CW-Department of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

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1st biennial international conference proceedings on bridging the gap between society, science and industry
(Kenyatta University, 2014-11) Wanjohi, Waceke J.; Kariuki, George; Mwangi, Maina; Gichaga, Cyrus
PREFACE Africa’s greatest hope for development and freedom from poverty is closely linked to the performance of the agriculture sector. Agricultural higher education institutions (HEIs) have critical roles to play in developing well trained manpower to support a thriving agriculture sector that effectively addresses Africa’s needs for food, employment, income and other benefits derived from agricultural activities. However, African HEIs face the common challenges of diminishing resources, diminishing interest in agriculture careers, weak linkages to industry and other stakeholders of the development process, and a constant need to remain relevant and responsive to the needs of society. To extend efforts in addressing the challenges facing agriculture higher education institutions, the School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development (SAED) at Kenyatta University resolved to organise and host a Biennial Conference (every two years). This is an important forum for various stakeholders to share and exchange their knowledge and experiences, and a platform for developing networks between individuals and institutions, through which capacity and expertise can be shared to spur development. This first conference was organised in collaboration with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Horticulture Association of Kenya (HAK), with support from the German Academic Exchange Foundation (DAAD). The conference brought together local and international Scholars, Researchers, representatives of public and private sector, development partners, Non-governmental organisations, and Community based organisations, industry and development practitioners, farmers associations and representatives, among others. The deliberations centred on innovative approaches for strengthening the interaction of academia, researchers and industry to more effectively address the needs of African small scale farmers, consumers and other members of society. Core to the theme of the conference was recognition of a need to develop a generation of agricultural researchers and agroentrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges of the 21st Century. This book presents the Proceedings of the 1st SAED Biennial International conference that was held from 30th November to 5th December, 2014 at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. It is therefore with great pleasure that we launch the Proceedings of the 1st School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development International Biennial Conference that was held in Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya from 30th November to 5th December, 2014. The five days Conference under the theme “Bridging the gap between the Society, Science and Industry” featured a rich mix of keynote addresses, technical papers and poster presentations, exhibitions, plenary panel discussions and field excursion. The organizing committee members representing Kenyatta University, AGRA, the University of Nairobi, Horticulture Association of Kenya, DAAD, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization and other stakeholders worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the conference. The commitment, diversity of ideas and resources contributed by the various stakeholders in the committee significantly increased the quality of deliberations and eased the task of organizing the conference. The opportunity to host celebrated Pan-African and global scholars, the next generation of young researchers, policy makers and opinion shapers, innovators and industry practitioners was a great motivation to deliver a high quality conference. The committee greatly thanks Kenyatta University Management, Conference Organizers, Collaborators, Sponsors, Participants, Government of Kenya and all other stakeholders for their valuable contributions towards the success of the forum. We particularly thank the then Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Hon. Felix Koskei for officially opening the conference. We are delighted to have worked together to organize this conference successfully.
2nd biennial international conference on enhancing sustainable agricultural production and marketing systems
(Kenyatta University, 2016-11) Wanjohi, Waceke J.; Willy, Daniel Kyalo; Nguhiu, Purity; Gichaga, Cyrus
PREFACE The agricultural sector remains a key pillar to economic development in SubSaharan Africa and other developing regions. In Kenya for instance, agriculture is one of the key sectors, accounting for 25% of the gross domestic product (GDP). The sector also accounts for 65 per cent of Kenya’s total exports and provides more than 18% and 75% of formal and informal employment respectively. The growth of the national economy is therefore highly correlated with agricultural growth and development. The sector is however faced by a battery of challenges, limiting its potential to play this critical role. The challenges include limited use of modern agricultural technologies extreme weather events, deterioration in soil fertility, post harvest losses and poor access to agricultural extension services. As a result of these challenges, agricultural productivity has been low and agriculture dependent households continue to be impoverished. It is therefore critical that efforts by the government of Kenya in collaboration with other key stakeholders such as research institutes, universities and other collaborators should focus on addressing these challenges. In line with this agenda, the School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development (SAED), Kenyatta University organizes a Biennial Conference every two years. This offers an opportunity to various stakeholders in Agricultural sector to share and exchange knowledge and experiences. The SAED Biennial conference also provides a platform for developing networks between individuals and institutions, through which capacity and expertise can be shared to spur development and address the challenges affecting the Agricultural sector. The second conference was organized in collaboration with World Vision Kenya. It brought various stake holders in agriculture from Kenya and other African countries. The deliberations centered on the theme “Enhancing sustainable agricultural production and marketing systems through science, technology and innovation”. We are therefore pleased to present the book of proceeding of the 2nd SAED Biennial Conference which was held form 29th November to 2nd December, 2016 at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. The conference received an overwhelming number of scientific papers cutting across varied themes. These papers are contained in this book of proceedings and therefore will be of interest to wide readership.
