By Lyzzie Owade

Agventure, the company behind the Pure Mountain brand of cold-pressed oils, pulses, and honey, is expanding its canola seed contracting to new regions across Kenya, including Meru, Nakuru, Narok, Mt Kenya, Uasin Gishu, and parts of Trans Nzoia.

The company, which has worked with farmers for 11 years, produces Pure Mountain Oil (cold-pressed canola oil), Pure Mountain Pulses, and Pure Mountain Honey from crops grown by its contracted farmers. It provides seeds, training, and full field support for canola, also known as rapeseed, as well as other crops such as wheat, sunflower, soya beans, sorghum, lupins, peas, and maize.

Agronomist John Mwiti, who coordinates farmer training and field operations, said the company is currently recruiting new farmers on demand, in Meru and other production zones. “We train farmers in groups or visit them on their farms. In a day, I can meet even 50 farmers, depending on the targets I have,” said John.

Farmers can sign up for the training by visiting any Agventure office, where they are connected with a local field officer based on their region. The company trains about 400 farmers a month, though only some begin planting immediately, depending on their existing crops. The busiest training months are from January to August, the company said.

After training, farmers receive seeds and step-by-step guidance on land preparation, soil testing, and crop management. John said the company pays for all soil testing through CropNuts and uses the results to guide the farmer’s production plan. “We advise the farmer from land preparation until harvesting,” he said.

Agventure buys back the harvest at Sh50 per kilogramme, paying farmers within seven working days of delivery and submission of an eTIMS invoice. “The highest money we have ever paid a farmer is Sh4.7m,” said John.

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The company collects harvests using its own trucks or compensates transport costs when farmers deliver directly. However, only clean and properly dried canola seeds free of aflatoxins are accepted. Cleaning costs are 50 cents per kilogramme, where seed is not properly clean, and this cost is deducted from the farmer’s payment.

John said yields have grown sharply since the programme began. “When we started, we could get as low as 200kg from a farmer, but now the least we get is from 700kg to 1.6 tonnes,” he said.

Canola, a crop in the cabbage family, grows well in wheat-producing areas and requires much the same machinery. It takes 75 days to mature, and its oil is rich in omega-3 and protein, used for both food and animal feed.The company said it aims to increase farmer participation countrywide as demand for Pure Mountain products rises in Kenya and abroad. Farmers interested in joining can register at any Agventure office, or call the head office in Timau on 0704 599 594.

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