An intermediary for Italian Energy company Eni is recruiting 500 castor farmers in arid Ukambani to earn money from growing the drought-tolerant weed that thrives in ‘unusable land’ and has a three-month earning timeline.
According to the International Energy Agency, castor seeds are pressed for biofuel whose demand is set to increase by a third in the next half a decade as it is being increasingly used as cheap and cleaner alternative to petroleum. Castor which has more than 700 uses is also found in anticonstipation medicine and in skincare and hair products.
Through the program, Tosheka Textiles which is based in Wote, Makueni County, and specializes in silk production will provide growing seeds for farmers with at least one acre mainly in arid Makueni, Machakos, Kitui, and Mwingi counties.
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“Because of low and erratic rainfall and high temperatures, many farmers in these counties have fruit trees growing on their shambas or sit on acres of unused land. Castor, which is a small tree, ability to grow in areas with limited rain, and the Kamba people’s existing knowledge of tree farming makes it an ideal earning opportunity for farmers in the region.
We will accept farmers from other marginal counties; we work with farmers from Baringo as an example; but they will need to be in ‘zones’ where there are existing farmers to make our collections easier,” said Yvonne Mwangi, Associate Director at Tosheka Textiles Ltd.
Castor is a drought-resistant deep-rooted plant that requires 250–750 mm of rain in a year to grow. It germinates in soil between 12 °C and 18 °C but can grow in really hot regions with temperatures as high as 30°C.
Unlike most crops, it also demands moderately fertile sandy loam soils to encourage increased seed yield rather than increased vegetation.
The yield from castor beans varies from 405 kilograms to 1.215 tons/acre depending on the variety of beans used, the environment it is grown, and how well it is managed. Up to 40 per cent of the castor bean is pressed into oil with the remaining seed cake ‘waste’ making high-quality animal feed and fertiliser after careful treatment to remove trace amounts of toxic cyanide.
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The farmers who are also offered land preparation, extension services, and a booklet on growing castor will be paid Sh37 for a kilogram of dehusked and dried castor beans. “Under good management, an acre of castor should deliver 600 kilograms of dried beans,” Yvonne pointed out.
As of Thursday of this week (10th October 2024), the company had crossed the 1,000 farmer registration mark.
Tosheka Textiles: 0722 837811