Baseline report on the status of Agricultural training in higher education institutions in Zimbabwe
(Kenyatta University, 2014) Musundire, R.; Mwangi, M.; Mugabe, F.T.; Maboreke, K.M.
Resource constraints in Sub Saharan Africa universities necessitate interventions to strengthen quality of teaching to produce qualified agricultural graduates. The objective of this study was to identify opportunities and ways to improve curricula and teaching capacity for agriculture training in Zimbabwean universities. Data were collected from nine universities from 30 randomly selected students and teaching staff members who responded through self administered questionnaires specific for each category. Most students (90%) studying agriculture were below the age of 25 years. Female students (80%) preferred non-field based specializations such as Food Sciences and Agribusiness. Across all universities 60% of teaching staff had master degrees as highest qualification with 80% being males. Overall, 59% of academics were involved in reviewing curriculum at departmental level. However, 49 % were not adequately capacitated in pedagogy despite the fact that 66 % of respondents acknowledged presence of training programmes at their institutions. In conclusion, effective agricultural training in Zimbabwean universities is limited by gender bias which is in favour of males compared to females leading to preferential selections of disciplines by female students and lack of adequately trained staff members both in their academic disciplines and pedagogy.
Cadmium Uptake and Distribution to Edible Organs in African Indigenous Vegetables
(Tropentag, 2015) Onyuka, Enos; Husen, Wilhelm van; Nambafu, Godfrey N.; Bessler, Holger; Andika, Darius O.; Gweyi-Onyango, Joseph P.; Mwonga, Samuel; Ulrichs, Christian; Engels, Christof
Cadmium (Cd) is toxic to humans. The most important source for dietary intake is consumption of plant products, whereby Cd concentrations in leafy vegetables are particularly high. In periurban areas, soils are often contaminated with Cd. Thus, recommendations to increase vegetable consumption should consider species-specific uptake and allocation to edible plant organs. Cadmium uptake and distribution within plant was compared in various species to derive recommendations for vegetable production on contaminated soils. Four African indigenous vegetable species (African Nightshade Solanum scabrum, amaranth Amaranthus cruentus, cowpea Vigna unguiculata, spider plant Cleome gynandra), and a standard species commonly grown in Asia (Pak Choi Brassica rapa chinensis) were grown in nutrient solution at three Cd-concentrations: 0.1 (low), 1.0 (moderate) and 2.5 μM Cd (high contamination). Biomass and mineral nutrient concentrations were measured in roots, leaves, stems and lateral branches. Growth was little affected by Cd supply with the exception of amaranth and cowpea. In these species, growth of shoot organs was substantially reduced at moderate and high supply. Growth depression was associated with low leaf iron concentrations indicating Cd-induced iron deficiency. In all species Cd concentrations were higher in roots than in shoot organs, which is in accordance with xylem loading being an important barrier for Cd distribution within plants. At moderate and high supply, Cd concentrations in shoot organs strongly differed among species. Concentrations were particularly low in cowpea, and high in amaranth and African Nightshade. Low Cd concentrations in shoot organs of cowpea were associated with low apparent uptake and translocation rates of Cd from roots to shoots. At all rates of Cd supply, Cd density in edible organs was significantly influenced by species. Cadmium density was particularly low in cowpea and Pak Choi. Based on a vegetable dish of 250 g fresh mass, best choice of species reduced Cd intake by 0.1 mg at low supply (amaranth versus African Nightshade), 0.7 mg at moderate (cowpea versus African Nightshade) and 1.7 mg at high Cd supply (cowpea versus
Communicating and publishing research: Developing and strengthening journals
(INASP, 2016) Maina, Mwangi
Comparing Initial Performance of Macropropagated, Tissue Cultured and Naturally Regenerated Banana Seedlings
(Elewa.org, 2011) Kasyoka, M.R.
