Outreach to farmers is key to increasing the adaptation of research innovations

Kiambu CEC(M) for Agriculture Wilfred Kiara challenged the firm to set up such facilities in dry zones like Ndeiya in Kiambu West and Ngoliba in Kiambu East in order to make the areas food sufficient.

Kiara also urged the agri-tech company to set up vertical farming in parts of Kiambu's urban sub-counties which have now become concrete jungles.

"I challenge you to not only focus on horizontal farming and also farm in more productive areas but move to dry zones and urban areas'', he added.

Mukuna Mutura an extension officer with Syngenta said that the launch of the facility closer to the farmer will bring harmony between technology and innovation from the laboratory to the farm.

"Part of the problem is that most agricultural research still occurs on the research station, where scientists experience conditions quite different from those experienced by farmers.

As a company we want to localize innovation and research closer to the farmer this will in turn boost global food security, this is through testing new varieties and training trainers'', Mutura said.

Mutura said agricultural extension to improve yields of food crops and close the yield gap often entails general recommendations on soil fertility, seedlings management, and the right use of pesticides that are distributed to farmers.

Otieno said that the firm will launch a second knowledge centre in the food basket-rich Uasin Ngishu county in the coming months.

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