Feedback: Tips on starting goat, cricket and fruit farms
Goats in a farm in Kitale. Goats have fast growth rates, are quite hardy, can survive on a variety of forage, have higher prolificacy and require little space to keep. FILE PHOTO | NMG
What you need to know:
- Toggenburg breed thrives well in medium to high agricultural potential environment giving high quantity milk next to Saanen breed.
- In contract farming, farmers provide land and labour while the contracting company gives farmers inputs and a ready market for their products.
- Business planning is a key component for any business venture. Apart from playing a key role when raising funds, a business plan also provides direction for running your business and offers a platform to express your innovation as an agripreneur and to communicate to third parties.
WHERE CAN YOU BUY TOGGENBURG GOATS
Kindly advise on where I can buy Toggenburg goats.
Joseph Wanjohi
You can never go wrong with dairy goats rearing if management decisions are good. Goats have fast growth rates, are quite hardy, can survive on a variety of forage, have higher prolificacy and require little space to keep.
More specifically, the Toggenburg breed thrives well in medium to high agricultural potential environment giving high quantity milk next to Saanen breed.
For a good animal, get in touch with Tharaka Nithi Goat Breeders Association, Meru Goat Breeders Association or Dairy Goat Association of Kenya.
Felix Akatch Opinya,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University.
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I WANT TO KEEP CRICKETS
I would like to start commercial cricket farming. Kindly link me to an institution which offers short-term training on the farming.
If possible, please give me the contact for Mr Charles Odira of M/s Mixa Cricket Pen in Kisumu.
Walter Apiyo Apiyo-Jaseme
Cricket farming is a small capital venture with promising returns. Godfrey Were and Francis Gichuho, all from the Department of Dairy, Food Science and Technology, have done alot of research on cricket rearing and value addition.
Therefore, there are number of suggestions we need to sit down with you to address before we advise on how to start and manage this cricket rearing and possible value addition. Therefore, for more information contact me on 0716161592.
Godfrey Were,
Department of Dairy, Food Science and Technology, Egerton University.
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CROPS IN MAU-SUMMIT
Which is the best horticulture crop to grow in Mau-Summit, Molo?
Partet Samwel
You can grow crops like potatoes, cabbage, garden peas, beetroot, sukuma wiki, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, courgettes, pumpkin, amaranthus, spider plant, nightshade and tree tomato.
Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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I NEED AVOCADO SEEDLINGS
I am looking for avocado seedlings.
Morris Wambua
You can get quality avocado seedlings from Kalro Horticulture Research Institute, Seed Unit in Thika. You can get more information from [email protected]
A man displays avocado seedlings. You can get quality avocado seedlings from Kalro Horticulture Research Institute, Seed Unit in Thika. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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PASSION FRUIT SEEDLINGS
Where would you recommend I get grafted purple passion fruit seedlings from around Kisumu?
Phelix Imbo, Siaya
You can get grafted purple passion fruits from Kalro, Kibos (Kisumu). For more information please contact them through [email protected]
Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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CONTRACT FARMING FOR SUGARSNAP
I am in Nyahururu and I’ve been looking for the contact of any company that deals with sugar snaps and contracts out-growers.
Muraya Mkenya
In contract farming, farmers provide land and labour while the contracting company gives farmers inputs and a ready market for their products.
In this case, farmers are sure of a market for their produce and this curbs exploitation by middlemen. If the sugar snap peas are of low quality, they will be rejected because they are for export.
East African Growers Company is one of the firms that contract farmers to grow sugar snap. You can get more information by contacting them through [email protected]
Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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MARKET FOR PAWPAWS
I am looking for a reliable papaya market as I am growing them in huge numbers.
Alex Kithinzi, Machakos
You cannot lack market for papayas because the fruits are sold and consumed locally and there is a high demand for them.
Fruit salad vendors, open air market and supermarkets are some of the places to sell. The fruits are also exported. You can also advertise your papaya through social media. You can also transport your papayas to urban centres like Nairobi.
You cannot lack market for papayas because the fruits are sold and consumed locally and there is a high demand for them. FILE PHOTO | NMG
There is also the Kenya Papaya Products Limited in Vihiga County which processes pawpaws into different products but they have a specific variety they require and it has to be organically produced. You can contact them through [email protected]
Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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MAKING A WINNING BUSINESS PLAN
I am looking for professional help to develop a business plan to guide my venture. Please show me the right direction?
Muksie Farming
Business planning is a key component for any business venture. Apart from playing a key role when raising funds, a business plan also provides direction for running your business and offers a platform to express your innovation as an agripreneur and to communicate to third parties.
We are in a position to offer professional advice in business planning; including training in its development. Other areas of our specialisation include agri-data analysis and general agribusiness consultancy.
For professional advice or even development of business plans, please send me an email on [email protected].
Dickson Otieno,
Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture and Agribusiness Management-CESAAM, Egerton University.
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SWEET POTATO MARKET
If I plant sweet potatoes on my half-acre, can I get market for the produce?
Omwami Ashiali, Nanyuki
Sweet potato has ready market throughout the year, however, you have to research and be knowledgeable on the preference of your target market.
Half-an-acre can yield up to 50 bags (110kg bag) depending on the variety and prevailing environmental conditions thus the need of studying the market.
Sweet potato has ready market throughout the year, however, you have to research and be knowledgeable on the preference of your target market. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Muriuki Ruth Wangari,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.
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I WANT TO WORK WITH AN EXPERT
I am a small-scale livestock farmer with a dream to go commercial. I wish to interact with an expert at Egerton University and if there’s a dairy farm within the institution, I will appreciate to visit and interact with the farm manager.
Looking forward to an interactive session.
Anthony Maina
Investing in dairy pays and seeking professional advice is the best way to go lest you make concrete mistakes. Apart from research, Egerton University also hosts professional businesses in the agricultural value chain.
For instance, The Udder agribusiness is a company that interacts with dairy investors in this chain. We offer dairy advisory services like site visits and investment plans, cow barn designs, dairy farm assessments and trainings.
Paying us a visit will expose you to some of the standard operating procedures in dairy and make you practical and goal oriented.
I will make you an initiation call but you can also write to [email protected] for corporate engagements.
Felix Akatch Opinya,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University.
