Grain lobby pushes for pulse farming to boost food output

What you need to know:

pulses — beans, peas, green grams and lentils — take shorter periods and have higher returns compared to maize which has lately been threatened by pests including armyworms.
Kenya produces 800,000 metric tonnes of pulses annually, 20 per cent of which is exported to regional and global markets.
Recent studies have seen the development of improved pulse seed varieties that give yields of are up to 18-90kg bags per acre in medium to low rainfall environments.

The grain sector players are targeting 22 counties in the latest food security drive seeking to promote the production of pulses and cut reliance on maize.

Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) says pulses — beans, peas, green grams and lentils — take shorter periods and have higher returns compared to maize which has lately been threatened by pests including armyworms.

“On average, a 90-kg bag of pigeon peas and green grams are fetching Sh8,500 to Sh9,000 in the market compared to the same quantity of maize that is going for Sh1,300 way below production cost,” executive director Gerald Masila told farmers last week during the Meru Agri-business Expo.

The EAGC has entered into a partnership with 22 counties to organise such exhibitions across the country to woo farmers to cultivate pulses.

Apart from Meru, the counties include Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Isiolo, Laikipia and Transmara.

Others are Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Bungoma, West Pokot, Baringo, Taveta, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River and Garissa.

The the lobby says a farmer would require an average of 25kg of seed and 30-50kg of DAP fertiliser per acre to produce the crops.

“We are working with the county governments to boost production in the coming year, to achieve food security and create prosperity through trade and value addition,” said Mr Masila.

Kenya produces 800,000 metric tonnes of pulses annually, 20 per cent of which is exported to regional and global markets.

In Meru, crop development director Phyllis Mutungi said the 100 metric tonnes of green gram seeds distributed to farmers during the planting season had stabilised food situation as they have surplus yields for sale.

The EAGC said it is collaborating with the 22 devolved units to jointly promote grains and pulses production, post-harvest handling and marketing by exposing farmers to best agronomic practices, innovations and technologies.

Recent studies have seen the development of improved pulse seed varieties that give yields of are up to 18-90kg bags per acre in medium to low rainfall environments.