CGA, Egerton partner to boost high-yield groundnut farming in Busia

Groundnuts inside a green house [Collins Oduor, Standard] The Cereal Growers Association (CGA) has partnered with Egerton University to develop and promote improved groundnut varieties aimed at increasing yields and farmer incomes in Busia County. Speaking during a farmers' field day in Amagoro, Teso North, CGA Agribusiness Coordinator for Busia County Eliya Barasa said two improved groundnut varieties, Ndovu and Mwangaza, are currently undergoing seed multiplication. In addition, the two varieties, together with Kanga and Dove, alongside local types, are under field trials across Teso North, Teso South, and Nambale sub-counties. "These are improved varieties, meaning they offer higher yields. At the moment, we have 25 acres under seed multiplication across the three sub-counties," he said.Barasa explained that demonstration farms and field trials will help identify which varieties perform best in specific areas, enabling farmers to maximise yields and returns.He said groundnuts are emerging as a high-value crop, citing Elgeyo Marakwet County where some farmers have harvested between 60 and 80 bags of the unshelled Ndovu variety per acre. Groundnut farming has also become less labour-intensive following support from the World Food Programme (WFP), which has provided shelling machines through its innovation centres. "If you have large quantities of groundnuts, there is a shelling machine available at Jairos in Teso North. Farmers no longer need to rely on manual labour to shell the produce," he said. He urged farmers to apply Aflasafe, a biological control product that reduces aflatoxin contamination and improves the safety and quality of groundnuts. Barasa also encouraged farmers in Teso North to diversify into drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet, and cassava for commercial production. He said CGA, through the Farm to Market Alliance (FMA) programme, is linking farmers to reliable markets for their produce. "We are partnering with Greenwells, Thrive Agric, and the East African Breweries Limited (EABL), who provide a ready market for sorghum in bulk," he said. For groundnuts, Barasa noted that CGA has partnered with Mamlo Foods, a local processor operating a micro-factory in Amagoro, to purchase produce in bulk for peanut butter production.He added that the FMA programme uses the Farmers Service Centres (FSC) model, where trained farmers mobilise others to aggregate produce and meet market demand. An agricultural officer in Teso North, Getrude Wambia, discouraged farmers from selling produce individually, urging them to consolidate output to strengthen bargaining power.She encouraged farmers to join Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Common Interest Groups (CIGs), and cooperatives to access support and improve productivity. She also called on farmers to work closely with agripreneurs who provide training, link them to service providers, and connect them to buyers."When you harvest, don't hide or rush to sell your produce alone. Reach out to agripreneurs who will group you together and find a buyer, which will increase your bargaining power and assure you of better prices," she added.

CGA, Egerton partner to boost high-yield groundnut farming in Busia

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