- In ASAL, climate-smart farmers urged to grow sorghum, grain amaranth, cowpeas, range grasses, lucern fodder and other crops.
- Some grasses can increase milk production and others can increase meat production, while tolerating heat and little moisture
Image: AGATHA NGOTHO
Seed companies have been urged to mass-multiply seeds to help farmers plant new climate-smart crop and grass varieties.
The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation last week held a farmers field day in Kiboko in Makueni county to introduce drought-resistant crops and grasses.
Albanas Mwangangi from Kibwezi said he grows four grass varieties.
“I do seed multiplication for different pasture varieties. Currently, I have about four grass varieties and produced seeds that farmers can buy and plant,” he said.
Mwangangi also produces and sells hay.
He said specific types of grass help increase milk production and others increase meat production.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr Kipronoh Ronoh urged farmers to invest in the new climate-smart crops and grass varieties such as sorghum, amaranth, cowpeas and range grasses.
Ronoh said the launch of climate-smart technologies developed by Kalro under the AgriFi project is a milestone in the journey towards a sustainable future.
The AgriFI Kenya support to Climate Smart Agricultural Productivity Project, co-funded by the EU and the Kenyan government, aims to support Kalro’s research on climate-smart agricultural technologies.
The Sh938 million (€ 6.5 million) project includes a Sh721.4 million (€5 million) EU grant support and Sh216 million is government financing
The project became effective on January 4, 2019 and is being implemented by Kalro in collaboration with its partners.
“By introducing new dryland crops and pasture varieties, we can improve the productivity and resilience of our agricultural sector, even in the face of severe soil moisture deficits,” Ronoh said.
“These new varieties have been developed through extensive research and farmer trials and have been shown to perform well in our ASALs,” he said.
The PS said the ministry is committed to promoting and enhancing food and nutrition security.
It also creates wealth and jobs and reduces by providing efficient and effective support services.
Ronoh acknowledged development partners such as the EU and other collaborators for their valuable collaboration and support.
Kalro director Dr Eliud Kireger said the project is targeting 500,000 smallholder farmers and pastoralists.
He said it strives to develop drought-resistant crops, enhance technology adoption and foster market linkages.
“We endeavour to advance agriculture research and development through the development of agricultural technologies and innovations. These can help counter the effects of climate change. The development of Climate Smart Agriculture technologies emerges as a solution, aligning climate resilience with food security,” Kireger said.
“Kalro’s drylands research programme has been instrumental, developing numerous crop varieties suited for Asals. The AgriFI project enhances these efforts, addressing climate challenges head-on.”
Researchers showcased to farmers from Makueni and Machakos counties some of the dryland technologies developed by Kalro, including sorghum, cowpeas, grain amaranth, green grams and pasture varieties.
The researchers urged farmers and stakeholders to adopt the technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and food security.
Dr Samuel Mbuku, Kalro Naivasha centre director, said the high cost of livestock feed had adversely affected milk and meat production.
He said the introduction of several varieties of grass, sorghum and lucerne fodder, which are climate-smart, is a game changer in the sector.
“Kalro has already introduced climate-smart fodder as one way of increasing milk and meat production and addressing the deficit that the country is facing,” Mbuku said.
Image: AGATHA NGOTHO