Hydroponics, Aquaponics & Aeroponics farming technologies

Kenya’s forest cover has progressively reduced from 10% at independence in 1963 to less than 3% presently. This situation is a result of massive deforestation, particularly for farming without replacing the plants. This has had a huge negative effect on the water towers and subsequently food security. Africa and the entire world are just waking up to the reality of the impacts of climate change. This means there is urgent need to adapt our agriculture practices to climate change, by departing from traditional methods of farming. Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Aeroponics are innovations whose time has come, and they are invaluable for global poverty and hunger alleviation. These modern farming systems are advantageous in that they conserve water and minimize use of pesticides on plants. They are also environment friendly and inclined to organic farming and the resulting produce is low in agrochemicals residue, healthy to consume and fetches better prices in the market. These systems are vital for addressing most of the current global challenges of the agriculture industry

The word hydroponics is derived from two Greek words hydro and ponos which means labour. Rather than growing plants in the soil media, hydroponics involves growing plants in a nutrient-rich solution. In hydroponics the growing medium is a pH adjusted water solution. The plants nutrients dissolved in the water and are absorbed easily by the plants. According to proven research findings, plants roots absorb nutrients easier when dissolved in water than when in the soil. In some cases inert media are used to hold the roots e.g. sand, gravel, perlite, vermiculite, rockwool, coir, coconut husks, sawdust and peatmos .Hydroponics method of farming is economical in that it requires reduced water, reduced fertilizer and pesticides leading to consumer friendly produce with minimal chemical residue levels, which commands better market prices. Furthermore hydroponics requires minimal space and can be easily practiced in urban areas. Hydroponics system therefore addresses food security by providing  affordable, locally-grown vegetables. For small holders with limited land, the modern system is ideal. Hydroponics system is not only low cost and easy to use, but can be optimized for high yields using minimal resources. Furthermore pests and diseases are easy to control without the use of pesticides, crops are easier to harvest, there’s no nutrients leaching, and the water can be reused.

Aquaponics is similar to hydroponics the difference being growing of plants is combined with fish farming. The fish’s waste provides rich organic manure to the plants which in turn provides oxygen for the fish, a typical symbiotic relationship. In ancient China and Thailand, the Aztecs are known to have practiced aquaponics farming system whereby rice farming was done alongside fish farming. Last but not least aeroponics is growing of plants in the air in which case the roots are suspended in a closed space and sprayed with a nutrient rich solution and then left to grow in no medium.  It saves a lot of water in addition to easy control of pests and diseases. This leads to healthy organic produce.For more information read the following links 

1. http://yagrein.blogspot.com/2013/01/green-house-farming-technology.html
2. Hydroponics and Plant Nutrients
3. Shirley Cox

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Small scale potatoes growing business in Kenya

Potato Crisps:Snack

Potatoes are one of the most popular multipurpose vegetables grown by Kenyan farmers’. They are great for crisps,frying, roasting and mashing. To find out the seed tuber variety suitable for your area you can either consult agriculture experts, or conduct a research among the farmers’ in your area asking them what variety performs well in the local soils and what they like to grow. Growing potatoes is easy, profitable and gives returns within 3 months. This may be the crop you have been waiting for. Under good management, you can harvest 160 bags [100kg bags] per acre piece of land and sell at KES 1,000 per bag. This gives farmers’ total revenue of KES 160,000 less 40,000 production cost to give a cool KES 120,000.The high yielding tuber varieties popular among Kenyan farmers’ include Tigoni, Asante, Kenya mpya, Kenya karibu and sanghi.

In Kenya the farmers’ have a huge business opportunity in growing of certified seed tubers which they can exploit. The demand and sale price of clean seed tubers is far higher than tubers for food. Certified seed sell at KES 3,000 per 100kg bag, which is tripple the prize of food potatoes.  In the year 2010 it was established that Kenya produces only about 1% of the tuber seeds needed by the Farmers’ countrywide. Clean seed is the best start for a good crop yield as has been discovered by most farmers of potatoes. So if farmers’ have an extra piece of land free of bacterial wilt and other diseases of potatoes , they can consult KEPHIS (Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services) to find out how farmers’  join seed tubers growing business. The production of certified seeds can easily be carried out in the farmer’s fields, but will need inspection and certification by KEPHIS in order to attract the high price tag that currently is offered for clean seed.

