By Fred Deya
Erratic rainfall patterns in many parts of Kenya has severally left farmers hopeless and crossing their hands speculating for an alternative method of watering their crops.
However, as the agony of rainfall break continues to be experienced in many parts of the country, many farmers especially small holder practitioners still have hope that sky would open and the rains would pour in torrents for their crops to grow.
Peter Kimani, 45, a peasant farmer from Ngech location, Limuru in Kenya’s Kiambu County has got an alternative to keep his farm wet no matter how the weather conditions could change.
The 45 year old farmer has beat all odds by the use of a solar powered irrigation kit, making his crops: cabbages, carrots, kales, spinach and coriander to flourish.
Peter has a three acre farm where he grows different types of crop which needs a thorough watering for a better return.
“We cannot depend on rains which have become somewhat irregular. Rains are not enough for us as farmers to depend on”, said Kimani, recalling that he nearly reaped nothing previously because of the break of the rains before crops maturity.
The committed farmer embraced the solar irrigation system from SunCulture, an Agro-Solar company and acquired the kit. He said he landed into a better and an alternative method of watering his crops, terming it a lucrative initiative and innovation.
On Kimani’s farm, rests a 35 deep borehole, 300W Solar panels, a submersible Dc solar pump and a water storage tank. He said that the solar powered pump is capable of pumping water that is used for irrigation in the whole day, which is pumped daily; morning hours and the irrigation is done in the evening.
“My farm was visited by a team from Sunculturecompany when they came in this area to put up solar for irrigation kit as their pilot project. I was lucky to be one of the farmers whose farms were contacted. I therefore adopted the use of the kit after its lucrative work convinced me”, says Kimani.
The advance, solar powered irrigation kit, according to the farmer has reduced his farm expenses. He said that, even though the kit is somewhat expensive to acquire, but it is much better in terms of reliability and less cost of maintenance.
“One only needs to have a bore hole with contact water, or any other reliable source of water. The solar machine uses the natural solar power to pump water the water source to the farm”.
The solar panels are arranged in a manner that they are directly hit by sun. the panels then generates energy that is passed through the electrical cable, powering the subversive water pump which pumps water from the borehole, then direct to the water storage tank.
“I bought the kit at 360,000 ksh which looks expensive but I cannot regret because I can witness its benefits”, recalls Maina.
Maina is one of the pioneer farmers to acquire the machine. He is able to plant his crops round the year without any itch caused by rainfall break.
At the season of onion, Kimani reaps 25 tonnes which earns him Shs 150,000, selling to local market and in Nairobi. He said the income has gone up since the installation of solar powered irrigation kit in his farm.
Kathryn Weichel, Director sales and marketing Sunculture said the solar kit for farm irrigation is an initiative that was started in the entire country and farmers are responding well.
Weichel said that over 500 farmers have embraced the use of solar kits in their farms and the impact is lucrative.
“When we started this project, we meant to reach every farmer in every part of the country. Out farmers we reach, small holder famers are the major target”, said Kathryn.
According to Kathryn, the system is capable of pumping 12500 liters of water a day that can be used to water a farm length of 60 meters. Therefore it saves labour and time of a farmer.
