Stevia Farming In Kenya: How To Grow the Sugar Plant and Never Buy Sugar

Stevia farming in Kenya is still new to many; I wonder why yet Kenyans love sweet things. It is currently practiced mainly in the Rift Valley regions of Kericho, Nakuru, Uasin-Gishu, Narok and Lakipia. A few Meru and Bungoma farmers have also taken up the commercial farming of the sweet leaf. However, very few farmers within the country know about this high potential crop. Actually, Kenya is a pioneer in the commercial farming of stevia in Africa, with only a few farmers taking it up in Rwanda and DRC.

Stevia farming in Kenya

What is stevia and what is so sweet about its farming?

Stevia is a sweetener just like the sugar you put in your tea. But instead of it being processed from sugar cane, it is obtained from the leaves of the Stevia plant.

While it is 100 times sweeter than the ordinary cane sugar, stevia as a sweetener has numerous advantages over cane sugar:

1. It is a natural and free from calories meaning it cannot cause obesity and other calorie related problems.
2. It is more effective than other artificial sweeteners and does not cause tooth decay.
3. Stevia can safely be used as a sugar substitute in food and drinks for diabetes patients.

Sounds really good, right? I am sure you might be wondering how these green leaves can substitute the white sugar we are so used to. Let me teach you how to use it:

How is stevia used?

You can actually grow stevia in your garden and use it right at home and never again buy the unhealthy processed sugar that doctors have always warned us against. This is how to use stevia leaves from your garden to sweeten your tea or any other beverage:

1. Harvest your stevia leaves: Pick the freshest stevia leaves from your garden, being careful to avoid the yellow or brown old leaves. You should also avoid harvesting stems since they are not sweet.
2. Wash and dry the leaves: Using a steady stream of flowing water, thoroughly wash the leaves to remove any dart or soil particles. Dry the leaves by placing them over a paper under a shade for a few minutes or using a towel.
3. Crush the leaves: Put just a few leaves in a motor and use the pestle to crush them to a paste. The idea here is to just break the leaves to release the juices. You can even use your fingers.
4. Add the paste to your tea: Cook your tea as you usually do then once ready, add the crushed stevia leaves and stir. Remember stevia is hundreds of times sweeter than ordinary sugar so you need only a small amount. Generally, you would need only 1 small leaf for a 250ml cup.
5. Add sweetener to your taste: The taste (sugar levels) of your stevia can vary depending on the variety and environmental factors of your garden. You should therefore keep adding the stevia paste until you achieve your desired sweetness.

What are the requirements for growing Stevia?

You might think that something so sweet and precious requires out of this world kind of conditions to grow. It is not so with stevia. Stevia is relatively easy to grow. Here are the conditions necessary for its growth:

Climatic Requirements

Since stevia is leafy, it grows best in areas with high humidity and rainfall (between 1000 and 1500mm of rainfall annually). Long periods of sunlight and warm temperatures also encourage fast regeneration of leaves after harvesting. The best areas would therefore be those experiencing temperatures between 20°C to 30°C. Most places in Kenya meet this condition.

Stevia is sensitive to extreme cold temperature and is easily damaged by frost. Therefore, we should avoid farming it in the highland areas where night temperatures fall below 10°C.

Soil Requirements

Stevia grows best on well-drained sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter and nitrogen. Slightly acidic soil with a pH of between 5.0 to 7.5 are ideal. Remember to always do your soil test to determine the nutrients that you need to replenish. It is also important to incorporate farmyard manure at planting to increase the organic matter in your soil.

Irrigation Requirements

While stevia is a drought-tolerant plant and would survive long periods of dryness, it is important to ensure that the plants get sufficient soil moisture for optimum production. As such, you will need to irrigate the plants during the dry months of the year.

However, be careful not to over water and cause the sweet plants to suffer root-rot. There isn’t a fixed amount of water needed to irrigate the plants since this is determined by the nature of soils and the weather conditions.

