By George Munene Scientists from the International Potato Center (CIP) have shown that the use of thermal imagery to measure the water stress of potato plants and precise irrigation according to crop stress can produce good harvests with less water. At 70 per cent, agriculture […]
Potato growers use thermal imagery to produce potatoes with less water Read More »
By George Munene According to a research paper published in December of this year (2022) dubbed “A review of the state of sugar cane crisis in Kenya” raising the cost of imported sugar, protecting local producers from sugar cartels, and lowering the cost of domestic production were identified as the key ways of reviving the
Researchers advise raising import cost, dismantling cartels to revive sugar sector Read More »
By George Munene During the short to medium-term period, 2023/24-2025/26, Kenya’s Rural and Urban Agriculture Development (ARUD) sector plans on implementing 10 major programmes worth an accumulated Sh422 million in order to facilitate the attainment of food and nutrition security, agro-processing, employment creation and utilisation of the blue economy. Released today–30th December 2022– as the
Govt earmarks Sh422 billion for 10 agri programs between 2023 & 2026 Read More »
By George Munene The 2022 October to December short rains were the fifth consecutive below-average rainy season as Kenya’s historic drought persists. According to USAID’s Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET), at the end of November, cumulative rainfall is less than 70 per cent of the 30-year average across most of the country, with
Oct-Dec short rains 55-70% lower as Kenya enters 5th drought season Read More »
Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), a not-for-profit inter-governmental development and information organization, has devised an e-learning course that will enable farmers to gain skills and methodologies required for the field-based diagnosis of pests and diseases. The practical e-learning course dubbed, PestSmart is the first in a series of new and unique e-learning courses
Free e-learning course trains farmers to tackle crop pest increasing yields Read More »
The horticulture sector is ranked as the fastest-growing sector in the agriculture industry in Kenya; however, produce from Kenya has faced rejection at the entry point of key export markets with Kenya being placed under the radar by the European Union as one of the countries with 10 per cent maximum residue levels. According to
Ways of avoiding rejection of horticultural export produce Read More »
Small scale farmers can avoid farm milk spoilage by observing high quality hygiene standards so as to prevent rejection of milk by dairy processors. The International Livestock Research Institute in June 2017 released a research showing high levels of aflatoxin in Kenyan foods such as meat, milk and maize. The ILRI study established that
How to avoid milk going bad at farm level Read More »
(Photo courtesy: DAWE/Shutterstock) Lumpy skin disease is an infection in cattle that can cause 20 per cent mortality rate and mainly affects cows at the peak of milking and young calves. It is mechanically transmitted by ticks, mosquitoes and flies which could potentially have been brought into the farm by wind or from an infected
Controlling deadly lumpy skin disease in cattle Read More »
Weaver ants. Courtesy of National Geographic Cashew nut farmers in Kenya can now increase their yield by up to 150 per cent by incorporating weaver ants in their cashew fields a new study has shown. The weaver ant, the study reveals, is key in offering protection to the crop from the sap sucking insects like
Cashew nut farmers earn 150% more introducing weaver ants to farms Read More »
Framers inspecting their fodder grass fam. Photo courtesy. Women from Northeastern Kenya are unleashing their potential in the production, storage and sales of fodder grass and slowly earning them economic independence and key position in fighting food insecurity among pastoralist community in the region. Initially these women who were not part of community decision-making and
Northeastern women farmers earn independence from fodder farming Read More »