Groundnuts and soybeans are a priority grains value chain with highest potential to increase the incomes and impact livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Butere-Mumias, within Kakamega County of western Kenya. This is according to a survey done by the Kenya Agricultural Productivity Project (KAPP) in the region. Butere-Mumias with a population of 601,796 (Kenya Population …
Most farmers across the country remain unaware that soil acidity reduces crop yield by almost 50 per cent regardless the amount of fertilizer you use. This poses a major threat to the agricultural sector– the country’s economic backbone. Through a comparison done on farms where liming was applied production doubled, a small holder farmer in …
KALRO informs soil liming can double crop yields, launches farmer handbook Read More »
President William Ruto on Wednesday announced that the government will Increase the budget for the Agriculture Finance Corporation (AFC) for seasonal crop lending from two billion shilling to ten billion shillings to facilitate affordable credit to farmers. The credit will be provided at single-digit rates to reduce the cost of production for farmers and improve …
State-backed affordable seasonal crop lending increased by Sh8 billion Read More »
President William Ruto today announced the commencement of the second phase of the government’s agriculture subsidy program with the price of a 50-kilogram bag of fertliser now retailing at Sh2,500 down from Sh3,500. He pointed out that yesterday, Tuesday, a record 34,000 bags of this subsidised fertiliser was sold to farmers. For the coming short …
President announces Sh2,500 fertiliser price, outlines bright future for agriculture Read More »
Better access to irrigation for farmers is key for climate change adaptation. Until recently, irrigation had never taken off in Africa for multiple reasons from poor maintenance planning to lack of inputs and market access. Many donor and government-funded large and small-scale irrigation schemes lay dry after a few years of exploitation. Water experts estimate …
The Key Role of Improved Irrigation for Climate Change Adaptation Read More »
An industrious farmer from western Uganda tired of the meager earnings from his bananas has decided to delve into value addition, making banana flour which has not only tripled his earnings but protected him from market glut which is commonplace in Uganda. Having witnessed the stress banana farmers around Mbarara area, one of the leading …
Enterprising Uganda farmer cuts a niche in banana flour triples income Read More »
By George Munene Global nonprofit Heifer International has partnered with Hello Tractor to introduce a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) rent-to-own tractor financing program. Dubbed Tractors 4 Africa (T4A), it will enable Kenyan and Nigerian agri-entrepreneurs to become tractor owners at a reduced cost and without requiring any security given they have a farmer network. The financing model will …
Nonprofit introduces cheaper Pay-As-You-Go model of tractor ownership Read More »
The chronically acidic soils of Western Kenya has meant endless woes to the farmers in the area, but a new method of applying lime to the tired soils is changing fortunes and rekindling hope to thousands of farmers who had abandoned farming. In 2008, Isaac Ochieng Okwangi from Nyangera, Siaya harvested just two 90kg bags …
Liming improves yields of depleted Western Kenya soils Read More »
By George Munene With the price of a 50Kg bag of fertiliser set to more than double from its price last year to a historic Sh 7,000, we will be highlighting alternatives/ supplements farmers can use to enrich their soils. Compost manure is perhaps the easiest to make and complete organic alternative to synthetic fertilisers. …
Fertiliser Crisis: Making compost manure as alternative to store-bought fertilisers Read More »
