Lead Scientist: Prof John H. Nderitu , MKU Collaborators:

1. 18.6.2013Enhancing Production, Postharvest handling, Value Addition and Marketing of Indigenous vegetables (Cowpea, Nightshade, pumpkin, Amaranth, Spider plant), Mushrooms and French Beans among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya Lead Scientist: Prof John H. Nderitu, MKU Collaborators: Prof Dorcas K. Isutsa, Chuka University Prof Richard Mulwa, Egerton University Dr Margaret Hutchinson, UON Mr Fredrick Musieba, KIRDI Dr Esther Kioko, NMK DrAndika, JaramogiOdingaOndiga University

2. Presentation outline • General achievements • Specific achievements- specific vegetable • Lesson learnt • Area of deepening the project:Nightshade

3. Achievements: General • Vegetable value chain workshop held on 15th September 2011 at Bukura, KakamegaCounty • Annual vegetable project planning workshop held on 11th February 2003 at National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi • Workshop on Amaranth held in Ruiri in Meru with 105 participants (74 of those were women) • French Bean Farmer Field School for three months at Embu • French Bean pest and diseases one day training at Embu • Stakeholder consultative meetings/seminars/workshops • Surveys- market surveys and baseline surveys

4. Achievements : Trainings

5. Achievements: Trainings

6. Achievements : Other Capacity Building

7. Achievements Specific vegetable

8. Achievements: Mushrooms • Baseline survey has been done • Production trials are being undertaken at laboratory level • Pest management through IPM approach being undertaken at Marama West, KakamegaCounty (M.Sc. Student) • Product transformation technologies are being evaluated • Mushroom recipes have been developed and booklet compiled

9. Some samples of mushrooms collected and identified from Kakamega County

10. Termitomyces sp. mushroom spawn

11. Pleurotus citrinopileatus mushroom growing on sugarcane bagasse at KIRDI’s mushroom pilot plant

12. Achievements: Nightshade • Stakeholders in Siaya County sensitized on value and importance of AIVs- Nightshade through a stakeholders forum and participatory on-farm evaluations • Consumer preferences and challenges to AIVs-Night shade production in Siaya county identified through survey. • Most preferred variety of night shade among farmers in Siaya county identified through participatory evaluations.

13. Nightshade Interaction with AIV traders at Siaya Market during the survey to determine pricing trends and consumer preferences on AIV vegetables

14. Achievements: Nightshade On station nightshade production for demonstration and education to local AIV farmers on cultural best cultural practices.

15. Achievements: Nightshade The AIV stakeholders engaging one of the local NGO’s CEO on their role in information dissemination on AIVs in Siaya county

16. Achievements: Spider plant Production of vegetables enhanced through IPM: • On-station clean seed production experiments carried out. • Spider plant production technology mainstreamed – planting, bed preparation, incorporation of nutrient and soil management practices, seed sowing and early crop care • On station experiments to increase productivity with deflowering and NPK fertilizer/ manure applications (1 MSc student developing proposal).

17. Achievements: spider plant Post harvest handling, value addition and utilization of vegetables enhanced: • Crude bulk handling of vegetables evaluated and farmers sensitized on loses caused. • Mainstreaming use of produce crates for bulk handling of vegetables

18. Achievements: spider plant Mechanisms for information, communication and knowledge sharing on vegetables, along the value chain enhanced: • Spider plant planning meetings held at various dates in 2012. • Brochure for spider plant production in preparation

19. Spider plant Demonstrating bed preparation at the Kendu bay site – In the picture: Drs. Ogendo, Mulwa, Matofari, MOA staff and members of sang’gare group Dr. Ogweno handing over produce crates for hygienic and improved vegetable bulk handling to the Sang’are group at the Kendu bay site Dr. Ogweno walks Sang’are group members through their seed production demonstration plot. Prime vegetative growth on spider plant after 4 harvest rounds

20. Spider plant On station seed production (A&B) and deflowering experiment to extend vegetative phase of spider plant (C)

21. Achievements: cowpea • Stakeholder needs established and understood • Baseline data on buyer-seller information in Coast Province obtained and being compiled • Germplasm of 30 cowpea accessions collected from farmers • Primary screening of superior cultivars undertaken • Evaluation of the 28 accessions on growth and development, yield and farmer-preference attributes and top performers selected for further agronomic trials

