AGRIBUSINESS FEATURE:Growing of white sorghum picks up in Kisumu in readiness for a new Brewery plant.

EABL Sustainability Manager,Maryanne Nderu learns key details about sorghum farming from Herkana Otieno and Adhiambo Yogo during the EABL and Media Tour Kisumu County recently-Photos By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo.

 May 29, 2018

Growing of white sorghum picks up in Kisumu in readiness for a new Brewery plant.

A visit to his farm in Wang’aya 1 within Masogo/Nyang’oma ward of Kisumu County reveals a lot for a first time visitor to the region.

This is the farm of Thomas Juma Okeyo who used to grow sugar cane in this area for several years but since the collapse of Miwani Sugar Company within the area, the business of sugarcane growing has not been well with a number of farmers who entirely depended on it for livelihood for over a long period of time.

A visit to Okeyo’s farm ushers you into a territory of growing a new crop which has since been introduced by the East African Maltings Limited, a subsidiary of East African Breweries Limited {EABL} which has embarked on the need for local farmers to embrace the growth of the white sorghum which is a raw material needed for the manufacturing of a new alcohol product known as senator keg by July this year when  Kisumu Breweries is expected to kick off its operation following its revival at an estimated sh 15 billion.

Okeyo who is a member of Sky Village Cooperative Society says he is optimistic that he will reap well by harvesting a good white sorghum by next month when the crop will be ready for harvest in his about 0.76acres.

“I am now optimistic that we will reap from this white sorghum which we started planting in March this year. I have been a sugar farmer for long but the yield I have been getting after waiting for nearly two years has been wanting and using a lot of resources hence this is why I have now embarked on white sorghum growing which takes less than three months,” he says.

Thomas Okeyo checks on his sorghum farm during the EABL and Media Tour in Wang'aya one Village of Kisumu County.

Treasurer of the Sky Village Cooperative Society Davis Olang says there are about 400 acres of land that is currently under white sorghum growing, adding that they have planted two varieties of Sorghum.

He says there is ready market for the sorghum which will be available following the revival of the Kisumu Breweries which is expected to start operating this July.

He says growing sorghum is very easy and it takes only less than three months unlike growing sugar cane which takes about 18 months before it fully matures hence making farmers waiting for so long to do harvesting.

He urges more farmers to embrace the growing of the white sorghum which will enable them to earn cash very fast unlike the scenario of sugar cane growing.

He says the Cooperative Society is one of the Agents which have been registered with the East African Maltings Limited so as to spearhead the growth of white sorghum farming as well as collecting and buying the produce from farmers during harvesting, adding that the society has about 170 members.

“We are hoping to get a good harvest for our produce even though some have been submerged in water following the floods caused so far by heavy rains. The seeds we have been given takes less than 3 months and we are happy after this period we will harvest,” he says.

In Olasi area within East Kano/Wawidhi ward in Kisumu County, a number of local farmers have too embarked on white sorghum farming for agribusiness purposes.

Caren Akinyi Gogo, a member of Olasi Border Youth Group says she is very happy with the new initiative as it will greatly help in improving their means of livelihoods.

She says they planted the sorghum on March 27 this year and nearly two months now, their crop is almost ready for harvesting.

“We are very happy that we have been introduced to this white sorghum farming and I believe many of farmers will join us in growing the white sorghum. This is really a good initiative for the local farmers indeed,” she says.

She says one of the biggest challenges is that of birds which are normally attracted by the new crop, adding that they must be at the field while driving the birds away so as not to destroy the crops.

“This white sorghum is really attracted to the birds as it has a very nice smell while at the field here hence we are now forced to stay here throughout while chasing away birds not to destroy it,” Akinyi says.

Tom Mboya, a member of the group also urged many farmers to embrace agribusiness and stop only growing crops for their consumption only, adding that agribusiness is the way to go for many to earn livelihood.

Kevin Achola, the Field Technician from East African Maltings Limited {EAML} and is in charge of Kisumu county says they are charged with the responsibility on providing the technical advice to farmers who are growing the white sorghum within the area.

He says they are dealing with both large and small scale farmers growing white sorghum, adding that they provide best agricultural practices on white sorghum growing.

“We are dealing with different types of farmers that include small, medium and large scale farmers where large scale farmers who have 10 and above acres and are given direct contracts to supply their produce directly to the factory directly but the small scale farmers are put under an agent who pick their produce and we also deal with farmers cooperative societies,” he says.

He says  they are providing farmers with two varieties of sorghum seeds, adding that the two varieties are Gadam{White Sorghum} and Sc-{SILA} that is semi-white in color.

He says for the SILA variety, a farmer can get up to 30 bags of 90 kgs if best agricultural practices are observed, adding that for the farmers who have planted in those two areas during this season may get between 18 to 25 bags per acre. 

 Chairman Olasi Border Youth Group, Tom Mboya engages sorghum Farmer Herkana Otieno and EABL Regional Business Manager Eliud Kiptoo.

Eliud Kiptoo who is the East African Maltings Limited {EAML} Regional Agribusiness Manager says they have introduced the white sorghum growing in five counties within the Western Kenya region namely Migori, Ksm, Homa Bay, Siaya and Busia.

Kiptoo saysthat they have managed to provide 8,000 tonnes of sorghum seeds to farmers in the larger western Kenya region, adding that they expect to get the batch of first harvest of the crop by July this year.

He adds about 15,000 tonnes of white sorghum is expected from the Western Kenya region for the new breweries plant in Kisumu expected to be in operation as from July this year.

He adds that they will buy the crops between shs 32 and 37 per kilogram from the local farmers that this will be done through appointed aggregates {agents} who will collect the produce from the small scale farmers.

He says the engagement of the youth group in growing sorghum is part of their bigger goal of doing farming with the youth so as to help in promoting the agribusiness in the region and helping in creating employment opportunities for the youth.

 “Our commitment is to source our sorghum from small scale farmers most of who are growing between 1-2 acres,” he says.

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