Soil enrichment

Farmer intercrops fodder and food crops to utilise shrinking land

In meeting household and livestock needs, one farmer has resorted to intercropping fodder and food crops to beat the shrinking land while increasing milk yields with the protein-rich purple vetch feed. Joseph Maina, who is a mixed farmer, owns seven dairy cows. In cutting the cost of protein supplements in commercial dairy meals, the farmer …

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Kakamega farmer rears pigs to break down organic waste

One Kakamega County farmer has cut organic fertiliser costs in maize production by rearing three pigs, which are helping him break down organic waste into manure. Wycliffe Ochango said converting organic waste into manure by normal decomposition takes months, but the pigs are ‘catalysing’ the process. “Instead of waiting for one to three months for …

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Smallholder farmers use trees to fertilize soils & extra income

Sallholder farmers in Kenya are embracing planting trees that do not compete with crops for nutrients a venture that is paying off with some of the trees even fertilizing the soils while offering the farmers extra income. The practice known as agroforestry has been championed by government and other agricultural institutions as having returned impressive …

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worm compost bin 1

Fertiliser Crisis: Organic gold manure that doubles farmer yields

By George Munene With sky-high fertiliser prices, Farmbizafrica has undertaken to highlight alternative sources farmers can use to enrich their soils while lessening dependence on synthetic fertilisers. Vermicompost is organic fertilizer produced by earthworms from organic waste. It is colloquially referred to as organic gold with good reason; in various studies, vermicompost was found to …

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poultry compost organic manure 500x500

Fertiliser Crisis: Making compost manure as alternative to store-bought fertilisers

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. …

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