a registered association for avocado growers, exporters, and other value chain players, Avo Pesa will help streamline marketing inefficiency within the avocado sector by connecting farmers directly to …

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The golden tuber: How arrowroot farming has transformed a Kakamega farmer’s life

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When Francis Faluma started growing arrowroots (nduma) in 2019, the farmer who lives in Matungu, Kakamega County, deep in the country’s sugarbelt received incredulous reactions from his neighbors. “Sasa ameanza kulima vitu za mababu wetu” was a common refrain he heard. “They now see trucks and pickups streaming in to pick arrowroots from my farm, …

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Kirinyaga County seeks to reduce farmer post-harvest losses with 4 new markets

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By George Munene Kirinyaga County farmers are set to benefit from the construction of four new markets that will curtail losses caused by long farm-to-market wait times for avocado and tomato farmers. The aggregation centers that are set to be completed in the next three months will be based in Githure, Gathoge, Karumandi, and Makutano …

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Kenya introduces Mark of Quality for local vegetables and fruits

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By George Munene Kenya has introduced a Mark of Quality, ‘KS1758’ Code of Practice for locally traded horticultural produce. This is meant to improve the quality and efficacy of domestically consumed vegetables and fruits. At its unveiling, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Peter Munya said the quality mark will also help farmers earn a premium from supermarkets and …

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