CANOLA PRODUCTION IN NYERI, KENYA Paige Cross

Canola -- Brassica napus  Edible rapeseed developed in Canada in 1970s  Two main varieties: Argentine (napus) and Polish (rapa)  Low saturated fat  40% oil  High meal protein  Cooking oils, pressed cakes for animal feed, & biodiesel

Cultivation  Higher yield potential  Taller  Higher oil content  95 days to reach maturity  Best suited to clay-loam soils  Not very drought tolerant  High heat can reduce yields  Doesn’t tolerate standing water  pH of  Elevation of 1800 and 2700m  Nyeri is 1750m Brassica napusAgroclimatic Needs

Cultivation  Best results if following cereal grain or fallow in rotation  2 years between plantings  In Kenya can be grown in relay/intercrops/cover crops, rotational crops, trap crops and for fodder.  In Nyeri, intercropped with wheat and castor  Possible rotation crops – flax, soybean, and lentil  Successive plantings increase disease risk  Susceptible to herbicide residues  In Kenya can be grown in relay/intercrops/cover crops, rotational crops, trap crops and for fodder.  Seedbed free of weeds, heavy crop residues, large clods  Cool season annual  Plant prior to short rains?  Moist, firm seed bed  Seed depth of 3/8-1/2 in (no more than 1 in)  6-7 inch rows  5 – 8 lbs of seed per acre  Strait combined using adjusted wheat combines RotationPlanting

Cultivation  Nitrogen & Sulfer are key nutrients  Apply in band at least 2in. from seeds  Weed control program should include cultural, mechanical and chemical methods  Trifluralin and Sonalan Herbicides  Diseases  Sclerotinia white mold, club root, blackleg, and stem rot  Herbicide Resistant (GMO) Canola  Price and Input Needs  Biodiversity & Environmental Impacts (both of canola and of nontarget species)  Herbicides can be used to control weeds, helps reduce tillage, prevents soil erosion and preserves soil moisture for plant production.  95 days to maturity  Indeterminate  Pods mature from bottom of plant up  Once at full sides pods will dry o light brown in 3-4 weeks  Harvest when 1/3 are brown  Swathing to prevent shatter losses  in above soil protects from rain loss  CAN ALSO BE CUT AND HARVESTED DIRECTLY  In Nyeri District, 1 acre can yield up to 1000 kg  Can be reduced by up to half if rainfall is low Nutrients & ProtectionHarvesting

Marketing  Must be stored tightly  Can sweat for 6 weeks after harvest  Heating and spoilage  Can also dry naturally in air or artificially  110* F  Cooking oils are popular in Kenya  Only producing 1/3 of demand  Second highest valued import after petrolium  Home/Community Production Approtech Oil Press 1 ton of canola yields 250 – 300 liters of oil Can press 150kgs/hr ($3700) Manual can yield 20L a day (300)  Sell of Canola Seed to processors Aberdare Oil Millers in Nyeri is one local miller of edible oils and fats Storage IssuesEdible Oil Production

Marketing  High Protein Animal Feed  52% protein  Byproduct of oil production  Works well when complemented with soy meal cakes More complete Amino Acid Profile  Community Energy Independence  Biodiesel to fuel local  Sell to local producers/NGOs  1 acre producing 1000kg can earn 15,000 KsH annually  Sell through farmers group for 18 KSh/kg  Help Self Help Center Nyeri, Kieni East Division Eco-Energy Programme Offers Technical Advice Press CakesBiofuel

Limitations & Unanswered Questions  Is Canola agroclimatically suited for production in Nyeri?  Would a different oil seed plant perform better?  Would canola production at the CYEC make sense due to the technological needs and scale required?  There is little available technical information on canola production in east Africa.  Most information here is adapted from technical guides for Nebraska and south Texas.  Contact Help Self Help Center for access to some of their resources?