By George Munene According to a review of hundreds of international studies conducted between 1997 to 2020, genetically modified (GM) Bt maize was found to be safe for the environment and enhances the number of beneficial insects. The study; “Does the growing of Bt maize change abundance or ecological function of non-target animals compared to […]
Researchers find genetically modified maize safe for environment Read More »
Attending farmers workshops, agricultural shows, farmers’ open days and agricultural institutions for training has helped a farmer avert over 50 per cent loses in his poultry farm doubling his profit from Sh400, 000 to Sh800, 000 in a period of three years. Before, he lost money due to poor feeding, attack by predators and lack
Continous training helps poultry farmers halve losses & balloon profits Read More »
By George Munene The African Guarantee Fund and responsAbility Investments have partnered to create a Sh607 million ($5M) fund to finance Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural value chain with a focus on businesses engaged in activities related to crops and farming products or commodities. Most lenders have stayed away from Africa’s farming
Sh607M fund set up to finance African agriculture SMEs Read More »
By George Munene From parastatals to international research institutions and multinational companies, here’s a roundup of agriculture jobs for the final week of October 2022: 1 Position: Animal Inseminator Location: Mbaga Siaya County Recruiter / Employer: Avepo Smart Farm Responsibilities: Ability to carry out field extension services Good communication skills Licensed motorbike rider Ability to
Weekly roundup of agriculture jobs– 28th Oct 2022 Read More »
Farmers can stop bees from migrating because of invasion of hives by painting stand posts with grease. Speaking when he visited bee keeping farmers in Nyamira North Sub-county, agricultural officer David Nduko Atuya said the grease controls crawling insect which invade beehive in search of food. “Sugar-loving ants move up into beehives in search
Greasing beehives helps keep them safe from crawling predators Read More »
By George Munene Makueni-based agro-processing company Burton and Bamber Ltd which works with farmers from Makueni and Kitui counties to secure a market for their orange-fleshed sweet potatoes has set up the country’s first commercial microwave processing plant. Continous-flow microwave heating is an emerging technology in food processing and offers a fast and efficient way
As drought causes losses of livestock and crops in most parts of Kenya in the ongoing prolonged spell, Muniu Ngwau’s bananas are still green as a result of the water she harvested from roads during the rains. It has not rained for more than three months in Kitui County. But the bananas look healthy and
Kitui farmer keeps farm irrigated through trench water harvesting Read More »
In boosting crop protection against pests for 24 hours, Derick Nyambane in the last season resorted to lighting a kerosene lantern at night in his half an acre tomato field as a way of luring pests to death traps. Beside the lantern is a fruit fly trap device. Nyambane used a metarhizium 69-filled lure, which
Lighting kerosene lantern helps tomato farmers control fruit flies Read More »
Farmers have turned to laundry detergents in taming deadly fusarium wilt disease that affects potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, and their vegetable relatives. Patrick Njenga, a Kiambu County Irish potato farmer, has successfully used the Jik detergent to clear fusarium wilt from his three quarter an acre after registering losses after a growing season. “I learnt from
Farmers look to detergent to combat deadly fusarium wilt Read More »
By George Munene Kenyan nutritionist and food scientist Wawira Njiru has been named the UN in Kenya person of the year 2021. The 31-year-old was recognised for her efforts to serve 33,000 meals daily to thousands of Kenyan primary school-going children through her Tap2Eat program that issues each kid with a smart wristband linked to
Young nutritionist named UN-Kenya person of the year Read More »