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Biotechnology: Hope for Africa's Farmers |
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Posted by Truth About Trade & Technology
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Thursday, 09 October 2008 |
The African Executive
Kamau Nyoike
Original Publish Date: October 8, 2008
Smallholder farmers in Kenya and Africa at large, have practiced the same farming techniques, the only difference being the crop variety planted. This has made them to experience the same dismal results as they do not add any value to their farming and produce. Farmers have to move away from this non – productive practice.
After attending the recent Nairobi International Trade Fair (ASK) with eleven other low resource farmers from Eastern Kenya, I hold that embracing biotechnology is crucial to propel a successful agrarian revolution in Africa. Various stands had a lot of information and demonstration about biotechnology. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) holds a promising future for farmers in terms of enhancing food production, soil fertility and producing market leading products through biotechnology.
Dr Gichuki, KARI director of bio-technology took us through the whole process and when asked whether KARI is ready to reach out to low resource farmers through participatory research and bringing farmers on board, he answered in the affirmative. This will involve farmers in technology generation, innovation and utilisation, thus boosting the extension service by promoting farmers to service providers. KARI’s high yield varieties such as bananas, sweet potatoes, yams, greengrams, sorghum and beans which have been crafted for specific ecological zones hold the potential to fight food shortage and insecurity.
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), is another stand I visited. Their interaction with farmers should be prioritised to create awareness on how to identify certified products from fake ones. This can strengthen farmers- research- industry- linkage and boost farmers’ investment through research access, information delivery and market linkage. Kephis stands a better chance of linking farmers with input and output industries.
The ministry of Agriculture had information on soil testing, land preparation, farming techniques, harvesting and marketing. Its Agricultural Training Centers (ATC) countrywide helps farmers to access agricultural information and farm commercially. The ATC offers residential and non- residential trainings on farming technology with practical demonstrations while offering training facilities to farmers and stakeholders involved in Agriculture and development.
Another institution ready and willing to help farmers embrace biotechnology and commercial farming is Equity Bank whose commitment is evident in its Kilimo Biashara account package. The package offers credit to farmers to purchase farm inputs like seeds, fertilizers and chemicals. This product is available to both account and non-account holders and attracts a low 10% interest rate payable in twelve months. Athi River Mining Company is offering fertilizer locally while Phytomedia International Ltd (phymix) has organic fertilizer at 50% less the price of inorganic fertilizer. Phymx is also involved in farmers’ field visits, training and technical advice to boost food production.
If what I witnessed at the Nairobi show is anything to go by, then food insecurity, poverty, famine, unemployment and food imports might soon be thing of the past. Policies to harmonise the practice and embracing of biotechnology in our country should be embraced to put our ailing Agricultural sector back to the driving seat. Agricultural show should also be hosted in every division to allow farmers to access information about new farming technology.
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