Objective: Banana is an important crop for food security and income generation in Kenya. It is also used as fodder especially during the dry season when feed resources are less available. Production of the crop faces many challenges, among them poor seedlings supply systems. Tissue culture was introduced in Kenya about ten years ago but its adoption is still low, largely due to high cost of seedlings as a result of high production cost. There are also few private sector players in the tissue culture sector. As a result farmers have continued to rely on natural regeneration methods to obtain planting suckers. This method is slow and in most cases does not yield adequate planting materials. Macropropagation technology was introduced in Kenya in 2008, but has had only limited evaluation in the country. An ongoing study is evaluating this technology, partly to compare the performance of seedlings from different propagation methods. Methodology and results: Ten seedlings of each method were planted and their establishment evaluated in a field at Kenyatta University Kenya. Initial growth parameters are to be monitored over a period of six months. Data is being recorded on the number of leaves, diameter of the stem from a point initially ten centimeters above the ground, and height of the plantlets recorded at two weeks interval. Results showed that tissue culture seedling have high growth rate initially while naturally regenerated suckers have the least growth rate. The growth rate of macropropagated seedlings was not significantly lower compared to tissue cultures, and maintained a consistent trend over time. Applications of findings: The preliminary findings of this study show that macropropagated seedlings respond the same as tissue cultured seedlings during the early stages of establishment after transplanting. The slow establishment of naturally regenerated suckers was to an extent due to absence of leaves that had been pruned when transplanting.
Crop Water Productivity and Economic Return of Rain Fed Potato-Legume Intercropping Systems
(University of Montenegro, 2020) Gitari, Harun I.; Kamau, Solomon; Nyawade, Shadrack
Reliance on rain-fed potato-legume intercropping systems among resource constrained smallholder farmers is usually ineffective without considering their economic viability. A field experiment conducted at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, in the growing seasons of 2014 to 2016 evaluated the effect of intercropping potato with legumes on soil moisture content (SMC), evapotranspiration (ET), potato equivalent yield (PEY), net income and crop water productivity (CWP) based on PEY (CWPPEY) and economic returns (CWPE). The treatments comprised of pure potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) stand (PS), potato-dolichos (Lablab purpureus) (PD), potato-garden pea (Pisum sativum) (PG) and potato-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) (PB). Results showed significantly higher SMC values at tuber initiation stage: 77, 69, 67 and 62 mm in PD, PG, PB and PS, respectively. Fresh tuber yield was highest in PS (36 t ha−1) and PD (35 t ha−1) and lowest in PG (29 t ha−1). PEY was higher under intercropping than monocropping systems. The lowest ET values that were recorded in PS (630 mm) and PG (631 mm) differed significantly from those in PB (636 mm) and PD (642 mm). Potato-dolichos was the most profitable cropping system with a net income of 9,174 US$ ha−1 and a BCR of 5.7 compared to PS (7,436 US$ ha−1) with a BCR of 5.1. CWPPEY varied significantly between cropping systems in the order of PD (6.2 kg ha−1 m−3) > PB (4.7 kg ha−1 m−3) > PG (4.3 kg ha−1 m−3) > PS (2.3 kg ha−1 m−3). A similar trend was observed for CWPE with values of between 1.3 US$ ha−1 m−3 for PD and 1.5 US$ ha−1 m−3 for PS. The study shows that dolichos is a viable legume crop that could be integrated into potato cropping systems to improve their CWP without compromising the tuber yield.
Effects of Banana Varieties in Central and Eastern Kenya on Macropropagation Technique
(Agroforestry, 2011) Kasyoka, M.R.; Mwangi, M.; Kori, N.; Mbaka, J.; Gitonga, N.
