1. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
In Othaya, Kenya
By Brett Promisloff & Alayna Blalock

2. Subsistence Crops specific to Othaya, the Nyeri South District, and Nyeri
Most farmers are subsistence farmers
Almost every homestead in the Nyeri South District has at least one or two exotic cattle for personal/family use. (Source: Future Ag research paper)

3. Tea Requirements: Red loam mixed with volcanic soils
Drained within 2m depth and PH between
Thrives with rainfall from 1,200mm to 2,500mm annually, preferably with long/sunny intervals.
Temperatures degrees Celsius.
Typically 2 harvests per year (“first flush” and “second flush”)
Chinga Tea Factory Co Ltd. (Othaya):
Tea first grown in region in 1953; factory built in 1963
4,683 growers
Grow stump/clonal teas

4. Coffee Species: Arabica Optimal Arabica Growing Climate
Harvest Season (generally in Kenya): October through January (rainy period)
Can be a month ahead or behind depending on climate and El Niño force
Ability to be intercropped with other horticultural crops
Mostly produced by small farmers
Declining market
Transparency of the market: producers are not guaranteed a profit
Political interference in market: cause of decline?
Coffee co-op in Othaya: Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd
Membership: 14,000
Production Capacity (total kg): 2,940,000
Factories: 19
Staff No.: 101
(Source: Kenya Coffee Producers Association)

5. Coffee cont… Coffee Knowledge Base: Varieties in Kenya
Coffee Geography and Climate in Kenya
Kenya in general prides itself on the quality of coffee they produce: “Kenyan producers place an emphasis on quality and as a result, processing and drying procedures are carefully controlled and monitored. Kenya has its own unique grading system. Kenyan AA is the largest bean in a 10-size grading system and AA+ means that it was estate grown” (National Coffee Association of U.S.A., Inc.).

6. Dairy Othaya Dairy Cooperative Society: Established in 1964
1,386 active members operating in three dairies with 200 collection sites in the region
Receives a lot of morning milk deliveries for the area and acts as the link between farmers and milk processors
Buys milk at Ksh.27 per liter and sells it at Ksh with the margin used to run the society
Used profit to create program in the “farm input department” which allows the society to give farmers input on the basis of how much milk they supply
Discourages sales directly to the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) or any other brokers due to a history of mismanagement and fraud
The dairy boasts nearly 100% allegiance from participants.

7. Goats In Othaya: Keeping of dairy goats gaining popularity
in region, but little know-how
Such a new phenomenon there is currently no, or very small, market for goat milk
“The agricultural officers still have to do a lot of sensitization to bring more farmers on board and also create a market for the product.”
General Benefits:
Goats need less space than cows
Milk is highly nutritious
This is an activity that women traditionally undertake

8. Other Ag Ventures Piggeries:
Some farmers have learned how to manage pigs
in Nyeri South District (exact numbers unknown)
Ready markey available, including a sausage manufacturing companies in Thika, Kenya
Thika is about 1.5 hrs from Othaya
Horticulture & Greenhouses
Land fragmentation has caused people in the region to focus on high intensive farming; minimum land, maximum use

9. Beekeeping
Due to land fragmentation, drought and soil degredation, tea production has been on the fall in recent years but often the government intervenes and won’t allow people to tear up their tea fields
This is because it’s a cash crop that brings in tax revenue In order to supplement their income many farmers have been adding beekeeping to their farms since it takes up little space but can be highly productive.
“So far, at least 6,000 tea farmers at Iriaini Tea Factory have already acquired hundreds of beehives to diversify their income. The farmers have acquired a 150-acre piece of land in Nyeri town, where they plan to erect 12,000 bee hives in three years. Through the bee project, introduced by Fair Trade Company — also the marketers of Iriaini Tea factory — the farmers hope to raise 288,000 kilos of honey annually.”
expect to sell it at Sh500 per kilo
Iriana located in Nyeri

10. Rabbit Keeping
Ministry of Livestock recently held a “field day” in the district to conduct studies on the acceptance of rabbit meat
There was good attendance and everyone was able to try it
Taste of meat was well accepted
Number of farmers keeping rabbits is rapidly growing, but still not keeping up with demand
Rabbit Farming Networks beginning to pop up across Kenya
Rabbit Farming won funding from the 2009 Africa Rural Connect Competition
From:

11. Problems & Challenges facing Agricultural Production
Population has put pressure on the remaining arable land left in the area. The average household owns about .64ha2 of land. Moreover, no one is willing to sell land anymore (Source: Future Ag research paper)
High cost of capital
Land fragmentation
Soil fertility
Youth opinions
Pesticide use
Other farmer challenges
Farmer ignorance and low technology uptakes
High cost of inputs
Cooperative mismanagment (like in coffee)
Lack of sanitary information
Delayed supply of inputs

12. From: Chinsinga, Blessings
From: Chinsinga, Blessings. “The Role and Performance of Ministry of Agriculture in Nyeri South District”

13. Resources
Wayama, M., L. O. Mose, M. Odendo, J. O. Okuro, and J. O. Owuor. "Determinants of income diversification strategies amongst rural households in maize based farming systems of Kenya." African Journal of Food Science 4.12 Jan. (2010):  CABdirect. Web. 11 Feb <
Chinsinga, Blessings. “The Role and Performance of Ministry of Agriculture in Nyeri South District.”  Future Agriculture Consortium.  Web. 27 Jan 2011 
Kenya Coffee Producers Association. "Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd | KCPA." KCPA | Working for a Fair Return on Investment for Kenyan Coffee Farmers. Web. 28 Jan <
Coffee Research Institute. "Coffee Environment: Climate Conditions for Growing Coffee Beans." Coffee - CoffeeResearch.org. Web. 10 Feb <
Moledina Commodities Inc. "Our Coffees - Kenya." Moledina Commodities Inc. Web. 10 Feb <
Lost Dutchman Coffee Co. "Green Coffee Harvest Table." Lost Dutchman Coffee. Web. 10 Feb <
National Coffee Association of the U.S.A., Inc. "Coffee From Around The World - National Coffee Association." Home - National Coffee Association. Web. 10 Feb <
Wachira Waikwa, Stephen. "Farmers on the Treadmill." Pesticide News Mar. 1999, 43rd ed.: Print.  Article Available online at:
Kenya Tea Development Agency Ltd ( KTDA). “Tea Growing Conditions and Husbandry Management.” Web. 28 Jan <