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: 29 November 2013; Hits: 11700

Cattle rearing hobby propels farmer to top position nationally

A ten year cattle rearing hobby of rearing cattle has transformed into a fully ventured award winning commercial dairy farming, with Kalia Farm becoming a milk powerhouse in the semi arid Ukambani region, and creating dozen jobs in an area buffeted by vagaries of weather.

Dr. Nelson Nyamu the man behind Kalia Farm which was recently voted overall winner in Smallholder Fully Commercialized Farms Category of the National Farmers Awards which were organized by Elgon Kenya Limited and the Ministry of Agriculture dared to invest where hope never existed. His zeal and passion to move agriculture in Machakos County from an agonizing venture to smart farming has earned him international recognition. “Farming is my passion, keeping cows is my forte. I have seen lives transformed. That’s why I am in this to stay,” added an excited Nyamu.

Dr. Nyamu, a physiotherapist by training and the managing director for Physical Therapy Services Limited which runs a private practice that deals with both clinical work and sales of rehabilitation equipment through out the EA region, also doubles up as the Managing Director for Kalia Farm, which he visits on weekends at least twice a month. “Sometimes the work schedule at my clinic is very tight, but I have never failed to go check on the progress of my farm at least two times a month.

This farm is not just a side business, it’s a labour of love, its what gives me purpose in life. I have always had a passion for dairy farming and I am glad I have actualized it. There is no turning back,” Dr. Nyamu added. Kalia Farm which started in 1998 and with just one cow, then moving to six which Dr. Nyamu says by then was just hobby, went fully commercial in 2002. The farm stands on 2.5 acre land with the diary taking about half an acre, a one acre house compound and the rest of land on lucerne bananas and other fruit trees.

For Dr. Nyamu the Lucerne, categorized under wonder shrubs, has been his saving grace at a time when the cost of commercial feeds has been at unprecedented highs. The shrubs are mixed with other feeds and are known to increase milk yields due to their unparalleled nutritional value. “I have saved a lot with these bushes that’s why I tend to them with zeal. Since learning about them and adopting them I have learnt the wonders of upping milk yields,” he added.

Little wonder then that the 105 Holstein Friesian cows that he has managed to produce over 600 liters of milk on average per day which is supplied to various institutions in the county and beyond. His target by next year is to up the yields to1000 a day, which will enable him to start adding value to the milk in order to reap the untapped benefits of value addition. “t is very motivating to mentor and see other farmers come up to diary systems that work very well for them,” said Dr. Nyamu who has now employed 10 employees including a manager, a maintenance guy and a house help.

But the long distance from Nairobi which means getting some inputs has been costly, coupled some of the suppliers for feed concentrates interfering with the quality of the feeds affecting his animal’s production capacity have been his biggest challenge.

Elated about the National Farmers Awards which he hails as a step in the right direction in motivating farmers, Dr. Nyamu says he is in dairy farming to stay and thanks his wife for being the force behind his success. “Success and my love for dairy cows and my family have been my motivation plus striving to prove that in semi-arid areas diary can do very well since the milk price is always better. Hard work pays and excellence comes from doing the same thing right many times,” he concluded.

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: 28 November 2013; Hits: 10990

Barley rises as crop of choice as farmers seek new frontiers

As vanguard farmers explore various ways of maximizing on land use and reaping more from farming, cereal production seem to be their forte. But forget the traditional maize and beans, a new crop has been in the offing that is turning farmers into overnight millionaires.

Barley which is sought after by beer companies as one of the prime ingredients in the making of beer, is enjoying impressive uptake by farmers with the jump in its cultivation having shot by over 60 percent in the last four years.

Interestingly though, while it traditionally was farmed by large scale farmers, a new trend where beer companies have chosen to give incentives to smallholder farmers has seen both yield and acreage under production go sky high.