Potatoes can grow best in cool high altitudes of between 1,500-2,300 metres above sea level. A regular water supply of about 25mm per week is required. Free draining fertile medium loams are preferred for growing the crop since heavy clays restrict tuber growth. Potatoes are planted in furrows at a spacing of 75cm from one furrow to another and 30cm from one tuber to another and 10cm deep. D.A.P fertilizer is mixed in the soil at planting time at a rate of 200kg per acre [about 1kg DAP per 35m of furrow]. Weed and earth up the crops as they grow with the final earthing up done at 25cm high. The two most important diseases of potatoes in Kenya are late blight and bacterial wilt. Late blight can be controlled by planting resistant varieties. Spraying can also be done using recommended fungicides. There is no chemical control for bacterial wilt which is controlled through the use of clean seed, resistant varieties, crop rotation with cereals and field hygiene. Potatoes tuber moth is a major pest common in the farmers’ fields, and can be controlled by spraying recommended insecticides. For  value addition read
http://mfarm.co.ke/blog/post/Another-Goldmine-for-Farmers-in-the-Offing
How to Make Homemade Baked Potato Crisps
http://yagrein.blogspot.com/p/what-are-youth-saying.html

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Bananas for food and nutrition security in Kenya

Bananas are widely grown and consumed in Kenya and all over Africa, by people of all walks of life. Bananas benefits are several as they are delicious, nutritious and medicinal. They are among the most important staple foods in Kenya and entire East Africa. The crop is grown both for local and export market. When unripe this nutritious medicinal fruit , primarily contains starch which makes up 21% of the fruit .However, during the ripening process the starch is converted into sugars such as glucose, sucrose and fructose and  therefore a ripe fruit has 1% starch only. This food is rich in potassium making it ideal for prevention of stroke, arterial hypertension, and colon cancer. Nutritional components of cooking Bananas for every 100g edible portion include:-

NUTRIENT	AMOUNT	NUTRIENT	AMOUNT
Potassium	396mg	Vitamin B6	0.58mg
Phosphorous	20mg	Vitamin C	9mg
Magnesium	29mg	Vitamin B2	0.1mg
Calcium	6mg	Vitamin B1	0.045mg
Iron	0.31mg	Vitamin B3	0.74mg
Energy	92kcal	Vitamin E	0.27mg
Zinc	0.16mg	Vitamin A	8ug RE
Carbohydrates	21g	Foliate	19.1ug
Fiber	2.4g

High amounts of Vitamin B6 also known as pyridoxine helps in metabolism and absorption of fats and proteins, as well as making the red blood cells. Vitamin B6 deficiency is characterized by lesions on the lips, lesions on the corners of the mouth, inflammation of the tongue, and peripheral neuropathy. Generous amounts of Vitamin C which is an antioxidant are present helping the body in calcium metabolism, bone formation and blood vessel walls formation. Vitamin B1 which is in significant amounts is crucial for energy metabolism, supporting appetite and proper functioning of central nervous system.

 Likewise Vitamin B2 helps in energy metabolism, supports normal vision and skin health. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, protecting white and red blood cells membranes. Vitamin E is useful particularly in DNA synthesis and stimulation of the body's immune system. Bananas are very useful for management of diarrhea, stomach ulcers, digestive disorders, protein allergies, colitis and coronary heart disease. Bananas alkalize the blood and eliminate excess uric acid preventing arthritis and gout. Due to its content of soluble and insoluble fiber it’s a cholesterol and lipid lowering food. The sugars contained in bananas are absorbed by the body gradually, therefore preventing sharp rise in blood sugar level making it good for diabetes management. Bananas are also invaluable for strengthening the stomach lining.

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5 Time management tips for achievement of your goals and objectives

Many people around the world struggle daily with meeting deadlines. Poor time management skills and postponement often leads to last minute rush which produces substandard work. The good news is that even professional procrastinators can learn effective time management. Below are 5 time management tips to help you meet your goals and realize your dreams.

1. Divide the work into smaller units: The lesson that we all need to learn is that, a large task can always be more easily accomplished when broken down into small units over a long period of time. If you are given assignment to complete in the next fortnight, the right time to get started is immediately. When you first receive a project, you should make a calendar and break it into four or more evenly spaced parts. Don’t wait until the final deadline date. Give yourself mini-deadline dates per piece and meet them, whatever the cost. Failing to meet one of your own mini-deadlines should not be taken lightly.

2. Plan work days ahead: Focus on events several days ahead of time to improve capacity to handle any potential crises that may come up. It also allows you to set aside a day or two before the final date to polish your project and add finishing touches. Don’t just focus on today but focus on the whole week, the whole month or even the whole year.