Is your area good for stevia farming? Now let us get into the real action

How to grow Stevia

1. Choose the best location: choose your plot as per the conditions that we described earlier. An open field receiving 10 to 12 hours of sunlight, with well drained soils.
2. Prepare the land: conduct your soil test and correct the soil as per the recommendations. Plough the land to achieve a fine tilth and add sufficient amounts of compost manure to the soil. Make sure that the soil is free of weeds and any other plants that may compete with the stevia for nutrients.
3. Obtain quality stevia seedlings: Stevia seedlings can be obtained from Richfarm Kenya. You can call them on 0724698357. They will deliver to you or you can go pick them from their nurseries in Embu or Naivasha.
4. Transplant the seedlings: The best spacing for stevia is 45cm between rows and 20 to 30 cm from plant to plant. With this, an acre should accommodate approximately 40,000 plants. It is not advisable to intercrop stevia with other crops.
5. Maintaining the stevia farm: Ensure that the farm remains free from weeds and the plants are well irrigated during the dry seasons for maximum productivity.
6. Control pests and diseases: Stevia is relatively pest and disease-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about keeping the knapsack sprayer on your back. However, you should be keen to scout for any threats every day. If you discover any pests or diseases, we recommend that you use organic control methods. This is because it is the leaves that are consumed and we do not want to contaminate our sweetener.

Best spacing for stevia is 30x45cm

Harvesting Stevia

In Kenya, your Stevia plants will be ready to start harvesting in 3 to 4 months after transplanting the seedlings. The freshest leaves are harvested every 3 months after that. Stevia is a perennial plant from which you will keep harvesting for more than 7 years. After this, you may need to plant a new generation for continued high yields.

 

The profitability of Stevia farming in Kenya

An acre of stevia produces 1000kgs-1500kgs per harvest. The farmgate price for the fresh leaves is currently at around Ksh100 per kilo. Hence a farmer is able to make Ksh100,000 per harvest and up to Ksh400,000 per year from every acre.

Stevia market in Kenya

The crop is relatively new in Kenya and local demand is still very low. However, the demand for the natural sweetener is on the rise as more people become more health conscious.

The good thing is that there are companies that contract farmers to produce stevia for export. Some of the companies are PureCircle and Stevia Group East Africa. As production increases, the country will attract investors in processing industries and create a greater market for the plant.

At the moment, you can be the smarter one and invest in a leaf drying and crushing facility to make stevia leaves powder. This would definitely sell well in the local super markets, especially in the high end ones whose clientele now inclines towards healthy eating.

Capsicum Farming In Kenya: How To Grow Capsicum For Profit And Smile To The Bank

Capsicum is commonly known as pilipili hoho in Kenya and it’s farming is relatively easy given the great climate we enjoy here most of the year. Capsicum farming is also a highly rewarding venture for both small-scale and large-scale farmers since pilipili hoho (also called sweet pepper) is a spice used by almost every household. 

Capsicum farming in Kenya

Ready Market for Capsicum

Due to the popularity of pilipili hoho, the market for this crop is ever ready. You can sell to the local mama mboga kiosk owners, all hotels, schools and hospitals and if you do not mind, the traders who come to buy right from the farm: those however give poor prices.

Where to grow capsicum in Kenya

Capsicum is a versatile crop that grows well in both warm and hot places. You can grow the crop under greenhouse or in the open field. In Kenya, capsicum is commonly grown in central and Eastern parts of the country such as Embu, Kiambu, Kirinyaga and parts of the coast. It can also grow very well in Kajiado, Narok, the entire Ukambani region and in Baringo. 

Capsicum farming in Narok, Kenya

Benefits of capsicum

Capsicum is not only a food additive that spices up the taste of your meals. It is also a nutritious vegetable with numerous benefits to your body. These benefits include:

• A rich source of vitamin A, B16 and C
• Rich in antioxidants which helps your body to maintain good health
• Capsicum has anti-inflammatory properties
• Source of dietary fibre that helps in food digestion.
• Source of potassium which helps your body to regulate blood pressure.

