Farmers in Nakuru County have been urged to diversify their farming methods instead of only relying on maize. Speaking during a farmer’s field day at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) in Njoro, research expert Paul Yegon said diversification of crops improves farmers’ profits and reduces soil acidity. “Farmers need to embrace other crops like sweet potatoes which are in high demand due to the high prices of bread,” the research officer said. “Kenyans have become health conscious and they have realised that sweet potatoes have beta carotene and other nutrients, which improves their health,” the Kari official added. Yegon said that one acre of sweet potatoes was likely to earn a farmer more profits than an acre of maize, since the market is not yet flooded. The researcher said most of the potatoes consumed in the county are sourced from western Kenya. He showed the farmers a variety of sweet potatoes that Kari has developed for specific climate conditions of the county. He demonstrated for the farmers on the modern way of planting sweet potatoes in ridges. The farmers were also shown how to plant using tractors. Yegon appealed to the farmers to set aside even small portions of land and plant the sweet potatoes for their home consumption. He lamented that farmers are yet to understand the concept of demand and supply chain and that is why they have not embraced diversification. “If 10 farmers plant maize and the 11th one who is their neighbour plants cabbages, the cabbages will be in more demand from those who planted maize because they need vegetables for their ugali,’’ said Yegon.

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