3. Work should be organized: Many people fail to meet deadlines because they are people are simply not organized. In the era of technology of smart phones and cloud computing, there’s simply no excuse to be disorganized. Technology is your Friend in getting organized. Simply enter your events in your calendar to help you keep aware of all current deadlines. Calendars and documents can also be shared and edited by collaborators, which makes working with a team easier. File documents neatly in your computer or other storage. People often waste time searching pieces of their work when they are not organized. Searching poorly organized documents is time wasting .Good self-discipline is a reflection of good organizational skills.

4. Reward yourself for every achievement you attain: Procrastinating work leads to panic and last minute rush and stress as the deadline approaches. A simple way to strengthen meeting your own mini-deadlines is to reward yourself for every achievement. If you completed the first phase of the project ahead of time, reward yourself with a nice dinner, a night out or any good gifts are examples of rewards. If necessary, note this down under each deadline. If you lack the necessary self-discipline you will need a partner who oversees your day-to-day activities to ensure you never depart from your course.

 
5. Ensure you prepare to meet short notice deadlines: Short-notice deadlines are a common occurrence and you should be ready to meet them. These occur at every workplace, displeasing employees and managers alike. Effective time management strategies discussed in this article will be of great help.

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French beans growing

French beans are a major export crop in Kenya whose local consumption is gradually being adopted. The crop is popularly grown by both large and smallholder farmers. French beans are immature green pods which are referred to as snap or green beans. It is recommended to be grown on small scale with staggered planting due to its intensive labour requirements. It is cultivated both for fresh consumption and processing mainly canning and freezing. The optimum temperature range for growing French beans is 20-25ºC and an altitude range of 1,000-2,1000M.Rainfed cultivation is possible in areas with well distributed medium to high rainfall of 900-1,200 per year, but supplementary irrigation is required to maintain continuous production during off season. French beans performs best on well drained silty loams to heavy clay soil high in organic matter contents with slightly acidic to slightly alkaline PH of 6.5-7.5.

Varieties grown in Kenya are determined by market preference and includes monel, Gloria, Claudia, Morgan, Amy coby, espada maasai, Samantha, paulista and nerina. Monel is a high yielding variety with a long picking duration which has been growing Kenya for long. The pods are grayish green, straight, long, round and fleshy. String and seed development is slow making even pods harvested late to qualify for market. Monel French beans Flowers are purple with black seeds. Certified seeds are recommended for French beans growing at a seed rate of 50-60 kg per hectare. With irrigation, all year round production is possible but the main export season is October to May. The land should be ploughed and harrowed properly before direct sowing of the French beans seeds. Planting is carried out in single rows at 30×15cm or double rows at 60×30×10cm single seed per hole. The crop takes 45-50 days from planting to first picking. Farm yard manure is recommended in poor soils at a rate of 10tons/ha applied in planting furrows. 200kg per ha of DAP fertilizer is applied in the furrows and mixed well before planting. At three leaf stage topdressing is carried out with 100kg of CAN and a second application follows at the onset of flowering. Foliar feed should be applied fortnightly from the fourth week to mid podding stage to promote high yields.

However excessive nitrogen promotes growth of leaves instead of pods. Regular watering is essential for promotion of high yields, uniformity and high quality. The crop is sensitive to water stress at flowering .Water logging should also be avoided. Application of 35mm of water per week at planting to 10 days after germination and 50mm thereafter to flowering stage is recommended for good growth of French beans. Timely weed control is absolutely essential. The following pre-emergence herbicides can be used.

1. Lasso 4 EC( Alachlor)-3 litres in 400litres of water per hectare
2. Stomp (Pendimethalin)-2.5 Litres in 400 litres of water per hectare
3. Basagran (Bentazon)-Can be applied post emergence at 2.5-3 litres per hectare for control of broad leaved weeds.

Major pest and diseases in growing of French beans includes fungal diseases, insect attacks and nematodes. Control is mainly by application of recommended pesticides, crop rotation, and use of certified seeds, field hygiene and crop rotation.
http://www.journalofkenyanhorticulture.blogspot.com/2011/04/kenyan-french-bean-production-
http://www.hortibiz.com/detail/article/kenya-starts-export-of-french-beans-to-us/

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Water melon Fruit growing in Kenya

Water melons are delicious red fleshed refreshing fruits commonly eaten as desserts. Its popularity has continued to increase in Kenya’s urban and rural areas alike. Nutritionally it contains vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinamide and ascorbic acid. Water melon grows well in hot dry areas planted under irrigation, although they can grow under rain fed conditions in marginal areas. Production in high rainfall areas is also possible though disease attacks have high prevalence, calling for aggressive disease control efforts. Water melon is grown as a main crop in a rotation program. Varieties common in Kenya & their characteristics include:-

Charleston gray: large fruits, long cylindrical in shape; skin is light grey with fine dark veins with a tough hard skin which allows safe transportation. It has bright red, crisp and sweet flesh.

