Agricultural Production in Othaya, Kenya

Spring 2011

Agricultural Production in Othaya, Kenya

By Alayna Blalock &

Brett Promisloff

Subsistence Agriculture in Othaya

Although it is well known that the majority of citizens of the Nyeri South district in Kenya make their means of living off of agricultural production on their small local farm producing cash crops for economic profit, it is often hard to determine the crops that these local farmers grow for personal consumption and subsistence—specifically in Othaya. However, looking over the broader region in Kenya that encompasses the area of Othaya—The Nyeri South District—the Future Agricultures Consortium’s research on the “Role and Performance of the Ministry of Agriculture in the Nyeri South District” concludes that “nearly every homestead” in this general vicinity does own one or two dairy cattle for personal consumption (2).

It is important to note, however, from a broader perspective, Kenya itself, and many small farmers, engage in maize production as a food staple enterprise, and those small farmers (nation wide) who have these means of production, were also noted to be simultaneously harvesting “tea, coffee, horticulture, sugarcane, wheat, cotton, [and] cotton” either for food and/or supplementary cash generation (Wayama, Mose and Odendo 757-58).

Tea

In Kenya, tea is produced best in tropical red loam mixed with volcanic soils. This type of soil is found in the higher altitudes of Kenya usually between 45,000-6,750 feet above sea level. Soil type and condition is very important in tea growth. Soils are required to be well drained within 2 meters depth and have a PH range between 4.5 and 6.5. Any PH beyond this will retard growth. Tea thrives with rainfall ranging from 1,200mm to 2,500mm annually, preferably with long and sunny intervals. Temperature requirements are 120-280 degrees Celsius.

There are two working tea factories in Othaya. Tea was first grown in Othaya in 1953 and the Chinga Tea Factory Co. Ltd. was later built in 1963. There are 4,684 growers for this factory. Teas grown here are of stump/clonal types. Another tea factory in Othaya is the Iriana Tea Factory. This site has 39.25 acres of land and was commissioned in January of 1981. (KDTA)

According to the Kenyan Ministry of Ag, the tea sub-sector in the Nyeri South District, which includes Othaya, has an organized and stable market. This is one of the main factors that persuade farmers in producing tea instead of coffee. Tea cooperative societies are transparent, well-managed, and farmers are paid in a timely manner. The key disadvantage noted by farmer of the Othaya region is that “tea cannot be intercropped with other crops, especially where land fragmentation if very extreme (Chinsinga 2).”

Coffee

Coffee production has played an enormous role, establishing itself as one of the few main cash crops and exports, in creating and ensuring the economic viability of Kenya in the world market. Kenyan coffee producers pride themselves on the quality of coffee they harvest, they “place an emphasis on quality and as a result, processing and drying procedures are carefully controlled and monitored. Kenya has its own unique grading system. Kenyan AA is the largest bean in a 10-size grading system and AA+ means that it was estate grown” (National Coffee Association of the U.S.A., Inc.). The Arabica coffee bean is the most prevelant type of coffee produced in Kenya: 1,670,000 bags (99-00 crop) are produced and prepared annually (Moledina Commodities Inc.). The main harvest season for Coffee is inbetween the two distinct rainy seasons apparent in Kenya, and occurs from October through January (Lost Dutchman Coffee Co.). In fact, the “well-defined” two distinct rainy seasons inherent to the country, create an optimal coffee harvesting climate, which explains the success of coffee as it’s primary cash crop (Coffee Research Institute). Moreover, in Kenya, coffee can be intercropped with other horticultural inputs, which is extremetly beneficial to local farm production (Chinsinga).