Kenyans obtain most of their food, livelihood, employment and foreign exchange from the agricultural sector. Banana contribution toward this cannot be over looked. Recently banana has become an important cash crop, especially in Central and Eastern Kenya where income from traditional crops especially coffee has drastically reduced. However, banana industry is faced by many challenges among them lack of clean planting materials. Natural .regeneration is inadequate and associated with high risk .of pest and disease spread while tissue culture plantlets are priced above what will be affordable for many small-scale farmers who are the main, stake holders. Macropropagation technology relies on affordable and simple methodology and can be done easily, with adequate training. This. has been used in other countries; Cameroon, and Nigeria' to increase seedling at farm level. The question is whether this technology can be used to propagate local banana genotypes. To answer this, macropropagation chambers were set in different location in Central and Eastern districts namely: Mathioya, Kirinyanga East, Embu East, Meru Central and Imenti South. Fifteen corms of four different varieties (Kampala, Cavendish, Sweet banana and kiganda) were initiated in sawdust media in a chamber which humidity and temperature was increased. Data was collected on earliness of sucker initiation and the number of suckers' (plantlet) of the first 5 corms per variety. In all the six sites, there was a significance variety difference on the number of days from corm planting to sucker initiation; with Kampala variety taking shortest time and had more plantlets per corm while Sweet banana took the longest time and had few plantlets. The response clearly indicated that the 4 varieties can be propagated through this technology to boost seedlings availability, banana production and food security in Kenya.
Effects of companion crops on population dynamics of maize lethal necrosis disease vectors in Bomet County, Kenya
(2015-06) Namikoye, E. S.; Kariuki, G.; Kinyua, Z. M.; Githendu, M. W.; Kasina, M.
Maize is the most consumed staple food crop in Kenya with a per capita of 110kg. It is equally an important commercial crop particularly in high potential areas. Currently, the presence of Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) has constrained its production. The disease is challenging to manage because it is a co-infection of maize by two viruses, the Maize chlorotic mottle virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus, which are vectored mainly by C0111 thrips iFrankliniella Williamsi) and C0111 leaf aphids (Rhopalosiphum maidis), respectively. This study was carried out to assess the potential for companion crops to act as traps or repellents for these vectors, thus contributing to vector management. Trials were carried out in fanners' fields in Bomet County. Treatments included Napier, coriander, millet, sorghum and maize, arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates for two seasons, November 2014- April 2015 and April-August 2015. Each crop was planted either as an intercrop or a border crop with maize as the main crop. We present results from the first season. There were significant differences (P
Enhancing access to disease-free sweetpotato planting materials through low cost tissue culture for food security and poverty alleviation in Eastern Africa
(ABIC, 2014) Ogero, K.O.; Mwangi, M.; Gitonga, N.M.; Ombori, O.; Ngugi, M.