22. Achievements pumpkin: • Germplasm collection, evaluation and selection done • Seed bulking and distribution of selected pure seeds of pumpkins done Conclusions: • There is great variation in pumpkins in Kenya • Cultivars seem to be interbreeding a lot • Conservation of naturalized germplasm needs to be expedited to save it from further distortion and extinction Mineral nutrients sources and effects on fruit and leaf vegetable yields • FYM was superior to NPK

23. Achievements French beans • Farmers knowledge of pests and their management practices • Challenges to French bean production at Embu East District • French bean marketing and certification status • Effect of integrating biological, synthetic and botanical pesticides on thripsinfestation and yield of French beans • Effect of different pesticide spray regimes on yield of French beans and cost benefit analysis • Enhancing capacity of French beans farmers and extension service providers through Farmer Field School

24. Achievements: French beans Sorting out beans in the field training farmers in Embu

25. Achievements: Amaranth • Stakeholders adequately consulted • Amaranth market outlet identified • Demonstration of Amaranth planting done in collaboration with commercial seed experts • A need assessment along the value chain initiated • On-farm seed storage methods used by farmers documented • Majority of farmers used own seeds • Local/farmers seed lots assessed for quality

26. Achievements: Amaranth • Survey on insect species/genus distribution done • Control methods of pests on Amaranth poorly understood • Majority 57% felt market prices were low

27. Achievements: Amaranth Seed production on-farm in Ruiri, Meru Awareness creation of amaranth at the demonstration plot at Meru

28. Achievements: Amaranth A sample of insect Pests infesting Amaranth in the Field in Meru

29. Lesson learnt

30. Lesson learntMushrooms • Collaboration is key to the success of research work • There is need to engage commercial partners to drive the agribusiness. • Feasibility studies must be undertaken before commercial up-scaling of the research outputs.

31. Lesson learntSpider plant: • Is a popular vegetable but its production is still low – limited to small kitchen based production in most farms/ homes. • There’s enthusiasm on the business potential around the crop. • Vegetable not consumed singly, usually mixed with others in a dish – Farmers also want to be taught how to produce the others. • There’s potential for developing mixed culture systems to harvest and package the vegetables together – value added.

32. Lesson learntnightshade • Cultural beliefs and stereotypes are still associated to AIVs but with more information and awareness campaigns this is being reversed. • AIVs have the potential to improve household daily nutritional requirements and economic status. • The farmers in Siaya county have limited access to supply of clean planting AIV seeds.

33. Lesson learnt: Spider plant • Is a popular vegetable but its production is still low – limited to small kitchen based production in most farms/ homes. • There’s enthusiasm on the business potential around the crop. • Vegetable not consumed singly, usually mixed with others in a dish – Farmers also want to be taught how to produce the others. • There’s potential for developing mixed culture systems to harvest and package the vegetables together – value added.

34. Area of deepening the project

35. Areas for deepeningSpider plant • 1. Seed production aspects – training of farmers to be able to produce high quality seed. • 2. Upscaling activities on post-harvest technologies – Bulk handling, packaging & storage • 3. Value addition aspects - drying and milling technologies to create porridge formula mixtures. Milled products could be used as additives to baby food and soups.

36. Area of deepening the project:Nightshade • Seed system • Postharvest technologies and handling to minimise losses • Improved marketing of nightshades

37. Area of deepening the project:cowpea

38. Area of deepening the project:French beans • Enhancing capacity of farmers and service providers on GLOBALGAP • Improving marketing opportunities for the French beans • Increase information sharing, communication and knowledge sharing along the French bean chain • Improvement of product quality and utilization

39. Area of deepening the project: Amaranth • Post-harvest and agronomic practices • On-farm participatory seed production and bulking • Foster amaranth marketing networks across value chain

40. Area of deepening the project:Nightshade • Seed multiplication and processing procedures to be enhanced to enable sustained clean seed supply. • Post handling techniques to be explored deeply to allow minimize losses during periods of good harvest. • Improve marketing channels among small scale producers to avoid exploitation by middle men.

41. Areas of deepening: Mushrooms • Value addition and diversification of products • Enhancing the capacity of farmers to produce mushroom spawn by establishing spawn production centre at farm level or RSU offices. • Engage private entrepreneurs to take up the technologies generated as business ventures

42. Areas of deepening:Pumpkin

43. THANK YOU end