Kenya faces a significant rice production deficit that impacts producers, scientists, and consumers alike. According to the Kenya Agricultural, Livestock and Research Organisation (Kalro), the nation produces only about 11% of its rice consumption needs.
To address this shortfall, one strategy has been to contract seed multipliers. At the Bura Irrigation Scheme, farmer John Gitau manages a 10-acre rice field in Area One, Block Four. “This is seed rice,” he explains, gesturing to the crop. “I’m contracted by Kalro to multiply the seed.”
The seed variety he cultivates is Komboka, which is currently three months old. Harvesting will begin in one month, but first, the crop must undergo inspections to ensure it is disease-free and not contaminated with other varieties. After passing inspection, a combine harvester will be used for the harvest.
Previously, Gitau was involved in a similar seed multiplication effort with a farmers’ cooperative in Mwea. “This is my first time doing it in Bura,” he notes.
According to Dr. Ruth Musila, director of the Kalro Mwea center, Gitau has been contracted to produce the first generation of certified seed. He expects to yield about 20 bags per acre, with an earnings projection of Sh80 per kg. Each bag weighs 100 kg, which could lead to gross earnings of approximately Sh1.6 million.
Gitau was first introduced to the Komboka variety in 2018 as a lead farmer in Mwea and now manages additional farms for rice intended for consumption. To prepare his land, he employs rotovation and has divided the plot into smaller sections to improve water retention. He uses Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer along with goat manure to enrich the soil, ensuring it is soft enough for transplanting.
After planting, he applies his first top dressing of YaraVera Amidas fertilizer after 21 days, followed by urea at 35 days, and ammonium sulfate 10 days later. Pest control is crucial; he sprays every 14 days and applies fungicides in the cooler mornings. Instead of herbicides, he prefers manual weeding and employs laborers as needed.
In the hot Bura climate, he allows the rice to sun-dry for two days, aiming for a moisture content of 13-14%. Once dried, the seed is transported to the Kalro Centre in Mwea, which can store over 100 tonnes of seed rice.