Sweetpotato is a major food staple in Eastern Africa because of its ease of cultivation and ability to thrive in marginal areas. However, limited supply of disease-free planting materials constrains production. Tissue culture technology offers a solution to this but it is very costly. Hence, it is necessary to have low cost options for production of clean planting materials. In this study, two low cost media were developed and used to regenerate two sweetpotato varieties, KEMB 36 and Tainung. In the first low cost medium (LCM 1), 2g/l of Easygro® vegetative fertilizer (27:10:16 (N: P: K) + microelements) supplemented with table sugar (30g/l) and agar (9g/l) was used as an alternative source for the conventional Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal salts. In the second medium (LCM 2), the conventional sources of four MS macronutrients were substituted individually with locally available fertilizers while Stanes Iodized Microfood® was used as the low cost source of micronutrients. Conventional MS medium (CM) supplemented with 30g/l of table sugar and 3g/l of gelrite was used as the control. The numbers of nodes, roots, leaves and plant height were recorded at 14 days interval for a period of six weeks. A cost reduction of 96.9% in nutrient sources was realized with LCM 1 while LCM 2 led to cost reduction of 94.4%. KEMB 36 had a regeneration index of 7.8 nodes per plantlet on LCM 2 during initiation while Tainung had a mean of 3.8 nodes per plantlet after the sixth week of culture. The two sweet potato varieties recorded regeneration indices of 3.3-7.1 nodes per plantlet during multiplication. This study has shown that it is possible to reduce the cost of sweetpotato tissue culture by adopting alternative nutrient sources
Evaluating health of macropropagated banana seedlings
(2010) Kahuthia-Gathu, R.; Njau, Njeri; Mwangi, Maina
Objective of study: Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the most important food and cash crops in parts of Kenya. The crop provides food security, nutrition and income for many smallholder farmers. Bananas can be eaten fresh, cooked or processed into numerous value added products, depending on the variety. Despite the importance of the crop, it faces major production challenges including scarcity of high quality seedlings, insect pests and diseases. Naturally produced suckers are more likely to carry pests and diseases leading to reduced productivity and shortened lifetime of new plantations. Demand for disease free high quality planting materials has been on the increase. To address this demand macropropagation has been introduced as an alternative seedling production technology. The technology requires little capital and skill to implement, and can therefore be promoted to small scale seedling entrepreneurs and farmers. However, some aspects of the technology require further research to ensure quality of seedlings. This study is being carried out to establish the effectiveness of macropropagation technology to produce disease free banana seedlings. Methodology: The study will commence with a survey to identify the key diseases and insect pests of bananas in Eastern and Central Kenya. Macropropagation nurseries for research will be established at Kenyatta University. Pests and pathogens will be isolated from banana corms and their importance in health of seedlings determined through pathogenicity tests. Expected outputs: The information obtained through the study will contribute to improvement of the macropropagation protocol to ensure the propagated seedlings are free from pests and pathogens
Evaluation of Hyk® foliar fertilizer on growth, yield and quality of French Beans (cv. Organdi)
(Kenyatta University, 2014) Ignatius, S.; Mwangi, M.
French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are a major vegetable export crop in Kenya and a significant income earner to small scale farmers. French beans are grown for processing, including canning and freezing, and demand is steadily increasing. Poor growth vigor is one of the factors that hinder the realization of high yields and pods of high quality. There is therefore need to develop/ identify new products to increase productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate a newly introduced concentrated inorganic formulation (Hyk®), for its effect on growth vigor, yield and quality of French bean variety Organdi. Hyk® was applied to the plants at different stages of plant growth in Kirinyaga and Murang’a Counties and evaluated against the commonly used foliar fertilizers Nitro spray® and Calmabon®. The study was laid out in complete randomized design and was replicated three times. Data was collected at 50% flowering and included number of flowers, height of the plant, length and width of the leaves. The Hyk® treated plants had a higher growth rate attaining an average height of 39 cm compared to the control’s 37 cm. Hyk® treated plants also had improved yield and quality of the pods, producing over twice the yield of the control treatments. Cost benefit analysis showed that application of Hyk® to French beans yielded a positive net return. The results show that Hyk® foliar fertilizer can be recommended for use in French bean production. Key words: Hyk®, French beans, foliar fertilizer, flowering
Genetic biodiversity assessment and local seed systems of maize landraces among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya
(African Crop Science Society, 2005) Muui, C. W.; Anjichi, V.E.; Muasya, R.M.; Gohole, L.S; Rao, N.K.
Maize is the main staple food in Kenya and adoption rates for improved varieties is high. Smallholder farmers grow over 75% of the maize crop in Kenya. Breeders consider that some local varieties hold potential value for local adaptation and other useful traits. Many farmers in western Kenya use local maize landraces although documentation indicating genetic diversity of these maize types has not been done. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of these local maize landraces and to document the existing local seed systems of the same in four western Kenya districts. A total of 285 randomly selected farmers from four western Kenya districts were interviewed using a questionnaire. Both primary and secondary data is used. Four maize landraces were found in this region. Eighty percent and sixty five percent of farmers in Siaya and Busia districts respectively planted only these maize types, whereas Bungoma and Kakamega each had 32% and 20% respectively. These local maize types covered more than half of the total maize area in Siaya and Busia districts. The interviewees had a well defined local maize seed system. In conclusion there are four types of indigenous maize types of economic importance in western Kenya with well defined seed conservation systems. It is recommended that communities in the lower potential areas of Siaya and Busia districts be considered as sites for improved on-farm seed conservation programmes. Also, any anticipated introduction of genetically modified maize into this region should be done under carefully considered guidelines to minimize the risk of contaminating these maize types.
