The best farming practices to use in Kenya

As agricultural sector continues to grow, there are various agricultural techniques being used but what we need to ask ourselves is what the best farming practices to use in Kenya are.

Sustainable agriculture provides high yields without undermining the natural systems and resources that productivity depends on. It is therefore very important to note that farmers who take a sustainable approach work efficiently with natural processes rather than ignoring or struggling against them.

Best farming practices to use in Kenya

Those farmers who use the best of current knowledge and technology are able to avoid the unintended consequences of industrial, chemical-based agriculture.

One of the most important results is that farmers are able to minimize their use of pesticides and fertilizers, thereby saving money and protecting future productivity, as well as the environment.

Below are some of the most common sustainable agricultural techniques employed by farmers today to achieve the key goals of weed control, pest control, disease control, erosion control and high soil quality. The techniques can also benefit Kenya as a nation if we embrace them.

The best farming practices to use in Kenya

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is the art of growing different crops in succession in the same field. It is one of the most powerful techniques of sustainable agriculture and helps avoid the unintended consequences of putting the same plants in the same soil year after year.

 It is a key element of the permanent and effective solution to pest problems because many pests have preference for specific crops and continuous growth of the same crop guarantees them a steady supply of food which helps them increase in their population.

In crop rotations, farmers can also plant crops, like soy beans and other legumes, which replenish plant nutrients, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

Cover crops

Growing cover crops is also another effective farming technique which can be used effectively in the country. Many farmers have been taking advantage of the benefits of having plants growing in the soil at all times, rather than leaving the ground bare between cropping periods, which produces united problems.

Planting of these cover crops such as clover and oats helps farmers achieve the basic goals of;

·         Preventing soil erosion

·         Enhancing soil quality

·         Suppressing weeds

Adopting crop rotation and using appropriate cover crops is worth the extra efforts because it reduces the need for chemicals such as herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers.

Soil enrichment

Having rich and fertile soil is the key to better yields. Good soils can improve yields and produce robust crops less vulnerable to pests. Remember that abused soils often require heavy fertilizer application to produce high yields. Soil quality can be maintained and enhanced in many ways, including leaving crop residues in the field after harvest, plowing under cover crops, or adding composted plant material or animal manure.

Healthy soil teems with life, including many beneficial microbes and insects, but these are often killed off by the use of pesticides.

Natural pest predators

Understanding a farm as an ecosystem rather than a factory offers exciting opportunities for effective pest control. Examples of natural predators of agricultural pests include; birds, insects and spiders. Managing farms so that they harbour populations of pest’s predators is an effective pest control technique. Intensive use of chemical pesticides leads to the indiscriminate killing of birds, bats, and other pest predators.

Bio intensive Integrated Pest Management

This is one of the most promising technologies in the control of pests through integrated pest management (IPM). The approach relies on the greatest possible extend on biological rather than chemical measures and it emphasizes the prevention of pest problems with crop rotation; the reintroduction of natural disease-fighting microbes into plants/soil, and the release of beneficial organisms that prey on the pests.

Once a particular pest is identified, responses include the use of sterile males, bio-control agents like ladybugs. Chemical pesticides are only used as a last resort. 

 

If we embrace the best farming practices to use in Kenya then we will be able to change the state of our farming and increase our agricultural produce.