OCP Kenya Launches a Three weeks soil Testing Exercise in Transnzoia County
The department of Agriculture in partnership with OCP Kenya has launched a three weeks soil testing exercise for farmers in the county to know fertility levels of their soils before choosing the variety of crops to cultivate.
Speaking during the launch of the program, Agriculture executive Mary Nzomo noted that the program is timely for farmers in the county given that many are preparing their farms.
The program is part of the company’s cooperate social responsibility with 2000 farmers set to benefit from the free exercise as the initial phase of the pilot stage runs.
Ms Nzomo said this translates to Ksh 3 million disclosing that the service costs about Ksh 1500 per single soil sample tested.
“Our farmers are lucky as we launch the implementation of soil sample analysis project implemented by OCP Kenya in the county. We have so far tested 80 soil samples taken from the 25 wards in the county,” Nzomo said.
She revealed that in the recent past the county has been experiencing a decline in maize production in the county hence do not achieve the potential yields.
She noted that sometimes back, the county used to produce more than 7 million bags per year but this has since dropped by about 2 million bags due to the over use of particular fertilizers which has reduced the soil PH levels.
The Agriculture executive noted that this was due to the use of one type of fertilizer that has been giving nitrogen and phosphorus alone in the soils.
She said there are other essential nutrients for the soils including Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Sulpher and also the general soil organic carbon that is very important in the crops production.
“The department embarked on the soil testing exercise in 2014 that led to soil testing to more than 1,875 farmers across the county, which thereafter informed the department on the introduction of the of balanced and blinded fertilizers for soil specific fertilizer for the farmers that boosts the farm yields” Nzomo said .
The soil will be analyzed and a suitability map developed for informed decision making by farmers and also farmers are advice on the best crop suitable for the soils.
The soil analysis report will be used by farmers to make informed decision about crop nutrition. This is expected to enhance Good Agricultural practices hence higher crop yield.
The OCP Kenya representative Carren Eyabei said the organization established the program named OCP school lab with an aim of helping to carry out soil testing to more than 100,000 farmers in 5years, but for this year the organization through it s pilot program targets to reach more than 6,000 farmers across three counties of with production of Maize, Potatoes and Wheat, with a target of reaching more that 2000 farmers in Trans-Nzoia county in the next one month.
Mrs Eyabei said apart from the soil testing through there agronomist they will be visiting and educating the farmers on the soil testing reports and giving advice on the kind of fertilizers that are suitable for the farms.
The OCP Kenya representative said so far they have realized that the soils in the country continues to be acid the soils PH levels are dropping hence loosing most of the micro nutrients like the Zink. Boron that is very important in the crop production is very low.
“Through this program we want to enlighten the farmers not only on the use of the soil but the importance of taking care of our soils for future generations, through the soil fertility management” Mrs Eyabei said.
Eyabei called on the farmers to change their farming culture by embracing rotational farming by introducing a new crop into the soil like the legumes or cover crops and sometimes give the soil time to rest in what is termed as fallow period in order to safeguard your soil saying this will help the crops help improve the soil.
Bernard Kemei the OCP fertilizers sales representative said OCP Kenya LTD currently has four types of fertilizers that is the CAN,DAP Urea and also a new formulation called NPSP with a high sulphur and boron fertilizers which will be the key for cereals farmers is also looking forward in partnering with the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to supply soil specific fertilizer for farmers in the county.
“As OCP Kenya we are working on the four ‘R’ model for the farmers that is we are providing the right fertilizer at the right rate, at the right timing and at the right source the fertilizers that we are bringing to the farmers is from Morocco and this are the world leaders manufactures of phosphate fertilizers” Kemei said.
Post Author