Chilean black: Oval shaped with high quality flesh red of delicious flavour.

Congo: Rough rind, firm fine grained flesh, anthracnose disease resistant. Fruits are oblong, blocky, dark green with faint eight green stripes.

Fairfax:  Has high resistance to anthracnose and fusarium wilt diseases. It has a thin skin with light and dark green stripes. Its bright red flesh has one of the highest sugar content of any water melon grown.

Sugar baby: These are mainly round fruits about 20cm in diameter and an ideal marketing type. It has a hard skin, dark in colour and medium red flesh which is very sweet.

Land preparation should be carried out early enough to allow thorough soil settling before 
planting the crop. Water melon fruits are normally planted in hills with a spacing of 2 metres between rows and 1.5 metres within rows.6-9 seeds are sown in each hill and latter thinned to 2-3plants per hill. Manure is recommended at a rate of one medium size bucket per planting hole. DAP may be applied at a rate of  125g per planting hole at the time of sowing for vigorous growth of water melon fruits. This is an equivalent of 200kg of fertilizer per hectare. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied just before the plants start to run at the rate 0f 110kg of CAN fertilizerper hectare or 65gms per planting hill.

A second application is done just before flowering of the growing crop, at the rate of 130g per hill or 220kg per hectare. Maturity period is 4 months and planting should be timed such that harvesting takes place during the dry period for rain fed water melon growing. Maturity is reached when the tendrils opposite the fruits dies, a hollow sound is produced when slapped by hand, and the vegetative parts die. Yields of 15-30 tons per hectare are realized. Fungal diseases and melon fly are of economic importance in water melon fruits growing. Control is by using suitable pesticides.

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Button mushrooms cultivation [Agaricus Bisporus]

These are the most popular and widely grown edible mushrooms in the world. The world’s leader in button mushrooms cultivation is the USA. The button mushrooms cultivation requires relatively cool conditions for growth and fruiting body formation. These fungi lack the ability to form organic compounds for their growth. Their nutritional requirements for growth are therefore obtained from substrates or soil substitutes. Agaricus species requires composted substrates which have 70% moisture content. The commonly used materials are animal manure and cereal straws .The compost is pasteurized to kill insect and fungi pests. This is accomplished by placing the compost in the pasteurization chamber, injecting steam and allowing heating up to 60º C for 2-3 days, then cooling down to 45-50º for 4-5 days in order to condition. Air is then introduced into to the room to allow of growth of thermophillic organisms which are beneficial to the growth of the crop. When growing on very small scale, indoor pasteurization may be omitted and previously disinfected boxes filled with compost.

The compost is then transferred to a growing room and filled on the shelves. In practice the bed thickness varies from 10-20Cm.Increase in temperature occurs in thick beds limiting bed thickness. If button mushrooms cultivation is not under controlled conditions, the suitable thickness of the compost layer must be determined for the local climatic conditions. After spawning, the temperature is maintained at 22-25ºC to allow for good growth of mycelia within the compost. It takes about 3 weeks for mycelia to fully colonize the compost. The beds for button mushrooms cultivation should never be allowed to dry out. Casing layer is added to the surface of spawn run compost to stimulate formation of fruiting bodies and prevent drying up. A good casing medium should have an open texture, good water holding capacity and free from pests and diseases. Pasteurized garden loam soil or peat moss can be used as casing medium and PH adjusted to 6.5-8.5 by adding lime. The casing material is spread evenly on the surface and mixed evenly to a depth of 5cm. Water is sprinkled lightly on the casing medium, and incubation continued for 7-10 days at 18-24ºC.

