Potato farmers embrace machines to slice costs

As part of the deal, farmers get fertiliser application tips and tractors services at affordable offers. [Darlington Manyara, Standard]

Potato farmers in Meru and Laikipia counties have turned to use of machinery to boost yields.

As part of the project dubbed “smallholder farming initiative” — Tinga has partnered with Bayer East Africa, Siraji Sacco, Quipbank, Yara, Sereni Fries and Farmers Association of Kenya to help farmers cut costs and improve yields.

Soil testing

Yara provides soil testing and fertilisers, Bayer East Africa provide pesticides, Siraji Sacco, while Quipbank finances agribusiness. Sreni Fries buys potatoes for value addition, while Tinga App offers tractor services on a lease and rent basis.

The tractor offers fertiliser spreader, the bedder-ridger, planter, hiller-weeder, sprayer and the windrow-harvester.

As part of the deal, potato farmers are also trained on best agricultural practices and importance of using certified potato seed. Smart harvest team visited a number of farmers who are part of the project to share their experiences. At Kisima Farm, in Timau Meru County, Seed Potato Production Manager Abiud Said explains how planting by hand was labourious and slow.

“Before we embraced mechanisation, planting and harvesting potatoes was an expensive affair because we had to hire extra hands and we incurred post-harvest losses,” he says.

With machines like tractors, he says farming is more efficient and accurate.

 “When we use labourers, it costs us more and yet their work is not perfect. They usually forget the correct spacing, amount of fertiliser required per seed, besides cutting and injuring tubers during harvesting,” Abiud says.

Fertiliser application

“In a day, you can plant 10 bags of potato seeds, a job that takes more than 200 workers to complete in three days,” he says.

Amos Ngugi from Nanyuki says the smallholder farming initiative has helped them immensely.

“Thanks to the project, we have been guided on the entire potato production cycle by ensuring we do everything right from planting, weeding, spraying, fertiliser application, earthing up and harvesting and marketing. They even visit the farms to inspect and approve the seeds before we plant,” Ngugi says.

According to Tinga Manager, Eng Titus Musyoka, use of modern technology will help Kenyan farmers produce up to five times what they produce today per acre.

“Farm mechanisation has huge potential for increasing agricultural production and transforming rural families’ livelihoods by reducing drudgery in the field, more efficient use of farm inputs as well as making food-growing activities more climate smart,” Eng Musyoka says.

He explains that with ordinary farming methods preparing one acre potato farm takes four days, while with mechanised services it only takes at least four hours.

Fertiliser application

This is besides other additional costs that might arise due to long hours of operations such as cost of feeding workers, adds Eng Musyoka.

Musyoka advises that, while farming potatoes, proper land preparation is key and that the soil needs to be conditioned and free of weeds.

Vitalis Wafula, Yara Regional Manager, says they have seen a big difference in terms of production.

“We provide farmers with the right fertiliser suitable to the soils in specific areas. Before we recommend a specific fertiliser we have to test the soil to ascertain the appropriate one to avoid soil acidity. We then translate the results of soil testing by KEPHIS to farmers to ensure they understand the implication of the tests on soil fertility,” says Wafula.

Tinga operations supervisor in-charge of Meru Joakim Mutahi, says farmers can access farm mechanisation services from them through an SMS and mobile based application from which they can choose a host of services.

“Our aim is to be at the forefront of introducing innovative and value adding mechanisation services by helping farmers access superior, modern and affordable tractor services and farm implements,” Mutahi notes.

Tinga charges farmers Sh3,500 per acre, either on planting or during harvesting.