Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
More than 200 farmers within the Bura Irrigation Scheme have abandoned 'loss-making' watermelon farming for sunflowers.
The farmers are expecting to harvest 1,050 tonnes of sunflowers from 300 acres over the next one month. The produce will be bought by Bidco Africa Limited.
This is the first time farmers are planting sunflowers and they are optimistic the crop will help improve their livelihoods.
Farmer Hamza Kadilo said the crop was introduced in the area in May this year by Concern Worldwide.
The non-governmental organisation also linked them to the market.
He said they expect to sell a kilo of sunflower seeds for between Sh40 and Sh45. One and half acres can produce between 3,000 and 3,500 kilos of sunflower seeds.
Kadilo said they abandoned watermelon farming, which was loss-making.
“Since we started sunflower farming, we have invested less money compared to what we used to spend in growing watermelons,” he said.
Kadilo said he has invested Sh15,000 for one and a half acres and hopes to make Sh60,000 from one acre.
He said he used to spend Sh30,000 per season on one and a half acres of watermelon, which is twice the amount he is using to grow sunflowers.
He, however, said they have been facing water challenges, which forced him to abandon three out of the 12 acres he planted.
Kadilo said he hopes to increase the number of acres next season.
The farmer said sunflower farming is not labour-intensive.
Abubakar Mwalimu teamed up with six friends to plant 12 acres of sunflowers. They, however, lost two acres due to water scarcity.
“Sunflower farming is promising because I spent only Sh16,000 compared to what I used to spend on maize and other crops whose cost exceeded Sh30,000 per season,” he said.
Mwalimu said the crop matures in two and a half months.
He said he paid Sh5,000 to lease one and a half acres and a similar amount for water for the entire season.
Mwalimu spent another Sh5,000 on land preparation.
Bura Irrigation Scheme manager Peter Orwa advised farmers to stop overreliance on one crop, saying it is risky.
He said diversification cushions farmers in case one crop fails.
“The farmers have for long been planting watermelon, but the market has not been favourable. This was the same case with maize,” Orwa said.
He said they introduced various crops so that farmers can try all of them and spread out the risks of production.
Orwa said the water scarcity problem will soon be a thing of the past following the construction of a Sh7 billion gravity water system which is being implemented in Kora Kora area.