Farmers in Kiambu County have been challenged to change their attitude and have a paradigm shift in order to remain relevant in the competitive farming world.
Speaking in her office on Monday, Kiambu Sub-County agricultural officer, Jane Muigai, said ploughing and intense tilling destroys the essential life in soil that would benefit plants.
The officer said conventional farming involves tilling the soil to remove weeds, shape it into rows for planting and furrows for irrigation.
She however said these techniques often disturb the soil breaking down its structure and leaving it open to crusting, soil erosion, impended water intake, increasing runoff and thus reducing water storage for crop use.
Muigai said no-tilling involves growing crops without disturbing the soil through tillage.
She added that the method increases water in the soil and decreases erosion, adding that no-tilling method increases the amount of variety of life in the soil and it reduces acidity in the soil.
“Less tillage of the soil reduces labour, fuel, irrigation and machinery cost and thus saves a lot of money for the farmer,” said Muigai.
The officer further stated that because of its high water content, a farmer can also plant a field instead of leaving it fallow after harvesting a crop.
She said no-tilling used to be practiced by the traditional farmers and it has succeeded in America and Australia where they use high-tech planters, which are designed to break the soil only where the seed is being placed.
However, only a few farmers in the county have adopted the method.
Nyambura Njuguna, a subsistence farmer in Banana area who has adopted the no-tillage method said while other farmers waste a lot of time tilling their farms, hers produces higher yields compared to the former.