Technology yields pricey, ‘superior’ yellow beans

Patrick Mwai 38, inspects the French peas, Purple variety that he cultivates on his two and a half acres farm in Gatheru area of Mathira, in Nyeri County. A kilo of the beans retails at sh. 60 per kilo. [PHOTO: MOSE SAMMY/STANDARD]

The policy ‘practice what you preach’ has become a way of life for Patrick Mwai from Gathehu village in Nyeri County.

Three years ago, Mwai was a salesman selling Effective Micro-organisms (EM) technology, a new approach in farming borrowed from Japan where micro organisms are used instead of chemicals like fertilisers and pesticides. EM technology is spearheaded by EM Technology Ltd, a factory based in Embu town.