- Mwabe has opened up 30 acres to sorghum farming after Cereal Growers Association gave them certified fast growing seeds and trained them on how to maximise profit.
- Maurice Mauko, another farmer said they are currently defying harsh weather conditions to grow a crop that has proved it can flourish in areas where tobacco failed.
Image: MANUEL ODENY
Migori county farmers have revived abandoned tobacco farmlands for sorghum farming, which enjoys a ready market from brewers.
Land that has been lying fallow in Nyatike and Suna West subcounties has seen a high uptake of sorghum farming.
“Tobacco farming has been faced with frustrations and unpredictable markets after firms collapsed with the few existing ones taking ages to pay farmers,” former university of Nairobi lecturer Phillip Mwabe said.
Mwabe has opened up 30 acres to sorghum farming after Cereal Growers Association gave them certified fast growing seeds and trained them on how to maximise profit.
“We found a new cash crop and I harvested close to 1,000 tons of the crop after EABL refurbished their plant in Kisumu. Cost of production of sorghum is better and profits are steadier than tobacco,” he said.
He said an acre of land produces between 20 to 30 bags of sorghum depending on the input and takes about three months to mature.
“It is even better than maize, less labour intensive yet with high yields as weeding is done once,” Mwabe said.
Mwabe says he seeks to expand the venture to one hundred acres in the next season “after the trial phase proved successful.”
“A farmer can get up to Sh80,000 from an acre since a kilogram is sold at Sh37 and an acre produces up to 25 bags each weighing 90 kilos,” he explained.
Maurice Mauko, another farmer said they are currently defying harsh weather conditions to grow a crop that has proved it can flourish in areas where tobacco failed.
Farmers said they are growing the white sorghum variety used in the production of East Africa Breweries Limited’s Senator Keg beer.
“Our main challenge is invasion by birds especially for small scale farmers, we have established igneous ways of coping up,” Mauko said.
Farmers have infused plastic bottles filled with pebbles which are hung across the farm on lines which when shaken by the wind makes noises scaring away birds.
“We also have solar powered bird scare equipment which are installed with eagles and kites(common predators for smaller birds) sounds, this keeps them off our farms,” Mauko said.
John Ouma, another farmer from Nyatike has gone large-scale, using his 16 acres for sorghum farming.
“Sorghum is far much better compared to sugarcane and tobacco. Despite harsh climatic conditions, it takes a short time to mature and has positive returns,” he said.
County Cereal Growers Association agribusiness co-ordinator Caleb Magambo said Migori, Siaya and Busia counties have registered 3,867 new sorghum farmers.
The farmers are putting between two and 15 acres under sorghum.
“Farmers are willing to plant crops but when they fail to get ready market they lose hope. That’s why we are partnering with Kenya Breweries to provide a market,” he said.
Magambo noted that CGA projected that the farmers will supply between 6,500 and 8,000 tonnes of threshed grain.
“Farmers were advised to use higher-yielding, faster-maturing Sila varieties, which takes 75 days to mature, and majority have embraced it,” he said.
The introduction of the crop as an alternative to poor-performing and low-paying maize has continued to net more farmers in the region.
Those contracted are advised to improve soil fertility with legumes such as soya beans, whose industrial demand offers equally promising returns.
Many of the farmers are, however, yet to realise the potential of 12 to 15 90 kilogram bags per acre.
Experts largely blame this on underdeveloped agribusiness practices such as proper farm preparation and management, use of fertiliser, pests and birds control and post harvest handling.