KALRO gives avocado farmers reason to smile with the launch of new mobile app

KALRO Avocado Varieties

They include legume seeds, sweet potato vines, cassava cuttings and brachiaria splits, which are hard to find in local agrovets. Quality seeds are a prerequisite for achieving higher yields

KALRO certified seeds

"Hardy meat goats with potential for milk production. Does can reach 45kgs liveweight and bucks 60kgs. Capable of producing 1 litre of milk per day."

Dairy and Beef farming

Green gram (Vigna radiata) belonging to the Fabaceae family is an annual leguminous crop which is grown for its seeds, which are a high source of nutrients.

Green Gram Production

Camel Research and development in Kenya

For camels there are no organic guidelines and regulation, however the organic principles should be respected, kept and practiced.

KEMFRI Fishery Aquaculture

Aquaculture: Pathway to food security in Kenya...by Andrew Marriott and Odipo Osano

Arrow
Arrow
Slider

Disseminate high yielding A. vogelii parasitic weed resistant cowpea varieties in Kenya

Cowpeas account for roughly 16% of Kenya’s pulse production and 90% of the production is grown in Eastern Kenya, mainly in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Embu, and Tharaka-Nithi counties. Minor volumes are produced in Coast Province (3.7%), Rift Valley (1.6%), North Eastern (0.8%), Central (0.6%) and Western (0.3%) provinces (USAID, 2010). The legume is an important source of protein and calories, as well as vitamins and key minerals such as zinc and iron, and is therefore a key source of nutrition for rural families living in the ASALs.

Through research, KALRO has developed and released 4 new cowpea varieties which are high yielding with tolerance to Alectra vogelii parasitic weed. These varieties includes; Kunde Tumaini, Kunde tamu, Kunde Soko and Kat-Kunde. However, these newly released varieties have not been integrated into farming and production systems to enable the farmers and traders to benefit from them. Moreover, the private sector players require the cowpea grain produced in sufficient quantities and quality. This is achievable through organized production, marketing and enhanced consumption of cowpea grain by small holder farmers. The sub activities are include

  • Production of dissemination materials
  • Identify, mobilize and capacity build communities in target Counties
  • Enhancing seed availability and awareness of the new amaranth varieties
  • Production and collective marketing of grain amaranth
  • Capacity building on production and marketing
  • Establish and operationalise innovation platforms in the value chain
  • Promote farmer to farmer learning exchange tours
  • Enhance value addition in the value chain
  • Linkage of producers  to markets
  • Value chain analysis
  • Promote job creation in the value chain

Manuals

  • Cowpeas Manual

Varieties

Crop/Kit

Variety Name (Code)

Release Name

Owner(S) Licensee

Maintainer and Source

Areas for Optimal Production

Maturity Duration

Yield (T/Ha)

Special Attributes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cowpeas

1002/1005/3

Kunde - Faulu

KALRO

KALRO

Katumani

Low  - High altitudes ranging from  5 – 2000 meters above sea level

(Coastal , Eastern, Central and Western)

70 - 80 Days

1.5 -2.13

·         Large size grain;

·         Early maturing;

·         Alectra vogelii tolerant;

·         Dual purpose.

1005/1002/1

Kunde -Tamu

KALRO

KALRO

Katumani

Low  - High altitudes ranging from  5 – 2000 meters above sea level

70 -  80 Days

1.5 -2.0

·         Early maturing;

·         Alectra vogelii tolerant;

·         Tender and sweet  leaves when cooked;

·         Dual purpose.

1005/1003/3

Kat- Kunde

KALRO

KALRO

Katumani

Low  - High altitudes ranging from  5 – 2000 meters above sea level

80  - 90 Days

1.4 - 2.0

·         Alectra vogelii tolerant

·         High yielding

·         Dual purpose

1005/1002/1/1/1

Kunde - Soko

KALRO

KALRO

Katumani

 (Coastal , Eastern, Central and Western)

80 - 90

1.4 - 1.9

·         Large size grain

·         Alectra vogelii tolerant

·         High yielding

1005/1004/3

KUNDE- TUMAINI

 

KALRO

KALRO Katumani

 

Agro- ecological zones AEZ Lower mid- altitudes (LM) IV and V and dry transitions LM III and IV

80 - 90 Days

1.5 - 2.0

  • -White Grain coat color, with brown eye
  • -Tolerant to A. vogelii parasitic weed
  • -Dual purpose (grain + vegetable