KENYA AGRICULTURAL & LIVESTOCK RESEARCH ORGANIZATION COFFEE RESEARCH INSTITUTE Outreach and Partnerships in the Coffee sector under the current governance James Minai
1. INTRODUCTION Following the enactment of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock (KALR) act No.17on 25 th Jan 2013, the Coffee research Foundation is now Coffee Research Institute under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock organization. In order to disseminate research findings effectively and showcase its research activities and services, CRI is partnering with various county governments to undertake several activities in the counties
2. OUR REACH: ALL COFFEE GROWING AREAS CENTRE AND SUB CENTRES i. Kitale centre ii. Namwela sub centre in Bungoma iii. Kisii sub centre in Kisii iv. Koru sub centre in Kericho / Kisumu v. Mariene sub centre in Meru
3. PARTNERSHIPS WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENTS (AREAS WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH COUNTIES) i. Training of County Agriculture staff and personnel ii. from various coffee institutions in the counties Farmer trainings collaborative efforts to capacity build farmers ability to enhance production iii. County consultations and capacity building for promotion of coffee expansion several efforts CPP, ICPP, Boosting Coffee Productivity in Kenya and Malawi project and the County efforts to start off coffee nurseries Capacity building of county agric. staff and personnel in coffee nurseries iv. County specific soil maps and recommendations
4. OUT REACHES AND PARNERSHIPS IN VARIOUS COUNTIES YEAR 2014/2015 i. Farmer Field days and Members education days (MED). These were conducted in farmers fields in 21 counties East and west of Rift valley field trainings ACTIVITY Field days held sensitizatio n meetings on CPP NUMB ATTENDANCE BY ER GENDER 53 22.59% were women and 77.4 % men 12 Of those who attended 22.6 % were women and 77.4% men RECOMME NDATIONS Encourage women to attend Encourage women to attend
Field day West of Rift NakuruCounty
ii. Field advisory services 38 cases were reported by farmers from East and West of Rift valley and attended to. ISSUES / PROBLEMS NOTED Establishment related Issues PERCEN TAGE COMMENTS ON ISSUES NOTED 15% Mainly Deep planting, root mealy bugs Pests infestation 13% Mainly Thrips, mealy bugs and white borers Poor flowering and or berry drop 5 % Inadequate P application and extreme cold weather the course of two respectively Coffee rehabilitation 26% Rehabilitation of neglected farms General coffee management issues 15% This includes pruning, nutrition, leaf fall
SL variety Batian Advisory visit observation Gikanda FCS, Nyeri county
iv. Residential trainings at KCC 2014/15 42 sessions of various courses were conducted. The courses targeted different areas and personnel and were meant to capacity build stakeholders COURSE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL (Demand) TRAINEES COMMENTS Factory management Nursery management Farm Management 10 % Factory managers from societies in various counties 14% Nursery attendants mainly dealing with CPP project 10% Mostly from Uasian Gishu, Nandi and Elgeyo Maraket Cupping 7% Trainings organized by KCPA Other coffee related courses 12% Mainly form marketers and millers
v. Other activities undertaken in collaboration with counties a) Farmer field schools 53 sessions in 11 counties Kirinyaga, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Taita Taveta, Nandi, kericho, Homabay, Nakuru, Bomet b) County Agriculture staff training Elgeyo Marakwet county staff financed full by the county Government c) Agricultural exhibitions and shows 11 Nairobi, Embu, Meru, Kitale, Kakamega, Nakuru and Eldoret
Farmer Field School MutiraFCS, Kirinyaga County
County Agriculture staff training, Elgeyo Marakwet County
Eldoret Ask Show 2015
6. CENTERS AND SUB CENTERS ACTIVITIES Centre/Sub Advisory Field On Agricultural Academ Total of centre visits days station shows/ ic visits contact done farmer exhibitions forums visits 1. Kitale 41 29 14 6 1 91 2. Meru 7 Nil 11 1 Nil 19 3. Kisii 5 2 27 4 3 51 4. Koru 12 33 7 1 2 55 5. Namwela 41 24 18 3 17 93 Total 106 68 77 15 33 309
6. ISSUES NOTED DURING THE TRAININGS AND ADVISORY WORK a) Improper establishment during new plantings and infillings deep planting hence drying after 3 years, root mealy bugs b) Thrips damage during the dry weather needs to be monitored in order to minimize the impact c) Use of correct fertilizers is necessary to avoid poor flowering especially due to P levels
7. RECCOMENDATIONS Information on proper establishment can be obtained from CRI and is Centre and sub centers and KALRO website Pests monitoring and recording of infestation levels should be done monthly Soil analyses every 2 3 years will inform the fertilizer to be purchased Women participation during farmer trainings needs to be encouraged in all counties in order to boost their knowledge in coffee farming
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