Canola Farming Gaining Popularity in Mt. Kenya Region
Canola farming is gaining popularity in the Mt. Kenya region for its proven sustainability, resilience to climate change and greater returns to the farmers.
Humphrey Mwangi, a crop manager at Wangu Embori Farm in the slopes of Mt. Kenya explains that he adopted canola farming after a very long stint doing cereal farming where he practiced barley and wheat farming due to its greater profit margins after harvesting as compared to wheat and barley which proved to be unsustainable.
“We found cereals were no longer sustainable because of unpredictable rains, so we looked for alternatives,” Humphrey explains. “Canola not only fits well in our crop rotation program, but also offers better income and resilience.”
Using conservation agriculture techniques, Humphrey and his team sow canola with a seed drill without tilling the soil, preserving moisture essential for the crop’s success. “We use between 3.2 kg of seed per hectare with 100 to 150 kg of DAP fertilizer, planting just as rains come,” he notes. This approach, combined with timely herbicide application and foliar fertilization, ensures robust growth and pest control.
“It takes about three and a half to four months to flower, five months in higher altitudes before harvesting. Varieties like Belinda and Hyola adapt to different Kenyan regions, from highlands to lowlands like Limuru and Kericho,” he says. He adds that pollination by bees play a crucial role in improving yields, with flourishing fields buzzing with insects.
Market security also stands out as a major draw. “We contract directly with Agventure Kenya Limited, so farmers are assured of a market and receive 50 shillings per kilogram, sometimes with bonuses,” Humphrey reveals. “This is 1.5 times what cereals fetch, making canola a lucrative alternative.”
Canola seeds contain 45% oil, which is way more than the oil contained in soybeans. It takes 23kg of Canola seeds to extract 10 liters of oil. It has the lowest saturated fat content of the most commonly used vegetable oils. Thus, making it the most ideal choice for many chefs and food processors. It is nutritional, containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and also contains vitamin E, making it a healthy choice of oil.
The crop takes 3-5 months to mature and harvest, but it highly depends on the altitude. It thrives in areas with moderate rainfall and cool temperatures. Whereby in high altitude areas the crop is ready in 5 months, while in low altitude areas the crop is harvested within 3-4 months.
Canola farming can be practiced on both small-scale and large-scale, thus depending on one’s available resources. “For farmers wanting to practice Canola farming” Humprey says, “there are key components necessary to have a thriving harvest like early preparation of land, use certified seeds, when practicing rain fed agriculture. It is also advisable to plant when rains are about to come, use fertilizer by applying the necessary recommended fertilizer which opt to be sprayed at different stages of the plant growing cycle,” he narrates.
Humprey says the canola market locally is sure, especially for people like him who are into contractual farming, with a company called Agventure, which provides them with certified seeds and a guaranteed market for their produce. He mentions regardless of its costly nature in planting; the return on investment and profit margins are good.
“With a productive land, 1 hectare can produce 1.5 tons, and if a farmer takes good care of their crops, it can produce 2-3 tons of harvest.”
He advocates for contractual farming, regardless of having access to certified seeds and ready markets; he enjoys contracted farming prices as well, and the bonuses one gets for ensuring a harvest of high-quality seeds, thus ruling out market uncertainties and ensuring economic stability.
Canola is a good rotational farm crop that helps control the prevalence of pests and diseases that affect most cereal cropping systems. It improves weed management, improves soil health, and it is an ideal habitat and food source for honeybees and other pollinators.
“Canola produces high amounts of nectar, and its pollen has a nutritional balance of amino acids and fats. It is also a source of renewable energy; thus, canola oil-based fuels tend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% compared to other conventional fuels, making it ideal,” he explains.
Some of the health benefits of canola oil consumption are: – It boosts heart health, lowers cholesterol levels, boosts skin care, and is an anti-aging oil, increases one’s energy levels, when consumed daily, it helps lower belly fats by 1.6%, it reduces inflammation and joint stiffness, improves brain function, manages diabetes and a good source of Omega 3.
Canola oil proves to be a good, economically viable crop to grow, assuring farmers good returns on investment. Being a good rotational option crop helps boost sustainable farming practices. It’s considered a high-value crop with no waste and one of the most versatile edible oils, which is preferred for its neutral taste and high heat tolerance. A crop that farmers in Africa can leverage to create employment opportunities and improve rural economies.