By Sonja Leitner, David Ngome and Daniel Mulat Animal manure is a valuable resource in the farm as it contains important nutrients that are vital for plant growth. Today there is a growing trend of farmers who do not have livestock in their farms purchasing animal manure from farmers with livestock. This is because animal […]
Experts’ advice on manure handling Read More »
By Beritah Mutune Introduction On May 20, 2021, the world was celebrating The World Bee Day, to acknowledge the role played by bees in food production and life sustenance. One out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of pollinators, including many fruits and vegetables. Healthy ecosystems also depend on pollinators. Pollinators
Let us protect the bees Read More »
Fall Armyworm is an insect pest that attacks more than 80 Varieties of crops but primarily attacks Maize. Fall armyworm larvae attack maize plants at all stages. When the larvae feed on young maize plants, they can kill the growing point and as a result, no new leaves or cobs will develop. In older maize
Fall Armyworm Factsheet Read More »
Icipe scientist Dr. Jeremy Herren and his team have identified a new microbe, named Microsporidia MB that can prevent mosquitoes from being infected by malaria parasites. This microbe can be used to block the transmission of malaria parasites from mosquito vectors to human.
ICIPE microbe research the breakthrough in the prevention of malaria Read More »
Amaranth sprouts freely as a weed, and continues to gain popularity, especially in Europe, where it has been categorised as a superfood. This annual, fast-growing plant, popular in many rural homes in Kenya, has over 70 species, which are used as vegetables, grains, and to create attractive ornaments. Amaranth is rich in magnesium, phosphorus, calcium,
How to tap amaranth’s nutritious value Read More »
Most people will throw away the messy remnants from burning firewood, including the ash. It is because they do not know that what they consider as waste can be beneficial in their farms. Ash, especially for an organic farmer, is a very important asset. There are many types of ashes but the ash from wood
The benefits of ash on the farm Read More »
Coriander, also known as dhania or Cilantro, is a multipurpose crop used in cooking in many Kenyan households. Coriander is majorly grown for leaves, but some farmers extend this to produce seeds. Dhania is used to make kachumbari, a popular accompaniment for Kenyan meals or can be chopped up and added to stews, vegetable salads,
How to grow popular ‘dhania’ spice Read More »
One of the marks that distinguish a good organic farmer is the ability to acknowledge that not all small organisms on the farm are pests that, in fact, some are precious and highly beneficial. Earthworms fall into this category of beneficial organisms. There are over 1,000 species of earthworms in the world, with different physical
The incredible role of worms on your farm Read More »
Their beauty and functionality make these gardens an asset to anyone wishing to create a kitchen garden.If you have some space in your home and have been wondering what to do with it, then you should consider creating a mandala garden. Apart from its beauty, in this kind of garden, vegetables are planted in circles
Making Mandala kitchen gardens Read More »
Compost is organic matter made of mainly plant materials that have decayed. Compost manure supplies soil with both macro and micronutrients. Inorganic fertilisers often provide a few nutrients per product. Therefore, for more sustainable production, compost works well.While plant materials and other organic waste can decompose naturally and get incorporated into the soil, composting hastens
How to make good compost Read More »
