This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
Strawberry farming in Nyandarua County has taken a new turn with Kinuthia Kiarie's innovative approach to the crop. The farmer, who has been growing strawberries conventionally on his three-acre piece of land for six years, has seen his production increase by 40-60% thanks to the adoption of modern technologies.
Published on July 20, 2019, Kiarie's farm on the foot of the Aberdare Ranges is one of the biggest suppliers of strawberries in the country. He exports the fruits to London, Mogadishu, and Kampala, besides selling them in major supermarkets.
Instead of using dry leaves and twigs as mulch, Kiarie has adopted polythene mulch, which has reduced his water use, cut labor expenses, and kept his fruits clean. The plastic mulch has also prevented growth of other plants such as weeds since the sun cannot reach the soil directly.
He has further invested in a mist irrigation system that helps him beat frost during the cold season while the shade net stops birds that ravage the fruits when grown in an open field. The system uses an overhead sprinkler connected to tanks that distribute water from a pressure pump.
“Mist irrigation uses an overhead sprinkler. The system is connected to tanks that distribute water from a pressure pump helping fight frost during cold season. I also use it during hot weather to curb wilting,” Kiarie explains.
He has also invested in a small lighting system that helps him grow his fruits faster. “I use the normal LED lights, which I have hung above the plants. They produce enough light, aiding the plants to make food through photosynthesis including at night. The lights also help induce flowering throughout the life of the strawberry plant, increasing yields and the size of fruits,” he offers.
According to Kiarie, production during the cold weather has been dropping by between 50 to 75 per cent due to the presence of frost, which deters the fruits from flowering. Therefore, the light and mist irrigation system help him overcome the two challenges.
He produces at least 4,500 punnets of strawberry from a three-quarter acre, with each going for between Sh120 and Sh180. Once he harvests the crop, the fruits are sorted, with the bigger ones sold raw while the smaller ones he gives his wife Beth to make jam, another source of their income.
