The Kiambu sub-county agricultural officer, Jane Muigai has raised concerns over the increasing number of malfunctioning greenhouses in the region.
Speaking in her office on Thursday, Muigai said that there are around 60 greenhouses which are not operational and that some of the functional ones do not even produce the expected yields.
The officer attributed the problem to dishonest dealers who do not sell the right wares to the farmers given that there are different green houses for different weather conditions.
“Kiambu sub-county needs greenhouses which are suited for mild temperatures. Not the ones for cold areas like Limuru and other mountainous regions or the ones designed for hot areas like the northern part of Kenya,” she said.
She lamented that most dealers do not advise farmers on how to make good use of the greenhouses especially by advising them not apply raw manure on crops as this leads to breeding of pests and diseases.
The officer further explained that green houses are meant to be used only with soluble fertilisers so that once watered, the fertilisers can drip into the crops.
Muigai regretted that most farmers do not seek professional advice from the agricultural extension officers before purchasing greenhouses but instead visit her office once they start to encounter problems.
She therefore called upon farmers to form the habit of visiting her office for advice concerning their farming activities as this was the only way to avoid unscrupulous dealers and increase yields.