Smart farms

Kenya farmers grow yields and income with conservation agriculture

Smallholder farmers in Kenya are increasing maize yields and have reduced production risk by 30 per cent thanks to a conservation agriculture project. Declining soil fertility in recent years, increasing soil erosion and droughts due to climate change, have dipped farmers’ yields which has contributed to a rise in poverty and hunger. Maize is a …

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Molo farmer intercrops potatoes and peas, to earn all year round

A farmer in Molo is growing potato seeds and intercropping with garden peas, in a classic crop rotation model that not only improves soil fertility but also ensures her of an year round source of income. Having traditionally relied on potato seeds from the previous harvest for planting,  Ann Chepngeno couldn’t understand why her yields …

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Israeli agriculture training center opens in Embu

The Israeli government and Don Bosco Eastern Africa have inaugurated the Don Bosco Agricultural Innovation and Technology Center in Embu County (AITeC-EMBU). The center aims to provide practical and innovative training for young farmers, using modern technologies and methods to enhance food security and sustainability. Through Israeli experts, knowledge and technology will be transferred locally …

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CABI partners to provide farmers/experts free education and training

The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and free agridigital learning platform, East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT), are collaborating to provide education and training opportunities for smallholder farmers, farmer trainers and extension workers, and other agriculture sector professionals. This partnership will enable widespread utilization of scientific knowledge for improving crop quality and yield …

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Avocadoes drive Kakuzi’s Shs171M half-year profit despite slump in macadamia market

Kakuzi PLC has announced a Shs 171. 1 million half-year pretax profit on the back of a difficult trading period due to the prevailing Macadamia global glut. The firm, which recently adopted a new corporate brand identity, enjoyed a more than double profit lift against its avocado export business, which posted a Shs 654.8 million …

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Project launched to use invasive desert locusts as food & feed source

A three-year project dubbed B(eat) the locust that seeks to introduce invasive desert locusts as a food and feed source for pastoralist communities has commenced in Isiolo, Marsabit, Laikipia, and Samburu counties. The program seeks to create over 1,000 youth entrepreneurs in the locust value chain and 400 job opportunities for specialised locust collectors.  According …

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Farmers question use of North Rift season for issuing subsidized fertiliser

According to the Central Bank of Kenya’s July Agriculture Sector Survey farmers have raised concerns about the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) using the North Rift planting season as the benchmark for issuing subsidized planting and top-dressing fertilizer.  They argued that regions are not homogenous and there could be timing differences in planting and harvesting which …

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Govt to spend Sh3B in three years on KCC modernisation programme

On Tuesday (8th August, 2023) President William Ruto commissioned the Modernised Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) in Kiganjo, Nyeri County.  Speaking during the event, the president said that over the past seven years the government had spent over Sh2 billion in the modernisation of KCC’s plants. He added that his government will spend Sh3 billion in …

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Govt implements Warehouse Receipt System to maximise farmer grain prices

In an effort to maximise farmer returns in the grain and pulses market, the government has committed to implementing the Warehouse Receipt System Act of 2019.  The Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) seeks to stabilise grain market prices by reducing the pressure on farmers to sell their crops right after harvest when market prices are often …

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