brussels briefing 45: frank nordmann "proven successful smart-farming technologies: the case of...

Frank Nordmann:Proven successful smart-farming technologies: the case of potato initiative Africa – GRIMME Landmaschinenfabrik

Frank NordmannProven successful smart-farming technologies: the case of potato initiative Africa2 13.07.2016

• Background• Partners• On farm demonstrations• Results• On Station trials• Challenges• Lessons Learned• Recommendations

Outline


• Potato is an important food and cash crop.

• More than 800,000 farmers depending on because of high potential for raising incomes and the value of livelihoods.

• 95% are small-scale with less than 2 ha of farm land.

• Demand increasing with its nutrition awareness-half daily adult requirement of Vit. C , significant Vit. B, Iron, Potassium and Zinc

• Increase in production is through expanding areas under production and repeatedly planting potato on the same site.

Background


Potato Utilization in Kenya


• Yields less than 10 t ha-1, against realistic yields of up to 30 t ha-1 with improved practices.

• Constraints; limited quality seed (health and utility), plant nutrition, disease management, cultivation techniques, post harvest losses, accessibility of labor

• Gender dynamics related to the potato

• PIA pilot project aimed at raising production efficiency and quality through involvement of different stakeholders.

Background


• Mechanization Component

− FMD, AMS + Private service providers (Grimme)

• Plant Nutrition

− MEA + (K+S Kali)

• Seed Varieties

− (Solana + Europlant)

• Crop Protection

− Bayer + Syngenta

Partners• Participating farmers/groups

• State Department of Agriculture Crop Directorate

• Nyandarua County Government

• International Potato Center (CIP)

• Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

• Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS)

• National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK)


• Sites Selection− Selection with KEPHIS− Soil sampling- Nutrients and Diseases

• Demonstration set up − Mechanization− Varieties− Plant nutrition− Crop protection

• Farmers Field Days and Feed back − Conducted in 3 sites− Planting, Vegetative, Harvesting− Structured questionnaires (150

farmers)

On farm demonstrations


Results

CountyNo of

Sites

Area

(Ha)Altitude

Nyandarua 6 2.6 2281-2590m

Nakuru 1 3.2 1902m

Bungoma 1 0.4 2215m

Meru 1 0.4 2309m

Demo Layout Bayer Syngenta

Mechanized

Operations

Caruso Caruso

Shangi Shangi

Jelly Jelly

Connect Connect

Farmers

Practice

Farmers spacing, 50Kg N/Ha,

Own saved seed, 3 to 4

fungicide Sprays

Research rec

Practice

Spacing 75cm by 30cm, 90 Kg

N /Ha, Clean Seed, Monitored

Spray


Results

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Farmer Practice Research rec. Modernized

Yie

lds

In t

/h

a

Production package

Yield increase due to improved production

practices


Variety Component

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Local Connect Caruso Jelly

Yie

lds

in T

/H

a

Variety

Yield comparisons of the Varieties in different

demonstration sites

Bungoma

Meru

Nakuru

Nyandarua

N/B; Local- Nyandarua-Shangi; Meru- Asante; Bungoma-A rka


Mechanization

100

575

9

185

214

1082

6

238

0,6

3

2

249

Bed/Ridge

Harvesting

Fertilizer App

Planting

Weeding

All operations

Average hours per hectare used for different

operations in potato production

Mechanized Manual


Mechanization

33%

2.5%

Post Harvest

Losses


Crop Protection

0

20

40

60

80

100

14 28 42 56 70

%D

ise

as

e s

ev

er

ity

Days after Planting

Late blight progress under different crop

protection regimes

Bayer

FP

Research rec

Syngenta


• 9 farmer field days organized, Planting, Vegetative, Harvesting in 3 counties

• Over 2000 Small holder farmers in attendance

• 40% Women• 60% Men

Farmers field days


Farmers PerceptionBungoma Nyandarua

Mechanization Options


Farmers Perception

Before After

Willingness

to Pay Actual

Investment in

Fertilizers 47% 96% Ksh 2,100 Ksh 2,900

Investment in

more advanced

fungicides 42.7% 83.8% Ksh 10,200

Ksh

18,300

“Expensive Inputs”• Government subsidized fertilizer: Not for potato• Counterfeits low quality chemicals in the market


On station experiments –University of NairobiExperiment 1:

Effect of fertilizer and rates on potato yield

• 4 Varieties (Caruso, Jelly, Connect and Shangi)

• 2 Fertilizers ( DAP and NPK 16:8:22+ 2MgO + 2S

• 2 Application rates (45Kg N/Ha and 90Kg N/Ha)

Experiment 2:

Yield loss due late blight

• 4 Varieties (Caruso, Jelly, Connect and Shangi)

• 3 fungicide spray regimes (weekly spray, Bi weekly spray and no spray)

Experiment 3:

Determination of the processing qualities of the new potato varieties

• On going at the University of Nairobi Department of food science and Technology


Crop protection component

Variety

Fungicide Spray Regime

Control Bi Weekly Weekly

Unica 22.2 33.2 39.3

Caruso 23.0 23.2 26.5

Connect 39.5 39.2 38.2

Jelly 22.2 27.1 30.5

Shangi 14.5 27.9 36.8


Plant Nutrition

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Blend

90Kg

N/Ha

DAP 90Kg

N/Ha

Blend

45Kg

N/Ha

DAP 45Kg

N/Ha

Control

Yie

ld i

n g

ram

s p

er

pla

nt

Fertilizer regimes

Yield response of different varieties to

fertilization regimes

Caruso

Connect

Jelly

Shangi


Challenges

• Technical capacity for the machinery operators

• Potato majorly grown in highland characterized with sloppy terrains

• Over reliance on rain-fed agriculture-timing of the operations

• Seed availability and import logistics

• Extreme weather condition in some areas


Lessons

• High potential for further productivity increases

• More impact through smallholder farmers participation and ownership

• A lot of optimism and willingness to invest in new technologies

• Public Private Partnerships-Private sector role in the value chain

• Platform for Interactions and Networking btn farmers ,experts and different stakeholder


Recommendations

• Capacity building on machines operators

• Awareness Creation on the specific utilization of different Varieties

• Loans and credit facilitation to stimulate investments in Modern technologies

• Farm economics trainings to Smallholder farmers

• Strengthening extension service networks

• Local seed multiplication through the decentralized multiplication


Thank you for your attention!