Hope for rice farmers as KALRO develops new high-yielding variety

Kenya has developed a new high-yielding hybrid rice variety meant to enhance food security, a visiting delegation of farmers from three countries heard on Wednesday. 

The delegation from Mozambique, Madagascar and Uganda is in Kenya to learn about rice processing, rice seed production and good agricultural practices.

Kenya is one of the leading rice-producing countries in Africa. Most of the rice is grown in the expansive Mwea Irrigation Scheme in Kirinyaga County.

The delegation toured the scheme and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) station at Kimbimbi and the giant Nice Rice Millers Company, which processes most of the rice from the scheme.

Dr Emily Gichuhi, a KARLO rice plant breeder, took the delegation through the process of developing the new variety, which can do well in other African countries.

It took eight years for scientists based at KARLO’s Mwea station to develop the semi-aromatic variety called Komboka, which is resistant to drought and diseases.

The variety is higher-yielding than the old Basmati variety, said Dr Gichuhi.
Komboka has been released to some farmers in the Mwea scheme, Bura, Tana River and Taita Taveta.

Increase production

Many farmers have been educated on the need to plant the new variety to increase production, Dr Gichuhi said.

Kenya now depends on imports because it can't produce enough rice for local consumption.

Rice consumption in Kenya is increasing rapidly annually, hence the need to boost production.

Dr Gichuhi said the government is determined to ensure farmers are well equipped with knowledge to increase production.

The new variety is ideal for lowland areas and is grown under irrigation.

It is a moderate feeder that responds well to nutrients and it is resistant to blast disease.

But farmers are advised to apply recommended rates of fertilisers for the plant to do well.

This new variety takes four months to mature and is easy to thresh.

The delegation observed that Kenya was doing better in rice farming than their countries.

They noted that unlike their countries, Kenyan farmers produce more rice using flood irrigation.

"In Uganda we practise upland rice farming. But we have realised that the flood rice farming practised in Kenya is more profitable,” Mr Ojok Nelson, a member of the delegation from Northern Uganda. 

“We have learnt about the Komboka variety, which is high-yielding and can be grown in any part of Africa." 

Nice Rice Millers Managing Director Njiru Mkombozi said he felt honoured that the delegation had visited his firm.

He said the company is setting up another mill specifically for processing Komboka rice, which local farmers have started growing.

"I know there will be a lot of Komboka rice and I will offer milling services to the farmers," he said.

He praised KARLO for coming up with another variety that will help farmers make more money.

"KARLO is doing well in research on better rice varieties and it should be supported," Mr Mkombozi said.