Feedback: Experts give insights on crop and livestock issues

Sample table showing land on which agricultural development has been incorporated. TABLE | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Capital is always a major challenge when it comes to farming, because you will need money to buy inputs such as seeds or seedlings, fertilisers and insecticides and pay for labour since the land is big.
  • The major challenge in kicking off any investment is capital. The agricultural sector is no different as there are challenges during initial stages.
  • A cow that has not borne a calf is called a heifer. When the heifers reach 65-70 per cent of mature body weight, it should be served.
  • Buy your initial population of Kienyeji chickens from a reputable research institution, company or farm.

Tips on buying land with crops on it

I have an opportunity to buy one and a quarter acres adjacent to mine. The seller has developed it. I’m fine with the land price but his farm projections startled me. Kindly see the table above and let me know what you think.

-Mbindyo John Kimeu

Your interest in buying the land, developing it and planting the fruit trees is commendable. However, I don’t understand what you mean by units.

Do they refer to the number of avocado, pawpaw and avocado plants? If yes, how did the farmer come up with the units in the section of income projections per year?

If no, kindly explain for further assistance because it would be difficult to know the number of fruits to expect from each tree.

Second, in the column for income, avocado has 284 units and the unit price is Sh 2,000, what does this mean? If the costs you have given for the plants are the costs of production for the three fruits and the income you have given, then you will make a profit of 8.8 million.

But remember that the price of the fruits can vary depending on size and the supply in the market at the time the fruits will be sold. You have to take good care of the fruit trees also for you to get maximum yield and eventually good income.

Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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I want to start passion fruit farming business

I am Anthony Alexander Nguchu from Narumoru, Nyeri County. I am interested in growing passion fruits on 30 acres for sale.

The challenge I have is how to secure working capital for the project. Kindly advise where I can source cash.

Capital is always a major challenge when it comes to farming, because you will need money to buy inputs such as seeds or seedlings, fertilisers and insecticides and pay for labour since the land is big. There are many sources of agricultural credit in Kenya and they include:

Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), which is owned by the government and provides loans to individual farmers or a group of farmers who are carrying out agricultural activities with the aim of improving production in Kenya.

Contact them on www.agrifinance.org for more information on the loan terms and conditions or visit the AFC branch near you and inquire.

Commercial banks also offer loans to farmers and they are so many in Kenya. You can visit several and compare their loan terms and interest rates.

You can also join a savings and credit cooperative society (sacco) and start contributing and later get a loan.

Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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Bio-fuel innovation

I am Owen of GSDINNOVATIONS LLC. We have an innovation and are seeking partners for a pilot project. We have funds, but what is lacking is land.

I read your article on a cactus innovation in Laikipia and wish to pursue such partnership. I would also appreciate leads to Egerton University experts or others for advancement of the same. In fact, we can obtain biofuels and curb global warming emissions, among other benefits.

-Owen Gatehi,
Business development manager,
GSDINNOVATIONS LLC, Kenya
www.gsdinnovations.com

The major challenge in kicking off any investment is capital. The agricultural sector is no different as there are challenges during initial stages.

From your explanation, it is clear that financial input is not a problem, since you have a source of funds.

Your drawback is land, hence you are requesting partnerships. The advantage of this is that in the rural set-up, farmers normally own enormous pieces of land, but lack the capital to convert them into better income-generating ventures.

My advice is that you extend your search of land to the remote locations of Kenya.

I guarantee that you will be successful in finding farmers who are willing to expand their production. With your ready funds, this will be a partnership that will bear lots of fruits in the near future.

For Egerton University experts, once you send an email to [email protected], you will be assisted on any of your queries and you will be guided professionally.

Sillus Oduor,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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I need cactus pear and milk thistle in abundance

I am looking for cactus pear and milk thistle in bulk. Kindly advice and if possible share contacts.

-Emily Kerubo, Nairobi

Cactus pear or prickly pear grows in dry areas of Kenya and is also used as fence.

Though it is not good for animals, it has many uses like making juice, jam, wine, oil and biogas. You can get cactus pear from Twala Women Group in Laikipia, contact them on [email protected] or 0727 845123. Milk thistle is a weed and so it grows on its own.

You can also advertise on social or print media and I am sure you will get farmers from whom you can buy cactus and milk thistle as they grow in various regions in the country.

Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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ABCs of giving a heifer mineral salt

Which is the best salt for heifers?

Kelvin Kiarie

A cow that has not borne a calf is called a heifer. When the heifers reach 65-70 per cent of mature body weight, it should be served.

The heifer must show signs like mounting, restlessness, standing to be mounted, swollen vulva and nervousness.

These signs are regulated by hormones. To develop them, oestrus hormones minerals are required. They include sodium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, selenium, zinc, iodine, cobalt and molybdenum.