Othaya, specifically, has established itself as the epicenter for Kenyan coffee production and it’s subsequent market. Most of the coffee production is don’t by small, local farmers, who particiapte in co-operative programs. Centered in Othaya, is a large coffee cooperative: the Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd.. This co-op employs 101 people in Othaya, and extends membership to 14,000 local farmers (Kenya Coffee Producers Association). However, while this all seems extremely promising for Othaya and Kenya’s economy, there has been a steady decline in the market for coffee in the South Nyeri District “for some time”:

Farmers cite political interferences and marketing problems as the major hindrance to the crop’s advancement. A coffee farmer from Gatugu location stated that; “The problem with coffee and its management is that most of the members of the coffee cooperative societies are politicians and not real farmers”. Coffee marketing is never transparent and coffee is collected from farmers without advance knowledge of the returns it will generate. Even when the beans are sold at the auction, the cooperatives do not send a representative to witness the proceedings. (Chinsinga 3)

Farmers are hesitant to continue coffee harvesting, an expensive feat, because—due to corruption—they are no longer protected by the co-operative they identify with. Locals believe that these politicians are taking advantage of them, and pocketing profits from market sales. Producers in Othaya fear poverty and debt to their co-operatives (now, indirectly under government control), seeing as the profit returned from market sales is no longer fully sustaining and replenishing the amount of money put into the cost of inputs and maintenance of land—which are expensive and continue to rise in cost.

Dairy

Nearly every homestead in Nyeri south District owns dairy cows. The infrastructure for milk marketing is well-developed. The Othaya Dairy Cooperative Society receives a lot of morning milk deliveries for the area and acts as the link between farmers and milk processors (such as the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries). (Chinsinga 3)

The Othaya Dairy Cooperative Society was established in 1964 and has 1,386 active members operating in three dairies with 200 collection sites in the region (eDairy). The Co-op buys milk at Ksh.27 per liter and sells it at Ksh.29.50 with the margin used to run the society. The Society is making profit and has a program in the “farm input department” which allows the society to give farmers input on the basis of how much milk they supply. The society discourages sales directly to the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) or any other brokers due to a history of mismanagement and fraud of the KCC in the 1990s. KCC’s negative history has helped Othaya Dairy earn so much support and confidence. The dairy boasts nearly 100% allegiance from participants (Chinsinga 3).

Dairy goats are beginning to gain popularity in the region, but keeping them for milk is a fairly new activity. It would seem as though since it is such a new phenomenon there is currently no, or very small, market for goat milk. “The agricultural officers still have to do a lot of sensitization to bring more farmers on board and also create a market for the product (Chinsinga 3).”

Other Agricultural Ventures

Some farmers in the area of Othaya have learned how to manage pigs. This has the potential to be very profitable since there is a ready market for pork. The nearest known buyer of pig meat are the sausage manufacturing companies in Thika, Kenya. Thika is about a one-and-a-half hour drive from Othaya. Selling and buying prices of the meat, as well as the names of the manufacturing companies are unknown (Chinsinga 3).

Other recent ventures in the area include horticulture and green houses. Green houses are especially important because Kenya suffers from serious land fragmentation. Thus, bring able to grow at high intensity year-round in green houses is very desirable (Chinsinga 3).

Beekeeping

Due to land fragmentation, soil degradation, and drought, tea production in Nyeri South District has been falling in recent years. It has become increasingly difficult for families to sustain themselves selling tea leaves alone. And, although the tea industry is more transparent than coffee, there is still evidence in payment problems. Some farmers began to uproot their fields in order to plant different crops in hopes of a better return, but in many cases the government intervened:

Some small-scale farmers in the area and other tea growing zones in the larger Nyeri had started uprooting their crop, citing frustrations in payments. Kenya Tea Board and Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), however, moved to arrest the situation and warned errant farmers with legal action, if they uprooted their bushes. (Weru)

As of April 2010, at least 6,000 tea farmers for the Iriana Tea Factory have acquired hundreds of beehives to help diversify their income. These farmers have also acquired a 150-acre plot of land on which they hope to erect 12,000 beehives by 2013. They are expected to sell the honey at Ksh500 per kilo and hope to raise 288,000 kilos of honey annually. Those who construct hives can earn around Ksh2,600 per hive (Weru).

Rabbit Keeping

In 2010, The Ministry of Livestock held a “field day” in Othaya to promote rabbit meat. The event had good attendance and all were able to sample rabbit meat. According to the ministry, the taste was “well accepted.” The number of farmers keeping rabbits in Othaya is increasing, but still not keeping up with demand (Chinsinga 3).

