ASAL APRP Project Implementation Committee visit to KALRO Kiboko on 29th November 2016

ASAL APRP Project Implementation Committee visit to KALRO Kiboko on 29th November 2016

By Kisambo Bosco Kidake

PIC team and staff from KALRO Kiboko

 

The Project Implementation Committeevisited the Centre to familiarize themselves with activities being implemented at the Centre and on-farm. After a courtesy call, to the Institute Director, Dr. William Mnene, the team led by KALRO Deputy Director (Livestock), Dr. J G Mureithi joined the Centre technical staff in the Centre conference hall.

Dr. Mureithi welcomed all participants to the meeting and outlined the mission of the visit noting that it was an important exercise to take stock of where we are in implementation of agreed activities and on the achievements made so far in an effort to develop technologies that assist farmers to better their lives. After introductions, the team were briefed on the Centre programs and general status by the Centre Director, Dr. Simon Kuria. Attached is the brief by the Centre Director.

 

The PCC, Mr. Bosco Kidake then briefed the team about the activities being implemented at the centre through a presentation which is hereby attached about the progress and achievements.

Comments from the PIC team

·         The PIC team was impressed with most of the pasture work being implemented at the Centre and on-farm despite the challenges and congratulated the staff.

·         The teams implementing the activities need to do more in order to reach the target number of farmers. The technologies should be out scaled quickly before the project ends. 

·         Focus on pasture breeding was encouraged since the main challenge currently is feed shortage. A unique product is anticipated/expected from the pasture team to address the issue of feed security.

The team were then taken through the pasture fields including the irrigation site and the range grass ecotype characterization at the Centre.  In the afternoon, the team visited a farm at Sultan Hamud, Kajiado County. 

 

Visit to Sultan Estates

The team was welcomed to the farm by Mr. Patrick Makau with a brief on its engagement with KALRO Kiboko and the establishment of pasture production as a business as follows:

·         The farm has been engaged in  pasture seed  and hay production since 2014

·         It has been used as a training site for farmers and visiting groups including students

·         The farm harvested over 15,000 bales of hay last season valued at KES 1.5 m.