By Moses Njagih
The Korean Government will partner with Kenya to improve agricultural technology and boost crop production.
The Korean Ambassador to Kenya Han-Gon Lee yesterday said his Government was keen on helping rice farmers adopt modern farming technology.
Speaking in Mwea Irrigation Scheme in Kirinyaga at a farmers’ field day, Mr Lee said Korea would help Kenya attain food security.
"We are willing to partner with agricultural organisations such as the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) to help farmers embrace better techniques that can boost yields," said Lee.
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The Ambassador led the Korean team in presenting to farmers simple threshing machines prepared under the partnership of the Korea Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA)-Kenya Centre and Kari.
The bicycles pedal-driven machines, named Kopia Talgoki thresher, will assist farmers who thresh their produce manually. Lee said such machines have been in use in Korea since 1920’s and their efficiency is more than 10 times better than the manual threshing in Kenya.
Reduce cost
Korean Ambassador to Kenya Mr Han-Gon Lee (left) demonstrates how a Kopia Talgoki thresher works to farmers in Kirinyaga. |
"We do not want to impose on you what we consider part of the Korean dream, but we are expressing our determination to share the technology for your country’s good," said Lee. He said it was sad that at independence, Kenya’s economy was growing at the same rate with Korea’s, but the latter’s is now 40 times bigger.
"It is these simple technological decisions that have propelled us. What I would request is you develop a "we can do it" spirit. I am certain with the good agricultural soil, you will improve Kenya’s economy," he said.
Kari Director Dr Ephraim Mukisira welcomed the technology, saying it would bridge the deficit of national rice production.
"The national rice consumption is 300,000 metric tonnes compared to an annual production range of between 45,000 and 80,000 tonnes, which forces the country to import more at a cost of about Sh7 billion, annually," said Mukisira.
The Koreans also held a demonstration to farmers on better crop transplanting and taught farmers how to make more use of rice husks and straws, which they throw away.
