High prices, yields from finger millet lure maize farmers

Coffee Board of Kenya CEO Loise Njeru explains a point to Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei when he toured the Nairobi Coffee Exchange on Wednesday. Photo/Diana Ngila 

By DENNIS ODUNGA

In Summary

• The experts want farmers, especially in lowland areas where maize does not thrive well, to diversify into drought tolerant and fast maturing crops such as finger millet, sorghum, cassava and sweet potatoes.
• But, concerns that finger millet has been relegated to the periphery, its economic and nutritional value notwithstanding, have seen some scientists shift their focus to the crop.

Erratic rainfall and declining land sizes as population increases have prompted agricultural scientists to think beyond maize, a staple crop.

The destructive effects of striga weed, and the dreaded maize lethal necrosis disease is also turning off potential maize farmers.

The experts want farmers, especially in lowland areas where maize does not thrive well, to diversify into drought tolerant and fast maturing crops such as finger millet, sorghum, cassava and sweet potatoes.

But, concerns that finger millet has been relegated to the periphery, its economic and nutritional value notwithstanding, have seen some scientists shift their focus to the crop.

Prof Matthew Dida, the lead researcher in a finger millet project at Maseno University, said that they are encouraging farmers to value the crop after more than 50 years of declining production.

“Unlike Kenya, finger millet production is a lucrative economic activity in Tanzania and Uganda where it is grown in large scale,” said Prof Dida of the university’s School of Agriculture.

Ms Benta Auma Ocholla, a farmer from Marenyu sub-location, Siaya County, is one of the beneficiaries of the finger millet project.

She said that the crop takes less space and time to mature compared to maize, besides its attractive market prices.

“The problem with many people is that they fear doing things differently,” said Ms Ocholla. “Some insist on the same seeds they have been using over the years even when they are introduced to modern seeds that guarantee higher yields.”

She intends to increase the acreage of finger millet on her farm from the current one acre to two acres and cultivate the crop twice in a year, to maximise on profits.

“I earn more from finger millet than other cereals. Its production costs are low because it is less susceptible to effects of weeds, pests and diseases,” said Ms Ocholla.

The farmer also grows maize, beans and vegetables on her farm.

Whereas maize fetches between Sh50 and Sh100 per two-kilogramme tin at the local market, finger millet goes for between Sh150 and Sh200, depending on supply.

John Konditi, another farmer from Uyoma in Rarieda District, says cultivation of the crop has increased his income. He produces about 80 two-kilogramme tins each growing season.

“If I need maize, I can sell the finger millet at Sh200 a tin and buy eight bags at Sh2,000 a sack when the supply is high,” he said.