Kalro has embarked on a training programme on pigeon pea value chain for extension staff, service providers and farmers from Machakos County.
Machakos prioritised to promote the crop to reduce poverty among its people.
The expected results are increased incomes, improved food and nutritional security especially among women, children, youth and vulnerable groups.
The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) has embarked on a training programme on pigeon pea value chain for extension staff, service providers and farmers from Machakos County.
Machakos prioritised to promote the crop to reduce poverty among its people.
The expected results are increased incomes, improved food and nutritional security especially among women, children, youth and vulnerable groups.
Speaking during the training at Kisumu Hotel on Wednesday Kalro Director-General Eliud Kireger said with support from the World Bank, they had deployed resources to develop intervention strategies to upgrade the pigeon value chain.
“These include breeding of high yielding varieties, promoting utilisation of improved technologies, innovations and management practices and provision of marketing information,” said Dr Kireger.
Kenya produces about 275,000 tonnes of pigeon pea with the crop largely cultivated in lower eastern and Coastal regions.
“Our consumption as country is one million tonnes annually against production of 275,000 tonnes. We are producing only 25 per cent of what we consume,” said Dr Kireger.
Pigeon pea or mbaazi in Kiswahili, is the third most widely grown pulse crop in Kenya after beans and green grams.
It grows in the marginal semi-arid region with little rainfall and high temperatures where most other cereals may not establish.
In Kenya, the crop has the potential of high yield in 24 counties including Kitui, Machakos and Makueni.
It does well in altitude of 0-2,000 metres above sea level, rainfall ranging from 600-1,000mm per annum, temperatures of 18-38 degree Celsius and in well drained deep soil with pH ranging from 5.0-7.0.
The crop is used as both livestock feed and human food.
“Our current production as country is two bags per acre, yet the potential is about 10 bags. We want bridge that gap, so that we can triple the production,” said KALRO Director General.
The pigeon pea is one of the eight crop value chain supported under the
Currently, Kalro is promoting various pigeon varieties such Mbaazi 1, Mbaazi 2, Mbaazi 3, KAT 68/8, KAT81/3/3 and KAT 777.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
