Brief news on agriculture and agribusiness from across the country

Search for best farmer kicks off

The search for the best farmer in the country this year kicks off next week. Farmers are expected to enter their agribusinesses in the competition known as the National Farmers Awards Scheme run by agro-input firm Elgon Kenya Ltd and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The scheme has consistently been growing since its inception in 2013. The overall winner will be honoured by the president at the Nairobi International Traded Fair, then feted in a gala dinner.

Entry forms should be collected at Ministry of Agriculture offices, county offices, Nation Media’s seeds of gold and also online through www.elgonkenya.com or www.hortinews.co.ke.

“The awards scheme has reached farmers in virtually every corner of the country and inspiring others to farm,” said Nelson Maina, the communications head at Elgon Kenya Ltd. Other key sponsors of the scheme are Nation Media Group through Seeds of Gold, Bayer East Africa, UPL, Arysta, Excel Crop Care Limited, BASF and FMC.

– Brian Okinda

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Researchers fight it out for African union Sh900m grant

The African Union will allocate Sh900 million to researchers in the continent to finance projects that aims at eradicating hunger and ensure food and nutrition security.

Top agricultural institutions led by Egerton University are angling for the grant. Other institutions fighting to beat the May 22 deadline for submission of proposal include Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, University of Nairobi, Kalro and Multi Media University.

Speaking at Egerton University, Njoro during the open call for proposal for 2018, the Principal Scientific officer at the AU grant unit at the Department of Research Science and Technology, Dr Monica Ebele Idinoba, said the overall objective of the call is to make good use of science and technology and innovation in the critical agricultural sector.

The total cost of any proposal shall comprise between a minimum of Sh50million and Sh100million.

– Francis Mureithi

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Govt asked to revamp extension services, mechanise farming

The government has been challenged to promote mechanisation on smallholder farms, revamp agricultural extension services, connect farmers with markets and improve water supply to boost national food security.

“We need to increase productivity of land, labour and other inputs. We need to increase mechnisation of in smallholder farms,” FAO Country Representative to Kenya Gabriel Rugalema said at the devolution conference in Kakamega.

Safaricom’s Director of Entreprise Business Unit Rita Okuthe told delegates that mobile technology can help the country to accelerate the pace to food security through production and analysis of data and access to markets.

UN Women Regional Policy Advisor on Climate Smart Agriculture Fatmata Sessay said that women must be brought to the centre of the agriculture debate to boost production.

– Correspondent

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Maize farmers tipped on how to fight the deadly fall armyworm
Maize farmers in Kisumu have been advised to implement integrated pest management approach to control the fall armyworm.

The approach aims at suppressing the pest population below the economic injury levels. The fall armyworm poses a serious threat to food security and livelihoods to farmers.

Kisumu County Director for Agriculture Silvester Oketch said the approach controls the population of the adult moths that lay eggs hatch into destructive worms.

“By reducing the population you would have less armyworms to control with the chemicals available in the agrovets,” said Mr Oketch.

“Fall armyworms are new in Kenya, in other countries, they have been controlled using pheromones traps which target the adult moths or butterflies which lay eggs,” he explained, adding traps have chemicals that attract and kills male moths.

– Elizabeth Ojina