By Samuel Monene A Kitchen garden or home garden is a garden or area where vegetables, spices or herbs are grown primarily for domestic use. Establishing a kitchen garden provides a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective way to produce fresh, organic food while promoting self-sufficiency. A small plot of land and key materials such as manure […]
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By Elias Biwott Staggered production or sequential cropping is a practice where crops are planted at intervals or steps to ensure a continuous supply of produce over an extended period. This ensures the alignment of output to market demand. When crops are grown for a single large harvest, usually there is wastage, and profitability is
Staggered production: Enhancing farm produce, human nutrition and market stability Read More »
By Elias Biwott Pests and diseases pose significant challenges to global agriculture, threatening crop yields and food security. These threats are exacerbated by climate change, which alters pest behaviours, extends their habitats, and creates favourable conditions for outbreaks. As the global population grows, ensuring sufficient food production becomes increasingly urgent. However, the overuse of synthetic
Pesticidal plants: A sustainable approach to pest control in agriculture Read More »
By Melody Vulifa In Kenya, it is estimated that 3000 tonnes of waste are produced daily, with over 70% being organic waste. To deal with this, various waste management processes have been championed to help transform waste into forms that can be used for economic or environmental benefit. Composting, which can also be termed a
By Kelvin Allan IN KENYA, SWEET potatoes have long been a dietary staple, cherished for their nutritional richness and versatility. However, beyond their traditional consumption, sweet potatoes present abundant business opportunities through value addition. Entrepreneurs in Kenya are increasingly recognizing the potential of sweet potato value-added products, tappinginto diverse markets and creating innovative offerings. In
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By Kelvin Allan SWEET POTATOES CAN be sold fresh, dried or in powder form. The first step in determining how and when to sell the products is conducting a market survey. This is carried out to analyze product pricing, quantities to produce, desired quality of the product, varieties required for the specific market, market segments,
Efficient ways to make the most out of sweet potato roots Read More »
POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT “What can farmers do to increase the shelf life and maintain the quality and add value to maize grains after harvest?” By Eunice Sakong FOOD THAT IS lost means all resources (water, land, energy, labour and capital) that were used to produce that food are wasted. Disposal of food in landfills leads
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By Keziah Otieno In the sun-scorched area of Machakos County’s Mbuuni, where the earth often seems reluctant to yield, Jackson Chalo has orchestrated a remarkable agricultural journey. His journey into pawpaw farming, particularly with the resilient Malkia variety, is not just a tale of cultivation but a testament to perseverance, innovation, and a deep-rooted commitment
Nurturing Nature’s Gold: Jackson Chalo’s Journey in Malkia Pawpaw Farming Read More »
By Mary Kanda Agricultural Technology Development Centre (ATDC) Katumani is a technology development organization under Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development mandated to empower and capacity-build farmers and SMEs in Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, and Kajiado counties on various agricultural technologies with the aim of increasing agricultural production. One of those technologies that is readily accessible