But the farmers are still hedging themselves from market vagaries by growing the barley side by side with other traditional cereals like maize and beans. Behind towering lushes of barley plantations is the story of Douglas Nderi a smallholder farmer in Narok county whose 4 acre piece of land has made a turnaround since he embraced barley farming.

After receiving a visit from officials at East African Malting Limited, a subsidiary of East African Breweries Limited he was convinced of the potential that lay in this venture. He has never regretted setting aside three acres for barley production. Each acre fetches Sh15,000. His is a classic example of how vanguard farmers are hedging themselves from the vagaries of volatile markets for traditional cereals like maize. He has an assured market including insurance of his crop and subsidised farm inputs such as fertiliser and seeds.

He represents thousands of farmers now delving into barley farming buoyed by encouraging returns. A 90 kilogramme bag is bought at Sh3,285 compared to maize that fetches Sh1,900 for the same quantity.

Rift Valley province where Narok falls under has led the country in reaping the fortunes of barley farming, with the area under cultivation of the crop in the region increasing from 3,012 hectares to 21,630 hectares while the production has gone up from 92,434 bags to 627,705 bags last season.
The rise and rise of the cereal crop comes as other crops like maize and wheat record appallingly as new diseases and unpredictable weather takes toil on yields.

At the same time wheat production in the country is expected to decline this season due to the ongoing heavy rains that has interrupted harvesting of the crop in the South Rift region. The dangerous Ug 99 disease and wheat rust has eaten into farmers’ pockets as it subjects them to extra costs in containing the spread of the disease.

Sub-division of large wheat farms into smaller uneconomical plots, inadequate of certified seeds and attack by migratory birds especially quelea birds has contributed to decline production of the crop.

But even as barley continues to bask in glory, experts are only guaranteeing farmers of sustained yields if they take good care of the crop which is susceptible to attacks. But with the right arsenals like Impact Fungicide, and Eazole, distributed by Elgon Kenya Limited farmers can concentrate on upping yield as pest control is assured.

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: Market; 28 February 2022; Hits: 5627

Russia's invasion of Ukraine to push fertiliser & food prices even higher

price increase sign

By George Munene

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is expected to further push up the price of fertilisers and foodstuffs in Kenya.

As a net fertiliser importer, taking in Sh4B worth of fertiliser from Russia in 2020, with the rest coming from the US, Ukraine, and China, Kenyan farmers are expected to be hard hit by disruption in production, rising gas prices and sanctions levied on Russia owing to its invasion of Ukraine. Russia, the world’s largest

Nitrogen fertiliser exporter had already prohibited the export of nitrogen fertilisers until April. The prices of Nitrogen-based fertiliser which make up 56% of total global consumption such as Urea (up 95% from last year), UAN32 (up 144%), UAN28 (up 146%), and anhydrous (up 181%) are expected to rise even further.

Russia and Ukraine are also major grain exporters making up about ⅓ of the global wheat export. According to UN Comtrade, Kenya imported Sh16B worth of wheat and Sh0.9B in maize from Russia 2020. From Ukraine, the country imported Sh1.8B in Soyabean, wheat, and maize worth Sh1B worth, Sh0.65B in vegetables, and a further Sh0.43B in sunflower seed and seed oil.

The price of wheat and other grains has soared since Russia invaded its neighbor with major food makers such Nestle, Mondelēz, and Carlsberg suspending operations in their companies and warehouses sited in Ukraine.

The situation is expected to be even direr for heavy wheat-consuming countries in Africa that import from the warring nations. “The disruption of grain exports from Ukraine and Russia could possibly lead to physical food shortages, particularly in countries that typically buy from the two Eastern European countries impacting millions of people in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. These food shortages could have political consequences as food shortages often lead to uprisings,” elucidated Patrick Boyle, founder of UK-based hedge fund Palomar Capital Management.

While other major grain producers could plant more grain to offset this shortage, that would be dependent on the availability and cost of fertilisers.

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