Ecological Requirements for capsicum farming

Climate:

As we have said, capsicum grows well in warm areas. The ideal temperatures are between 15°C and 30°C. The crop does not tolerate frost so in areas where night temperatures fall too low, it is advisable to grow them under greenhouses. The rainfall amounts should be in the range of 800 to 1200mm per annum, supplemented with irrigation during the dry seasons. The trick here is to ensure that the soils have moisture throughout the growth period.

Soil:

Capsicum grows best in fertile well drained soils. They prefer slight acidic soils of pH 5.5 to 6.5. As we have always advised, it is very important to test your soils to determine which nutrients you need to replenish for the best harvest.

Best Capsicum Varieties to Grow in Kenya

There are many different varieties of capsicum grown in Kenya, but some of the best include California Wonder, Green Bell, and Admiral.

California Wonder is a red variety, classic and high in production. It has a large, thick-walled fruits that starts out with a bright green colour and turns red when it is fully ripe.

Green Bell is a green capsicum variety that is sweet and juicy, perfect for salads and cooking. It yields big fruits and is the most common in the Kenyan markets.

Admiral is the signature yellow capsicum variety produced by Syngenta. While it is commonly grown in greenhouses, it can also be grown outdoors but farmers have reported lower yields for outdoor farms compared to greenhouse farming.

Green capsicum matures faster

How to Grow Capsicum: Step-by-step guide

1. Choose an ideal location: Capsicum plants need full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, to grow well. Hence the area should not be under trees or between tall buildings. It is also advisable not to plant on a spot that previously had other plants of the Solanaceae family.
2. Prepare the soil: Capsicum grows best in fertile, well-drained soil. You can improve the soil quality by adding compost or well-rotted manure to the planting area. Also take into consideration the recommendation of your soil test results to make the soils ideal for your crop. Make your farm into raised beds to loosen up the soil and create deeper rooting zones for the plants.
3. Transplant seedlings: Obtain professionally raised seedlings from Richfarm Kenya Nurseries and transplant them onto your prepared plot. The best spacing for capsicum is 60cm between the lines and 45cm from plant to plant. With this, you will have about 15,000 plants per acre.
4. Water regularly: Capsicum plants need consistent moisture to grow. You can check the moisture levels of the soil by holding it firmly in your palm: if it sticks, it is moist. However, don't overwater the plats as they are susceptible to root rot. Water them deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out a bit between waterings.
5. Fertilize: Capsicum plants require balanced soil nutrients in order to grow fast and give good yields. Incorporating manure during the land preparation gives a huge advantage as it adds most of the needed nutrients. However, you can supplement that with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or a liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks. Your soil test results will advise you much better.
6. Provide support: Capsicum plants can grow quite tall and heavy with fruits, so they may need support, such as a stake or cage, to prevent them from breaking and falling over.
7. Pinch off the tips: Pinching off the tips of the capsicum plants will encourage branching and help the plant to produce more fruits.
8. Harvest when the fruit is fully mature: Capsicum is ready for harvest when the fruit has fully developed its colour and is firm to the touch. Cut the fruit from the plant with a sharp knife, leaving a small piece of stem attached.

Capsicum takes about 2-3 months to fully mature, from the time of transplanting the seedlings. However, the time the plants take to full maturity depends on the climate of your area and the variety. The green varieties mature faster than red and yellow.

Pest and Disease Control

Pests

Capsicum is vulnerable to common pests such as cutworms, red spider mites and aphids. Regular scouting to identify potential pest attacks is necessary. Most of these pests can be handled with common pesticides such as Profile and Pentagon from Greenlife Crop Protection. For those going organic, use insecticidal soap or neem oil to control pests.

Diseases

The common diseases that affect capsicum are powdery mildew, damping off and anthracnose. These are all fungal diseases that can be easily controlled using fungicides. I recommend Absolute and Greencop.  You can also reduce the occurrence of diseases if you rotate crops annually, avoid overhead irrigation and practice good sanitation.

Profitability of capsicum farming in Kenya

Capsicum farming in Kenya is profitable and can potentially give you up to Ksh1.2 million per acre in sales and almost 1 million in profit.

