Kenya looks to India for farm mechanisation
Kenya is planning to mechanise its agriculture and looking to India for farm equipment that will bring down production costs. The East African country is also bringing in policy changes to transform the sector from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
"We are looking at India for mechanisation support. Currently, we have around 15,000 tractors but there is a severe deficit. The requirement is for 100,000 tractors," Felix Koskei, Kenya's cabinet secretary for agriculture, livestock and fisheries, told IANS in an interview.
"After having discussions with the manufacturers we will start talks with the Indian government. We have already spoken to Indian companies like Sonalika Tractors, Apollo and many others," added Koskei, who was here for the Asia-Africa Agri-Business Forum meeting organised by the Indian government in association with industry chamber FICCI.
He noted in this context that Kenya had secured an $80 million line of credit from Brazil to buy 2,000 pieces of farm equipment.
Greenhouses provide a Lifeline Against Drought in Kenya
When the rains didn't come, the people of Gandini used to start praying. It was a specific prayer, which involved sacrificing a chicken or a goat under a tree.
The rains would follow in a few days. However, the villagers, who live near Kenya's beautiful coast began to lose faith
Read more: Greenhouses provide a Lifeline Against Drought in Kenya
Food security improves across eastern Africa: UN
Citing a report from the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group for the Eastern and Central Africa region, the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said the number of food insecure people in eastern Africa has reduced from 14.9 million in December 2012 to 12.9 million as of June.
China to Support Kenya Raise Rice Yield
China has offered to train Kenyan rice farmers in modern large-scale production techniques to raise their yield five-fold from the current paltry 50 tonnes per acre.
During President Uhuru Kenyatta's tour of the China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) in the southern
