Kirinyaga farmers cut production costs as county seedlings centre boosts access to quality planting materials

Farmers in Kirinyaga County are cutting production costs and improving access to quality planting materials following the establishment of a county-run seedlings propagation centre in Kangai Ward.

The Seedlings Propagation Centre, which became operational last year, produces certified, disease-free and affordable planting materials, helping horticulture farmers reduce their reliance on private nurseries and costly sources outside the county.

Established under Governor Anne Waiguru’s Wezesha Kirinyaga programme, the centre has a production capacity of up to 400,000 seedlings for crops including tomatoes, cabbages, kales, spinach and African night-shade.

County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries Dr John Gachara said the facility was established to address persistent challenges faced by farmers in accessing clean and quality planting materials.

“Getting clean planting materials has been one of the key challenges for horticulture farmers. This particular centre ensures that our farmers get the correct materials which are clean and without disease, so that we can safeguard our soils and improve productivity,” said Gachara.

The centre uses certified seed and modern propagation technology to produce seedlings under controlled conditions, while farmers also receive agronomic advice to improve crop establishment and performance.

“The centre has a capacity of producing 400,000 seedlings from certified seeds that are put under the right conditions using the technology and machines that ensure that the final seedling that the farmer gets is of high quality,” he said.

According to Gachara, the facility has sold more than 100,000 seedlings over the past two seasons, with farmers saving about Ksh.200 per tray and up to Ksh.1,000 in transport costs, depending on where they previously sourced their planting materials.

Some farmers previously bought seedlings from private producers within Kirinyaga, while others travelled as far as Naivasha, increasing both the cost and time required to establish their crops.

Governor Waiguru said the centre was among county initiatives aimed at expanding horticultural production, particularly tomato farming.

She said tomato production in Kirinyaga had increased from 46,000 tonnes in 2017 to 116,000 tonnes in 2022, generating an estimated Ksh.6.9 billion annually for farmers.

Beyond seedling production, Gachara said the centre also serves as a training facility in partnership with the Kirinyaga Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training Centre.

“This is not only a centre for producing seedlings but also a training centre. This year we held the first farmer field day and we expect to hold about three farmer field days every year so that we can educate our farmers on proper agronomic practices for vegetables,” he said.

Farmers say the availability of affordable and reliable planting materials has eased one of the major challenges in horticultural production.

Cabbage, tomato and sukuma wiki farmer Daniel Githaka said the centre had increased farmers’ confidence in the quality of seedlings while also lowering prices.

“Previously we also could not confirm the quality of the seedlings we bought but with the county propagation centre, we are assured of getting the best quality seedlings at lower prices,” said Githaka.

He said the price of tomato seedlings had fallen from Ksh.2,200 to Ksh.2,000 per crate, while capsicum seedlings had dropped from Ksh.1,200 to Ksh.1,000.

Tomato farmer John Muchoki said the centre had also eliminated the logistical challenges associated with travelling long distances to source seedlings.

“It has reduced my farming costs because of the lower prices for the seedlings as well as the travel costs, which used to amount to about Ksh.1,000 for transport. With the propagation centre now very close, I can literally walk to the centre, buy my seedlings and come back and plant. It saves me time and money,” said Muchoki.

He added that the agronomic advice offered at the centre was helping farmers make better decisions on crop establishment and management.

Another tomato farmer, Michael Mwangi, said access to high-yielding varieties had contributed to improved farm performance.

“The county government gives us Rafano and Ranco tomato seedlings, which are high-yielding seedlings, at very affordable rates. This has seen my yields increase tremendously and my profits grow,” said Mwangi.

Farmer Sammy Maringa said timely access to seedlings was particularly important in horticulture, where delays in planting can disrupt production cycles.

“Kangai Ward is one of the most productive areas in horticulture and having access to seedlings on time has therefore gone a long way in boosting economic growth in this ward and in Kirinyaga County as a whole,” he said.

The county government says the continued expansion of the propagation centre is expected to further improve access to quality planting materials while strengthening horticultural production and farmer incomes across Kirinyaga.