Check for the list of the minerals in the salt package to ensure your heifer meets its mineral requirements. The quantities to be given are part of the label. They vary from one manufacturer to another.

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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Keeping kienyeji chickens

There are quite a number of improved Kienyeji chickens on the market. I know of Kuroiler, Kenbro, Sasso, Rainbow and Kari Kienyeji, but I am at a crossroads, which one should I go for?
-Farmer

Indigenous chickens are dual-purpose, meaning they are kept for both meat and eggs. They are hardy birds, and therefore resistant to common diseases and they can survive in a vast majority of the environments in Kenya.

However, they have challenges, like a slow growth rate compared to exotic birds. Scientists have tried to improve them through selection and cross-breeding. Buy your initial population of Kienyeji chickens from a reputable research institution, company or farm.

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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My cow is producing very little milk.

I am a beginner in dairy farming. I bought a five months in-calf cow last month. I feed it on napier grass, maize stalks and harvested natural grass plus dairy meal. The cow doesn't like the natural grass even when mixed with molasses.

Its milk production is too low, 1.5 litres per day. The initial owner said he had injected it for drying. How can I feed it for maximum milk production now and after calving?

-Jones Mutunga

The success of dairy cow production is based on genetics and management of your herd. When venturing into dairy cow production, one must do a background check on the kind of animals available and their cost.

This will be pegged to the farmer’s interest in either milk volumes or milk quality. Management of the animals involves housing, health and feeding issues.

For napier and natural grasses, ensure that the forages are chopped and fed through the trough to avoid wastage.

For the maize stalks, soak them in water or molasses before feeding. This will help reduce low quality, highly fibrous feed materials in the diet. The cow’s diet should contain 70 per cent energy and 30 per cent protein.

Two months to calving down, that is from the seventh month, steam your cow. This means giving extra feed of high-quality concentrates at a rate of 2-5 kilos per day depending on the condition of the in-calf animal.

Mineral supplementation is key to ensure that the cow has enough minerals for calf development and also for milk production. Clean fresh water should be given always without restrictions.

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University

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Preparing quality bokashi fertiliser

Please advise me on how to make bokashi fertiliser, especially on the quantities required for the various products, that is, bones, rice husks, chicken manure, charcoal dust and virgin soil.

Is there any other product required? Can one use oat straw instead of rice husks?

-Kareithi Kamau

Bokashi is a Japanese name referring to organic fertiliser and has been introduced in Kenya by the Japan International Corporation Agency. The agency even trains farmers on its preparation.

Bokashi fertilisers are very good soil amendment materials that boost fertility status.

They improve the conditions physically and chemically, and increase microbial composition of the soil. This is because their goal is to boost microbial multiplication.

There are two types of Bokashi fertilisers, that is, fermented and kitchen. The difference is basically in the materials used during preparation.

For fermented, materials used include dried manure (about 65 per cent) to provide the plant required nutrients (can be from cow, goat, sheep, goat or chicken), forest virgin soils (20 per cent) to provide favourable living environments for the micro-organisms that facilitate the fermentation process, rice husks charcoal (5-10 per cent) and finally, rice bran (about 15 per cent), which provide carbohydrates to the beneficial micro-organisms.

To facilitate faster fermentation, though this is optional, you can add indigenous micro-organisms or effective micro-organisms.

After collection, the materials are mixed from time to time using a spade or shovel while adding reasonable amounts of water.

Kitchen Bokashi is composed of non–fatty kitchen leftovers that are added to the normal compost. The leftovers should mainly be of fruits and vegetables. Few meat and bones are recommended and in case added, thorough decomposition is needed.

These should then be vermin-composted, that is, earthworms should be used to break down the waste. Fermentation of this type is done under anaerobic conditions.

Yes, oat straw can be used instead of rice husks, depending on the availability, since they will serve the same purpose.

Sillus Oduor,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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Growing chives in Nyandarua

I’m Paul Mbua from Nyandarua County and I am interested in chives farming. Can they do well in the region and where can I get seedlings?

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) is a cool-season perennial crop that belongs to the family alliaceae together with onions. It grows well in areas with a temperature of 15-30°C.

If the temperature is very low, chives tend to grow very slowly. They require well-drained soils that are rich in organic matter and with a pH of 6-7.

Chives also need exposure to full sunlight. Nyandarua is quite cold, so you can grow them in a greenhouse to do well.
Chives are planted from seeds that are available from firms like Premier Seed and Amiran Kenya Ltd.

The seeds are first grown in a nursery bed and transplanted after four weeks to the main field.

Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University

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I need fruit fly traps

Please advise me on where I can buy fruit fly traps for my five grafted mango trees.

-Duncan Muthiora

Fruit fly traps are available from different companies in Kenya. You can get them from Kenya Biologics Ltd or the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service.

Carol Mutua
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.