Make over Ksh 70, 000 from 1 acre green maize in Kenya

DOUBLE COBBING FAST MATURING DROUGHT TOLERANT MAIZE

Double cobbing fast maturing maize varieties is the solution to the current harsh climate,
food security and ensuring decent lives for farmers.
Maize farming is very easy and it’s not labour intensive.Further more green maize has good demand everywhere during the dry season. 

You may Grow double cobbing maize varieties in zai pits in dry season for maximum profit. One acre will accommodate 1778 planting pits each measuring 75 x 75 x cm which gives plant population of 16000 at 9 plants per hole. When you plant a double cobbing or a variety which bears 2 cobs or more per plant you get at least 16,000 big cobs and about 11,000 small cobs.When you sell at wholesale price to traders,your returns are as below:-
16,000 big cobs @ 5/=80,000 11,000.
11,000 medium cobs @ 3/=33,000.
Total income =113,000-43,000 cost of production =Ksh70, 000
Zai pit technology is a water harvesting and retention technology, suitable for farming in dry season and areas with unpredictable rains and subsequent crop failure.

ZAI PITS DIMENSIONS AND LAY OUT: While growing Maize in Zai pits, a square hole measuring 75 x 75 x 30 (cm) will accommodates nine maize plants. The top soil is mixed with farm yard manure at a ratio of 4:1 and returned. Manure ratio can be reduced while growing maize in zai pits in Kenya depending on soil quality, and use of artificial fertilizers. Spacing from hole to hole is 75cm.
TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY: The right maize variety must be planted to benefit from the moisture available. Plant using Phosphorus fertilizers for early crop root establishment.Email yagrein@gmail.com to place your order.

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Growing Maize in zai pits in Kenya: New technology for arid and semi-arid areas

Maize is the most important staple and food security crop in Kenya. Zai pit technology is a water harvesting technology, suitable for areas with unpredictable rains and subsequent crop failure.

ZAI PITS DIMENSIONS AND LAY OUT: While growing Maize in Zai pits in Kenya, dig circular or square holes 30cm (1ft) deep. A square hole measuring 75 x 75 x 30 (cm) will accommodates nine maize plants. The top soil is mixed with farm yard manure at a ratio of 4:1 and returned. Manure ratio can be reduced while growing maize in zai pits in Kenya depending on soil quality, and use of artificial fertilizers.

ECONOMICS OF THE TECHNOLOGY: One acre will accommodate 1778 plant pits each measuring 75 x 75 x cm which gives plant population of 16000. One pit will yield a minimum of 1.5 kg giving 30 bags of maize from one acre.

TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY: The right maize variety must be planted early enough to benefit from the rainfall available. Plant using Phosphorus fertilizers for early crop root establishment.

INCOME FROM GROWING MAIZE IN ZAI PITS IN KENYA

Yield per acre is 30 bags @ KES 2000 = Gross income of KES 60,000
Cost of 10 kg seed	@140	1,400
Cost of 1778 Zai pits distributed into 6 seasons	@30	8,890
3 x 50 kg fertilizers	@2500	7,500
593 debes of FYM (each debe serves 3 pits)	@10	5,930
8 m/days of weeding	@200	1,600
Insecticides	Assorted	2,000
8 m/days of harvesting	@200	1,600
2 m/days dusting and spraying	@200	400
30 gunny bags	@50	1,500
10 m/days threshing and winnowing	@200	2,000
Total variable costs	32,820	60,000-32,820
Gross margin for growing maize in Zai pits in kenya	27,180

Growing Maize in Zai pits in Kenya is a worthwhile technology for achievement of Millenium Development goals and Kenya Vision 2030.

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Conservation agriculture technology for food security in Kenya

Conservation agriculture technology is a farming practice being piloted in Kenya by agriculture development agencies.The method contributes to sustainable agricultural production and environmental conservation, by maintaining a permanent or semi-permanent organic soil cover; through the use of mulches or cover crops, employment of Zero or minimum tillage and crop rotation. Weed control is done using herbicides or shallow cultivation resulting to minimal soil disturbance, water and nutrients retention. Some of the benefits of conservation agriculture technology are reduced labor and farm-power requirements, improved soil fertility, crop yields increase over time compared to conventional farming, livelihood improvement, decreased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and reduction of climate change.

Small scale farmers in Kenya face numerous challenges, which call for simultaneous increase of farm production and natural resource preservation. Land for farming in most parts of Kenya is scarce due to high population density.  Over the years intensive farming have been practiced in most parts of Kenya resulting to land degradation, decreased farm yields and increased poverty. Rain-fed subsistence farming is the main source of livelihood for majority of the rural people in Kenya. In the recent years this livelihood strategy has become unreliable due to climate change, prevalent droughts and seasonality of the rains; leading to crop failure, low food production and increased poverty. Oblivious of the danger farmers continue to practice intensive tillage technologies which have been known to cause soil degradation. Therefore there is urgent need for introduction of conservation agriculture technology in order to counteract the situation.

The youth are the future of farming industry in Kenya. They should therefore take advantage of every opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in conservation agriculture technology. In addition they should spearhead implementation of this innovation in their communities. This will ultimately influence whole communities to practice conversation agriculture technology, for livelihood improvement, climate change adaptation and mitigation. Furthermore agricultural soil is a limited and precious resource whose irreversible degradation ruins the main asset of current farmers and reduces the farming opportunities for the future generation

The Kenya Government in collaboration with its stakeholders has a pilot conservation agriculture technology project in Laikipia district. The project started in the year 2006 as a result of resolutions made during the third world congress on conservation agriculture technology which took place in Nairobi Kenya in October 2005.The event was organized by African Conservation Tillage Network in collaboration with the government of the republic of kenya and the Kenya CA Tillage Network. The fourth world congress was held in New Delhi India in February 2009 while  the 5^th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture technology was held in Brisbane, Australia in September 2011.

Conservation agriculture technology acknowledges the importance of creating and maintaining a healthy soil and integrates various approaches to the management of weeds, pests, diseases, and plant nutrients. adoption of conservation agriculture technology will help crops adapt to changing climatic conditions and ensure harvest despite unreliable rainfall. This is an innovation whose time has come and cannot be stopped.

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