Agritalk Podcast; Silk Farming (Sericure)

Following the ban on GMOs by the Government there has been mixed reactions across the country. This has led to different opinions from stakeholders, experts and farmers in the agricultural value chain.​ On today's podcast to discuss this we have Dr. Francis Nangayo, Senior Manager and Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs Coordinator at AATF Compact together with Adams Amenya who is the Commercial Director at Sistema Bio Kenya.

Following the ban on GMOs by the Government there has been mixed reactions across the country. This has led to different opinions from stakeholders, experts and farmers in the agricultural value chain.​ On today's podcast to discuss this we have Dr. Francis Nangayo, Senior Manager and Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs Coordinator at AATF Compact together with Adams Amenya who is the Commercial Director at Sistema Bio Kenya.

David Tanui an agronomist working with the Kerio Valley Development Authority, KVDA has been spearheading crop production at the Wei Wei Irrigation Sheme in West Pokot County. The irrigation scheme has been very beneficial to the residents who were known before as pastrolists, falling short of food after long periods of drought. Some of the crops grown in the area are green grams, sorghum, maize for seed production, mangoes among Taynuilt fruits. On an interview with Faith Kutere, Tanui discloses that despite Wei Wei and its environs being an ASAL region, the available water when used appropriately in farming, will boost food production and ensure the residents have enough food throughout the year.

Coenurosis is a disease of the central nervous system in sheep, caused by Coenurus cerebralis, the larval stage of Taenia multiceps, a tapeworm, which infests the small intestine of carnivores.

What is Climate Change? To answer this question listen to this episode as Hellen Miseda The Smart Harvest Sub-Editor and Marion Munyao, Farm Kenya's Producer discuss in detail.

While Kenya’s small and medium enterprises continue to create numerous jobs and boost the country’s GDP, Agri- SMEs are also part of the major contributors in SME growth in Africa. On Agritalk Podcast, Kelvin Nyakundi speaks to Valentine Miheso who is an agribusiness expert from AGRA about the role of Agri-SMEs in growing Africa’s economy and how to support the business environment.

Karren Misoy is a young organic farmer in Uasin Gishu County planting yellow and red capsicums and tomatoes in her small piece of land. Misoy opted for organic farming as a way of maintaining healthy eating habits and reducing the cost of production. She does farming in a green house to ensure that she controls the environment in which the plants grow and increase production as compared to open field farming. Faith Kutere engages her on organic farming and managing a green house on todays AgriTalk Episode.

After retiring as a teacher, Joseph Barsulai decided to venture into coffee farming, something that he has never regretted doing. He started harvesting coffee in 2017 and now owns almost 900 coffee trees as he strives to plant more in his piece of land at Turesia, Elgeyo Marakwet County. Barsulai claims that coffee farming has greatly changed his life and thus has been encouraging farmers in his area to join Turesia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society and venture into coffee farming to earn better income as compared to other farming ventures. Faith Kutere interviews him on todays AgriTalk show episode.

Japheth Kimtai has been rearing chicken for the past 3 years and keeping dairy cows for ten years now. Before, the cost of dairy meal and chicken feed were low, he would benefit hugely on the venture until recently when the cost has been going up gradually. In his farm at Kipkenyo in Uasin Gishu County, Kimtai has found an alternative to manage the high cost of animal feed by producing his own for dairy cows and rearing chicken on a free range. Faith Kutere talks to Kimtai in today's episode.

On this episode, we discuss sericulture, or silk farming. 51 Capital Company has been sensitizing farmers in Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia counties, Western and parts of Central Kenya to embrace silkworm and mulberry farming as another way of diversification. The company has also been supplying mulberry trees for planting as they prepare to rear the common commercial silkworms species, which mainly feed on mulberry leaves only. Faith Kutere interviews Jared Lagat on how silkworms are reared to produce silk.