To encourage fruiting, the temperature should be lowered to14-18ºC after casing and fresh air allowed into the room to lower the level of carbon dioxide, which may inhibit primordial formation and fruiting. It may also cause defects during button mushrooms cultivation. If cooling system is not available, button mushrooms cultivation should take off when the temperatures 12-18ºC. It takes about 20 days from spawning to harvest. The following hygiene measures are essential during button mushrooms cultivation:-

·        The growing building should be enclosed and easy to clean

·        Incoming air should be filtered

·        High standards of personal hygiene should be observed by the workers

·        At the end of button mushrooms cultivation cycle, spent compost should be ‘cooked out’ at 65ºC for 10 hours

Pest and diseases observed during button mushroom cultivation includes insects, mites, nematodes, bacteria, fungi and die back. Control measures include high standards of hygiene in the houses for button mushrooms cultivation, filtering of incoming air, and use of recommended pesticides, use un-infected compost, addition of sodium hypochlorite to irrigation water for bacterial control during growth, cleaning and disinfection of the houses used for button mushrooms cultivation after growing cycle.

Harvesting takes place before the fruiting bodies open. In high technology button mushrooms cultivation, the average yield is about 40kg /sq/M .3-4 flushes are harvested before the compost is removed. Agaricus species can stay fresh for one week at 10ºC.
Farmers.More http://yagrein.blogspot.com/p/what-are-youth-saying.html
Read absolutelyorganic

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Small Scale Snow peas growing

Snow peas growing is a relatively recent introduction in Kenya .The plants are growing in importance due to demand and value in the export market mainly in Europe.Snow peas do well in upper and lower highlands at altitudes between 1,500-2,600m above sea level, and temperatures of 12º-20ºC with well distributed rainfall of 1,500-2,100 per year and well drained soils rich in organic matter .Purple flowered varieties of snow peas plants include dwarf grey, Oregon sugar pod while varieties with white flowers are mommoth melting sugar [giant variety], sugar snap, Toledo.Propagation involves ploughing land to a depth of 30 cm followed by harrowing to a fine tilth. The seed is directly sown into the field at a depth of 2.5-3cm and a seed rate of 50-60 kg/ha. Recommended spacing for growing the crop is 7-10cm between plants and 75cmm between the rows. Watering after sowing should be done twice daily and germination takes 5-7 days. Up to 10 tons of farm yard manure should be applied. Applications of DAP fertilizer at a rate of 250kg per ha at sowing time and again after one month is recommended for root growth. At flowering stage the plants should be dressed with CAN at a rate of 200kg per ha. All fertilizer applied should be mixed well with soil. Avoid excess nitrogen which will promote vegetative growth at the expense of growth of pods. Hand weeding is recommended since the plants are shallow rooted and deep hoeing may injure the roots.

Snow peas require a large amount of water during growth and about 9,000mm of the water should be applied during the growing season. Alternatively irrigation should be done at a frequency which ensures a handful of soil does not crumble when squeezed but remains in a lump. Irrigation after topdressing of snow peas is recommended followed by a week without water to promote flowering. Watering after every picking is recommended to improve quality. Training snow peas plants 2-3weeks after sowing when the plants start tailing on the ground. Pinch the terminal bud to stimulate branching and production of more flowers. The snow peas plants are supported using twiggy branches or stakes. A trellis made of wooden stakes 1.5-2m long and 3-4cm diameter and wire [gauge 10] or diesel treated sisal twine tied between the stakes 60-70 cm above the ground can be used. 30cm of the stake should be buried at 2m and 2.5 m intervals along the rows for dwarf and giant varieties respectively. Another string should be tied to the base of the plants and then to the wire above it.  As the plants grow another wire or string is tied 10 cm above the previous one to ensure the plants grows through loops.Snow peas major diseases during growth include powdery mildews manifesting as white powder, leaf spots, downy mildews and rust. Control is through use of certified seeds, spraying plants with recommended fungicides, staking plants, destruction of crop debris by burning, crop rotation and use of resistant or tolerant varieties. Major pests of growing snow peas include thrips, aphids, bollworms, red spider mites’ bean fly and nematodes. Control is by using recommended insecticides.

Harvesting of snow peas starts 60-70 days after sowing and continues for 1-2 months. Young tender ponds are harvested before they become fibrous. Ponds are twisted from the plants leaving a short stalk. Snow peas are ordinarily picked thrice a week and five times a week during warm and hot weather to keep the vines bearing. Expected yield is 4-5 tons per hectare. Post harvest handling of snow peas includes placing the produce in plastic containers and covering with moist clean cloths preferably white in colour to maintain low temperatures. Sorting should be done to remove diseased, damaged ponds and foreign material before packing. Dirty ponds should be washed in clean water to remove soil and dried with a soft cloth. High standards of hygiene should be maintained during growth and handling. During packaging uniformly green snow peas of uniform size are packed in cartons allowing an overweight of 5% as the pods loose water during transportation. Transit time should be kept as short as possible and the desirable transport temperatures are 0-2ºC.

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