EABL Introduces mobile technology in Sorghum Farming.

  (From Left) EABL Group Chairman Charles Muchene , Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri, EABL Group CEO Andrew Cowan inspect heads of sorghum with East African Maltings Limited (EAML) Head of Agribusiness Gerald Gacheru during a visit by the CS visit to the EAML storage facility in Kisumu-Photo By KBL.

 By Dickson Odhiambo

July 20, 2018.

EABL Introduces mobile technology in Sorghum Farming.

THE East African Breweries Limited has introduced a mobile based technology in Sorghum farming for the production of senator Keg alcohol in the country.

East African Breweries Limited Chief Executive Officer Andrew Cowan the mobile-based cloud solution has been created to help smallholders gain access to formal markets and improve the effectiveness of out-grower schemes.

He adds that it is helping to change the game by using mobile technology to make traceability and compliance an integral part of small holder production.

“When we contracted 15,000 farmers in Western Kenya to grow sorghum for our Kisumu Brewery, it was all manual and that will now be a thing of the past,” he adds.

Addressing the press in Kisumu when touring their refurbished Kenya Breweries plant, the CEO said the new technology introduces high level of efficiency and real time traceability of the activities in small holder farms down to the specific farms.

He adds that this will also redefine the relationship between growers, manufacturers and markets.

Cowan notes that the senator Keg will bring more value to the community and will help win the fight against illicit brew.

“When we reached our capacity in the Nairobi Brewery for the production of the Senator Keg, we had two choices to make; expand the brewery in Nairobi or extend the value creation that Senator delivers to the wider Kenya Community,” he adds.

The CEO says they chose the Kisumu Plant to refurbish and bring back to life because of the opportunities Kisumu offers and the tremendous partnership with the county Government to bring the plant to speed.

He says the Senator Keg will help in offering an affordable drink to people who are taking illicit alcohol, which has proved to be very dangerous and fatal.

The KBL hopes to increase sorghum production in the Western and Nyanza regions with more than 15,000 new farmers set to benefit from supplying the new brewery with sorghum.

This is also part of their sustainability strategy to acquire 100 percent raw materials from local sources by the year 2020.

To meet the high demand for the senator keg, KBL aims at doubling the market for sorghum as a cash crop from 20,000 metric tones to around 40,000 tones in the next five years.

At the same time, Government has commended the Kenya Breweries Limited Company for its initiative in promoting white sorghum farming across the country.

Cabinet Secretary in charge of agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri has said the initiative dubbed “Mtama ni Mali” is geared towards its contribution to the Government’s Big Four Agenda.

Addressing the Press after touring the Kenya Breweries Plant in Kisumu which is being refurbished for the Production of a new alcoholic product know as Senator Keg, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary said the initiative will also help in job creation within the country.

The Cabinet Secretary spoke in Kisumu as the Kenya Breweries Limited plans to tap into the mobile technology by launching a mobile solution that will more efficiently track more than 15,000 farmers contracted to grow sorghum for its Kisumu Brewery.

“One of the Big Four Agenda is 100 percent food and nutrition for Kenyans. The Government has been encouraged with the collaboration between private sector, the county government and the national government towards attaining food security for the country,” Kiunjuri said.

He says the Government is extremely happy with the work the Kenya Breweries Limited is doing in Nyanza region by investing in about shs 15 billion brewery plant in Kisumu that has a direct impact on farmers.

He adds that the move by the KBL to introduce technology in improving sorghum farming across the country is a good initiative.

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