News

Horticulture gains popularity among cereal farmers in Kenya

Kenya
Published Sep 18, 2021

Tridge summary

Horticulture farming is gaining popularity in the North Rift region as high production costs push hundreds of farmers to diversify to alternative investments with attractive returns. Farmers in Kenya's grain basket must contend with rising fuel and farm-input prices. The region produced horticultural crops valued at Sh13.6 billion last year, up from Sh8.6 billion the previous season, as more farmers invest in the sub-sector.

Original content

Farmers in Uasin Gishu County earned over Sh2.6 million from more than 48,000 metric tonnes of passion fruits cultivated on about 360 hectares. Nandi County produces an average of 7,000kg of passion fruits monthly, targeting regional and export markets. "About 2,000kg quality passion fruits are exported to the European market monthly and the rest are sold in the local and regional market," said Emmanuel Tarbei, agronomist and agent for Equatorial HortiFresh firm in Nandi. Most farmers in the region have received support from USAid and the Kenya Horticulture Competitiveness Project (KHCP) to invest in passion fruit cultivation. KHCP helps farmers produce quality fruits, vegetables and flowers, with a special focus on strengthening the value chains related to eight crops: sweet potato, Irish potato, passion fruit, mango, banana, tomato, cabbage, peas, and beans. Cultivating passion fruits and vegetables, farmers say, also cushions them against losses caused by repeated outbreaks of ...
Source: All Africa
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