Commercial hay growing gives Laikipia farmers a lifeline

Paul Mwangi, a livestock farmer from Tigithi area in Laikipia County packs bales of hay harvested from Ann Mwangi's farm.  Photo by JOB WERU/Standard

Farmers in Laikipia County are reaping from growing hay following a push by the county government to promote this venture.

The Agriculture Chief Officer Martin Mwangi said the County Government distributed 9.4 tonnes of Boma Rhodes seeds to farmers in the initial year of production.

“The grass was planted in 2,350 acres of land across the county and the approximate production by last season was 600,000 bales in 2014 and 800,000 bales in 2015,” he said.

Mr Mwangi added that 18 farmers’ groups received 7,300 kgs of Rhodes grass seeds.

The county government also secured machinery to help farmers prepare land, said Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu.

“The exploration of hay farming and the decision by the county government to support the initiative was advised by the fact that the product was in huge demand within the county and from other milk-producing and animal-rearing counties,” said Mr Irungu.

The county in partnership with Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme and a Netherland development organisation, SNV , trained farmers on production of the fodder.

The 70-member Tigithi Umoja Hay Group was among the beneficiaries of the initiative with farmer Ann Mwangi, saying she initially planted the seeds in April 2015.

Last season, her three-acre farm produced 500 bales of hay.

“I sold 400 bales at Sh120,000 and also harvested 100 kgs of seeds valued at Sh50,000. I previously experienced frequent crop failure before ASDSP began to work with us, and the training programmes they held empowered our group members,” she said.

Mrs Mwangi said farm production had increased corresponding with income.

Currently she has five acres of land under the Boma Rhodes hay variety with an anticipated yield of 1,000 bales which can easily fetch Sh300,000.

Farmers are also harvesting and selling seeds to raise family incomes. The number of hay growers has increased to about 5,000.

Recently some farmers formed Laikipia Hay Company Ltd. 

Former County Agriculture CEC Duncan Mwariri, who rolled out the project, said some of the targeted areas were Tigithi, Thigithu, Ngobit, Ol Moran, Rumuruti, Gatundia among others.

“Grass farming is an alternative to maize in the county. Maize was for several seasons attacked by a viral disease, and we had to stop farming it for at least one season,"  Mr Mwariri said.

The County’s Agriculture Executive Jane Putunoi, said demand for hay is high in Meru, Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Marsabit, Kirinyaga, Nairobi, Samburu and Isiolo.

Laikipia County has the greatest potential to produce hay in Kenya.

“Laikipia is dominantly pasture land with 43 ranches registered by 2012. These ranches occupy over 50 per cent of the total land area in the county,” said Ms Putunoi.

There are 30 ranches owned by companies and individuals and 13 owned by the community as group ranches. The private ranches practice wildlife conservancy and beef cattle rearing.

The group ranches are mainly in the northern part, occupying about 72,544 hectares.

“Production of hay is a suitable activity in pasture lands in large farms and ranches. There were only few growers of hay in the county whose total production could not meet local demand, particularly during the dry season,” said Putunoi.

Farmers began to grow fodder in larger quantitites in 2014 after the Governor gave a go-ahead to a proposal to start commercial hay farming in Laikipia County.

In the proposal, the county government committed to supporting hay production to ensure sufficient grass seed for varieties like Boma Rhodes that do well in the region.