Rabbit farming networks are beginning to pop up across Kenya. Funding for keeping rabbits was even awarded to two Sisters who run a primary school in Kenya in the 2009 Rural Africa Connect Competition. There plan was to supplement of the local family’s income so they can afford for their children stay in school (National Peace Corps Association). The following are examples of their plans:

Problems & Challenges Facing Agriculture

Many societal and natural forces pose constraints to agricultural production in Othaya. Local farmers in the Nyeri South District experience “somewhat similar [agricultural] problems, but in different priorities” (Chinsinga 3). Challenges noted in “The Role and Performance of Ministry of Agriculture in Nyeri South District” observed that the locals themselves believed lack of/high cost of capital, land fragmentation and soil fertility, and youth opinions on an agricultural lifestyles are the main are the main problems and challenges facing the market. Other stakeholders in the agricultural market believe that farmer ignorance and low technology uptake, high cost of inputs, cooperative mismanagement, lack of information on drugs and chemicals, delayed supply of inputs, and seasonality of agricultural produce are the large problems and challenges that face Agriculture in the Nyeri South District (6-7).

Within the Nyeri South District, Othaya faces large challenges with the use and misuse of pesticides on local crops. Pesticides are illegally sold in downtown stores, and farmers (even those with basic knowledge on proper use and protection) continue to apply dangerous, illegal pesticides without proper protective gear, quite regularly. Othayan farmers have become more concerned with yield return from inputs as a means of income, rather than the proper sanitary regulations guiding crop growth (Waikwa). Moreover, the local government in Othaya does not enforce any existing Kenyan policy regarding proper pesticide use. Further research into pesticide use and education in Othaya could be extremely necessary and effective within the goals our trip to the CYEC.

References

Wayama, M., L. O. Mose, M. Odendo, J. O. Okuro, and J. O. Owuor. "Determinants of income diversification strategies amongst rural households in maize based farming systems of Kenya."African Journal of Food Science4.12 Jan. (2010): 754-76+.CABdirect. Web. 11 Feb. 2011. <http://www.academicjournals.org/ajfs/PDF/Pdf2010/Dec/Wanyama%20et%20al.pdf>.

Weru, Job. “Farmers Dump Tea for Sweet Honey.” 19 April 2010. Web. 27 Feb 2011. http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000008048&cid=&

National Peace Corps Association. “The Ndekero Challenge: A Systems Approach for Rabbit Keeping by a Rural Community in Partnership with a Commercial Rabbit Farm.” 15 Mar 2010. Web. 27 Jan 2011. http://arc.peacecorpsconnect.org/view/653

Chinsinga, Blessings. “The Role and Performance of Ministry of Agriculture in Nyeri South District.”Future Agriculture Consortium.06 2010. Web. 27 Jan 2011

Kenya Coffee Producers Association. "Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd | KCPA."KCPA | Working for a Fair Return on Investment for Kenyan Coffee Farmers. Web. 28 Jan. 2011. <http://www.kcpa.or.ke/node/48>.

eDairy. “Othaya Dairy Cooperative Society.” 2010. Web. 27 Jan 2011. http://kenyadairy.com/mini-dairy/othaya-dairy-co-operative-society

Coffee Research Institute. "Coffee Environment: Climate Conditions for Growing Coffee Beans."Coffee - CoffeeResearch.org. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.coffeeresearch.org/agriculture/environment.htm>.

Moledina Commodities Inc. "Our Coffees - Kenya."Moledina Commodities Inc.Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.moledina.com/cof_kenya.htm>.

Lost Dutchman Coffee Co. "Green Coffee Harvest Table."Lost Dutchman Coffee. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.lostdutchmancoffee.com/info/sub_categories/coffeeharvest.htm>.

National Coffee Association of the U.S.A., Inc. "Coffee From Around The World - National Coffee Association."Home - National Coffee Association. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. <http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=75>.

Wachira Waikwa, Stephen. "Farmers on the Treadmill."Pesticide NewsMar. 1999, 43rd ed.: 10-11. Print. Article Available online at: http://.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Issue/pn43/pn43p10.htm

Kenya Tea Development Agency Ltd ( KTDA). “Tea Growing Conditions and Husbandry Management.” Web. 28 Jan. 2011. http://www.ktdateas.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=89