Influence of Priming, Dressing and Agroecologies on Storage of Selected Soyabean Genotypes
(Egerton University, 2016) Chirchir, J.G.; Mwangi, M.; Nyamongo, D.; Gweyi-Onyango, P.J.
Intercropping Potato with Grain Legumes for Enhanced Productivity and Climate Change Adaptation in Smallholder Farms, Kenya
(Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, 2018) Nyawade, Shadrack; Gitari, Harun I.; Karanja, Nancy N.; Gachene, Charles K. K.; Geldermann, E.; Parker, M.
This study evaluated the effect of potato-grain legume intercropping systems on best land equivalent yield ratios, crop water productivity and net profits in field trials conducted in three agro-ecologies of Kenya: upper highland with seasonal rainfall of 592 mm and altitude of 2550 m, lower highland (505 mm, 1879 m) and lower midland (356 mm, 1522 m) in 2017 rainy seasons. Shangi and Unica the most common potato variety in Kenya, and a drought and heat tolerant variety, respectively, were grown alone and intercropped with the deep rooting legumes, Dolichos (Lablab purperous) and Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus). Whereas the potato varieties had similar yields in the traditional highland growing zone, the heat and drought tolerant Unica performed significantly better in a typical semi-arid midland agro-ecology. Intercropping systems with lima bean and Unica potato variety increased crop water productivity by 38% compared to the pure Unica cropping system and maintained soil moisture content above 33% during flowering and tuberization stages at all sites. This resulted in significantly higher dry matter equivalent yields of 3.21 ± 0.12 ha-1 compared to pure stands (1.98 ± 0.21 ha-1) and when intercropped with Dolichos (1.11 ± 0.23 ha-1) in the low midland zone. This system (Unica + Lima bean) recorded the highest net profits of USD 3,324 ± 143 ha-1 across the three agro-ecologies. These results reveal a strong effect of Unica potato genotype and environment interaction, and show that intercropping a heat and drought tolerant potato variety with lima bean is an excellent option for improved resource use efficiency in non-mechanized smallholder farming systems. This strategy can diversify potato production to mid-elevation agro-food systems and mitigate events of climate change in traditional growing regions.
Iron Concentrations in Roots and Edible Organs of African Indigenous Vegetable Species
(Tropentag, 2015) Eckhardt, Ulrich; Beer, Julius; Bessler, Holger; Nambafu, Godfrey N.; Onyuka, Enos; Mwonga, Samuel; Andika, Darius O.; Gweyi-Onyango, Joseph P.; Engels, Christof
Iron (Fe) deficiency is among the 10 leading human health risks causing “hidden hunger” in sub- Saharan Africa. Iron concentrations and bioavailability are often higher in leafy vegetables than in staple crops like maize and sorghum. Therefore, increasing food diversity through vegetable production and consumption is an option to mitigate Fe deficiency. The aim was to quantify Fe uptake and distribution between roots, stems and leaves in selected African indigenous vegetable (AIV) species, and to compare species responses to different rates of Fe supply. Plants of five leafy AIV species (African night shade Solanum scabrum, amaranth Amaranthus cruentus, cowpea Vigna unguiculata, spider plant Cleome gynandra, Ethiopian kale Brassica carinata) and a standard species commonly grown in Kenya (kale Brassica oleracea acephala group) were grown in nutrient solution at three rates of Fe supply (sub-optimal to induce Fe deficiency responses, optimal for growth, supra-optimal to test if Fe density in edible organs can be enhanced by additional Fe fertiliser application). Leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD-meter) and pH of the nutrient solution were measured at regular intervals to quantify shoot and root responses to Fe deficiency. At harvest, biomass and mineral nutrient concentrations were measured separately for roots, stems and leaves. The species markedly differed in their early root responses to Fe deficiency. Whereas in amaranth, proton extrusion from roots was significantly increased at low Fe supply compared to medium and high Fe supply, in spider plant and kale proton extrusion was not influenced by Fe supply. Fe concentrations in the plant dry mass strongly varied among plant organs and decreased in the order roots >> leaves > stems. In all organs, Fe concentrations were significantly affected by species. Concentrations in shoots varied from 17 (Ethiopian kale) to 39 mg Fe kg−1 dry mass (amaranth) at low Fe supply, and from 42 (Ethiopian kale) to 127 mg Fe kg−1 dry mass (cowpea) at high supply respectively Responses of Fe density in edible plant organs indicate that the potential for increasing the nutritional value of leafy vegetables by Fe fertilisation (biofortification) is largest in cowpea and spider plant.
