By Antynet Ford

Dairy and poultry farmer Edwin Ronoh has increased yields on his Baraka Farm by switching to Purple Napier grass that is richer in natural protective chemicals than ordinary green Napier. 

The chemicals that make the grass purple are about five times higher in the purple grass than in green Napier. This helps the purple grass survive dry weather and resist pests that can devastate regular Napier, which often suffers stunted growth and leaf loss of up to 35 per cent during droughts and heavy pest attacks.

Showcasing the grass at the Nairobi International Trade Fair, Ronoh said its high protein content, at 20–24 per cent, has reduced his reliance on commercial feeds while keeping milk, egg and meat production steady through dry and cold seasons. 

“The Purple Napier is a game changer. After I started complementing my cow’s feed with it, the milk production increased by a good percentage and I no longer also worry about stunted growth during the dry season,” he said.

Ronoh also tested the grass on his poultry. “Even during the cold seasons, when you feed your birds feeds made from the Purple Napier grass, they continue to lay eggs. Even the broilers’ meat is quality when it feeds from Purple Napier,” he said. 

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He prepares the grass in a feed machine, shredded finer for birds but coarser for cows.

“Unlike the other varieties of Napier grass, which have been a staple for dairy farmers, the purple variety stands out not only for its deep violet hue but also for its superior nutritional value and resilience to pests and drought,” he said.

It can also be made into silage, he said, which increases the protein content with seven days of fermentation. 

He now sells planting stocks to farmers in Eldoret and surrounding areas, although lack of awareness and seed availability have slowed adoption, he said.