Yara commits to support farmers boost their yields through smart technologies

By Tabnacha Odeny

Leading crop nutrition company Yara East Africa has affirmed it’s commitment to continue adoption of technology to create a future where farmers thrive, communities flourish, and food security is assured.

Speaking during the 2024 Agitech Expo in Mwea, Kirinyaga County on October 11, 2024, Yara East Africa Country Director William Ng’eno said the firm believes that empowering farmers with knowledge is the greatest subsidy one can get.

Yara East Africa has been providing farmers in Kenya and Uganda with knowledge and best practices to sustainably improve crop yields, quality, and farmers’ profits, with over 30 years in agricultural development.

The theme for the third edition of Agitech Grand Expo is ″The Use of Smart Technologies in Scaling up Agricultural Value Chains from Seed to Market,″

The two-day Expo which culminated on October 12, brought together exhibitors, and stakeholders in the agriculture, trade, and broader food security sectors. 

Also in attendance were Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Dr Andrew Karanja and Principal Secretaries Ephantus Kimotho (State Department for Irrigation) and Gitonga Mugambi (State Department for Forestry).

Agitech Expo chairman Julius Mureithi said the event is committed to uplifting farmers' livelihoods.

″We aim to plug in the gaps in the agriculture value chain, thereby holistically empowering our farmers. This initiative will ensure our farmers farm profitably and sustainably, thereby ensuring food security, food safety, and foreign exchange earnings through exports,″ Mureithi said.

Mureithi also highlighted some of the gaps in the agricultural value chain in the country that the Expo seeks to cure.

″The first gap is the seed multiplication and bulky, we continue to import maize seeds from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and other neighbouring countries. This is actually a very bad thing; we need to be producing our seeds locally,″ he said. ″

"Another challenge is mechanisation which will remain an important tool in driving agriculture into the next century as it makes farming activities easy and convenient.″

PS Kimotho said the government is also seeking further collaborations with entrepreneurs to adopt technology to improve yields.

″The best way to increase yields is to make sure we mechanise our land, and through that, we see many ways in which we can increase our yield,″ Kimotho said.

His counterpart PS Mugambi emphasized the15 billion tree-planting initiative spearheaded by President William Ruto.

″Let us plant trees in this country it is big business. It will create jobs and spur industralisation,″ he said.

The Yara East Africa Country Director said knowledge sharing on improving crop nutrition and yields is the principle at the heart of the Yara farmer education programmes.

″Barely 5 years ago, we entered into a partnership with Mazao na Fanaka to establish one of our 11 Agri-business knowledge centres. As we speak, this particular farmer knowledge centre has reached over 5,000 farmers in this and neighbouring counties,″ Ng’eno said.

″Technological transformation in agriculture is no longer just an idea—it is becoming a reality, influencing every stage of the agricultural value chain and ultimately going to be the determinant of our next meal at tea break and lunch today.″

The knowledge-sharing programme entails field days, demonstration plots, and digital platforms like FarmCare.

Yara has 10 Knowledge Centres across the country and the centre next to Agitech Seedlings in Mwea is open 24 hours where farmers can visit to ask questions and see practically what is happening

″We connect farmers to the expertise necessary for making informed, sustainable crop nutrition and land management decisions,″ Ng’eno said.

The FarmCare App can be downloaded on Google PlayStore for Android phone user and on App Store for iPhone users.

The App equips a farmer with smart digital tools to farm more easily, apply fertilisers effectively, and achieve higher yields at lower costs.

A farmer can also buy farming products directly from the App.

Ng’eno shared a success story on the transformative impact of smart agriculture at a farm in Kericho county.

″Cheres Farm in Litien, Kericho County. Utilizing Yara’s crop nutrition solutions, this farm has produced a bountiful variety of cereals, legumes, and brassica crops. By applying sound agricultural practices combined with our advanced products, they’ve achieved impressive results,″ Ngeno said.

Ng’eno added that the Cheres Farm team said, ″Good agricultural practices paired with Yara’s solutions have not only transformed our harvest but have shown our community what’s possible when knowledge meets the right inputs.″

The success of Cheres Farm has inspired neighbouring farmers, and the recent Harvest Field Day drew widespread interest from farmers eager to replicate their methods.

The Yara Knowledge Centres also serve as hubs where farmers engage directly with agronomy experts to ensure they optimise fertiliser use, maximise yields, and protect soil health for future generations.

Ng’eno further affirmed that their work aligns closely with Kenya’s national food security objectives.

″Products like MiCROP, designed to improve soil health and boost yields, help farmers produce more with fewer resources. This sustainability-centred approach ensures that we are not only feeding today’s population but also safeguarding the future of Kenya’s farmlands,″ Ng’eno said.

Yara also reiterated its commitment to supporting farmers across the country as it scales agricultural value chains with smart technologies.

″We are here to walk alongside our farms like the Cheres Farm and many others in this and other counties to replicate evidence of what we can accomplish together,″ Ng’eno said.