New way of tilling land puts the money into semi-arid farmers’ pockets
A tractor rips in Kituku Musai's (left) farm in Makueni for planting. Musai has been using the technology for the last two years and he reckons that it has boosted his yields. PHOTOS | RACHEL KIBUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Musai, a retired Inspector of Police, has been using the technology for the last two years and he reckons that it has boosted his yields.
Minimal soil disturbance is achieved by ‘digging’ only the section that is planted. This digging ensures breakage of the hardpan on the soil, which forms over time.
Johnson Gachuhi, an agricultural officer in Makueni, adding a minor crop is planted between the trenches acting as a cover crop.
While the ‘normal’ ploughing is charged at Sh2,000 per acre, Musai pays Sh1,800 for the acre.
Kituku Musai looks keenly as a tractor moves with great ease from one end of his farm in Kiunduni, Makueni, to another.
However, while one expects the equipment attached to the tractor to cut through the soil as is usually the norm, on Musai’s farm the opposite is evident as the 67-year-old prepares to grow new crops during the October short rains.