The cost of buying seedlings is the highest capital item, which can set you back up to Ksh120,000 for seedlings enough for an acre. The other costs include irrigation, fertilisers, pest and disease control and labour, which vary from place to place. On average, the cost of setting up 1 acre of capsicum from land preparation to harvesting will cost you about Ksh250,000.

An acre of capsicum yields between 25 and 30 tons of fruit and a kilo sells for between Ksh40 and Ksh60 at the farm gate: retailers such as Zucchini and Naivas Supermarkets sell a kilo for Ksh200.

Also read:

1. Seven Crops That Can Make You Rich In 2023

2. Tomato Farming in Kenya: How To Do It Without Burning Your Fingers

What is the Recommended Spacing in Hass Avocado Farming?

At full maturity, that is in about 7 or more years, Hass avocado trees can grow really wide, covering up to 8m if well irrigated and fed. This size of the tree is what advices the spacing, so we would typically say 8x8m is the ideal spacing for Hass avocado. However, as I have mentioned, it takes a long time for the trees to get here – 7 years is indeed a long time bearing in mind that the trees start fruiting in the second year after transplanting.

2 years old avocado trees covering just just about 2m space per tree

What would you be doing with that space between the trees before that time? Well, if you choose to intercrop your avocado trees with shorter term crops, then that would be perfect. But if you are raising a pure stand avocado orchard, then that space is going to be a waste for a long time, exposing the ground to the open sun hence excessive evaporation, not to mention the weed menace. So, shall we make better use of that space by planting more avocado trees? Definitely! But is it wise to do so?

The commercial 3x4m spacing

Commercial farms actually start out their Hass avocado orchards with a spacing of 3m between the plants and 4m from line to line. There is absolutely no harm of doing this. It actually gives you a huge economic benefit.

Look at this; if you start out with the 3x4m spacing, you will be having 330 trees in one acre all bearing fruits from the second year. You enjoy the sales while the trees continue to grow. By the 3^rd year, the trees are forming a nice canopy bringing down the rate of evaporation and weed growth – advantage! In the meantime, the farmer who started out with the 8x8m spacing has only 60 avocado trees in an acre, giving the same number of fruits per tree as the trees in the other farm with 330 trees.  

The trees will compete for soil nutrients and caused reduced production!

Yes, that is true but only if you let it happen. It is paramount that you prepare for this from the very onset. The secret to solving this potential challenge is as obvious as it sounds: replenish the soil nutrients generously. A bucket of goat or cow manure for each tree every 3-4 months will make the trees so happy and productive. You can choose to be a better farmer for them and do regular soil tests to establish whether there is a particular nutrient that is draining faster and find ways of replenishing that specifically.

Hass avocado trees intercropped with beans: this helps to replenish nitrogen in the soil

But how do you control the trees from becoming too bushy and causing fungal diseases and reduced productivity?

The answer first lies in pruning. A Hass avocado farmer who has chosen to go commercial and use the 3x4m spacing must be keen on pruning to ensure that the free flow of air and the penetration of sunlight is not compromised. However, as you already guessed, the trees will soon outgrow the farmers effort of pruning as the branches widen. It is at this point that the second intervention becomes necessary: that is thinning.

What? Cut down fully grown fruiting trees?

Yes, why not? Your aim is to raise the most profitable Hass avocado farm. It would have taken you 3-4 productive years to get to this stage. During this time, each of these trees were giving you optimum yields and the money you pocketed from them has no comparison to the cost of planting and bringing them up. You have made a profit!

So, how’s the thinning done?

There’s no fixed formula for this since as the farmer, you will be able to observe the trees that are becoming overcrowded and less productive. Cut down the non-productive one. However, the cutting down shouldn’t also be done haphazardly. You should do this with an aim of achieving a specific kind of spacing. I would recommend removing the trees in the line so that we achieve a spacing of 6m from tree to tree. That brings us to a 6x4m spacing which can exist till full maturity.

However, if the trees grow rapidly, you may think of removing the centre lines so as to achieve a spacing of 8m between the lines. This brings us to the 6x8m spacing that I would recommend. All this while, never overlook the importance of testing and replenishing the soil nutrients through application of fertilizers and of course, giving the plants sufficient water.