A Low-cost Medium for Sweet Potato Micropropagation
(African Crop Science Society, 2011) Ogero, K.O.; Mwangi, M.; Gitonga, Nkanata Mburugu; Ombori, O.; Ngugi, M.
Tissue culture has not been optimised in sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam) propagation due to high costs. With an aim of producing affordable disease-free seedlings, a low cost medium was developed and used to regenerate two sweet potato varieties (KEMB 36 and Tainurey). The conventional sources of MS nutrients were substituted with locally available fertilisers. Thirty grammes per litre table sugar was used as a source of carbon. MS medium supplemented with 30g -l table sugar and 3g -l of gelrite was used as the control. The number of leaves, nodes, roots and plant height for the two cultivars were determined and compared . The low cost medium was significantly (P<0.05) cheaper compared to the MS medium costing 94.4% less per litre. KEMB 36 had a regeneration index of 7 nodes per plantlet on the low cost medium, while Tainurey had 3 nodes per plantlet
A Mechanism to Discover Hidden Markets and to Improve Information Flow Towards Food Producers: A Case of Kiambu District, Kenya
(Tropentag, 2012) Nyaga, Elizabeth Kabura; Muriithi, Anthony Gikandi; Gweyi-Onyango, Joseph P.
Food insecurity in many regions in Kenya is mainly attributed to changes in rainfall patterns, lack of markets to sell agricultural produce from regions with surplus and poor infrastructure to distribute to regions facing deficits. Small scale farmers are in desperate need of markets to sell their produce at a good price. They require information on credit and input markets. This paper discusses the methodologies to improve farmers’ access to these markets and enhance access to relevant information that they may find useful in making decisions. The study argues that providing a platform for farmers to interact and transact business directly with buyers, sellers, researchers and other relevant stakeholders in agribusiness would provide market for the farmers. This interaction may facilitate exchange and dissemination of update information on changes in the markets and, changes in consumer needs and taste. Many studies have shown that networking among individual or groups either in social or professional networks may help in development of the members. This paper argues that providing farmers and agricultural extension agents with access to current information and communication technologies (ICT) could be instrumental in finding new markets for the farmers and in dissemination of relevant information. By facilitating the agricultural extension agents to have access to internet, mobile phone and rural radio, hidden markets can be discovered and new information and technology can reach the farmers before they become obsolete. Many businesses have grown through advertising their products online. A national website managed by extension agents can help farmers advertise their produce so that anyone willing to buy can contact the farmer directly. Agricultural based businesses can also advertise their products in the website. Consumers can use the website to buy fresh produce directly from the farmers. Although internet is not available to most households in Kenya, agricultural extension agents can post information of buyers and sellers in village boards and in the market place. This paper discusses how ICT can be implemental in finding new markets and reducing food insecurity in Kenya
Networking Skills
(Kenyatta University, 2016) Maina, Mwangi
Nutrient fluxes from soil to market in African indigenous vegetable production systems
(Tropentag, 2017) Nambafu, Godfrey N.; Adam, A.; Onyuka, E.A.; Bessler, H.; Andika, D.O.; Mwonga, S.; Gweyi-Onyango, Joseph P.; Engels, C.

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