Though groundnuts are a highly popular and nutritious snack in Taita Taveta County, the residents had always depended on imports from the neighboring Tanzania. Farmers had failed to take advantage of its popularity and high demand as they believed the prevailing prolonged drought conditions in the region were too harsh for the crop to thrive. … Continue reading
Around 2015, Nandi County with its vast agricultural land and potential had only about 70 farmers growing potatoes on about 70 hectares (ha), according to Silas Too, potato value chain coordinator, Nandi County Government. This was mainly due to the fact that traditionally, potato was not a staple food but a snack among communities, and … Continue reading
Before 2019, Kasbondo Dairy Cooperative, in Oyugis, Homa Bay County used to receive 300-350 litres of milk per day from less than 25 farmers with only three of them able supply 60 litres per day. Across the region in Siaya County, SAM Malanga Dairy Cooperative was equally struggling, only able to receive about 280 litres … Continue reading
Hoping against hope of decent harvests, farmers in the semi-arid and arid regions of eastern Kenya have always planted their traditional and favourite food crops – pigeonpea, green gram, sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, cowpea, and maize – at the onset of long or short rains. But it is a ritual that has been driven … Continue reading
In early 2019, pastoralists in Turkana County lost 675 camels (Camelus dromedarius) with more than 750,000 at risk due to a severe outbreak of the contagious haemorrhagic septicaemia disease. It was not only a costly economic loss, estimated at 33.7 million Kenya shillings (USD337,000) but also a painful loss of livestock the pastoralists have so … Continue reading
Since its formation in 2008, members of Kuzoya Self Help Group in Chawia Ward, Taita Taveta County had never considered growing potatoes, even though it was grown in some neighboring wards. For some, they did not want to be involved in a crop that they had little knowledge about its production and marketing. For others, … Continue reading
Though groundnuts are a highly popular and nutritious snack in Taita Taveta County, the residents had always depended on imports from the neighboring Tanzania. Farmers had failed to take advantage of its popularity and high demand as they believed the prevailing prolonged drought conditions in the region were too harsh for the crop to thrive. … Continue reading
When the County Government of Taita Taveta identified potato as one of the high value crops for promotion in 2017, farmers’ access to affordable certified seed became a critical priority, and for good reasons. They did not have it and had to have it. For it is widely acknowledged that improved seed is the essential … Continue reading
Started in 2015, AVCD is a five-year program that was implemented in two phases of three years and two years. During the first three years the program achieved and in some instances, overachieved targets for planned activities. For instance, 318,362 households benefitted from the program, over and above the target of 256,937 households. These households … Continue reading
Despite minimal field visits during this period of the COVID-19-related restrictions, the AVCD program staff and management are working with extension officers and lead farmers to monitor the progress of the drought-tolerant crops component’s work. Continue reading
AVCD Kenya 