Macadamia farmers in Tharaka Nithi County have been trained on organic farming practices aimed at improving nut quality, accessing international markets and increasing their earnings amid fluctuating prices.
The training, held at the Muthambi Deputy County Commissioner’s (DCC) grounds, brought together more than 30 small-scale macadamia farmers, agricultural experts and coordinators from Maara Sub-County.
The farmers were sensitized on best practices in macadamia production, including planting, pest and disease management, use of organic fertilizers, harvesting, drying and marketing.
Speaking during a media briefing after the training, Agricultural Coordinator Leonida Amwai said international markets were increasingly demanding organically produced agricultural products, urging farmers to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fungicides.
“We have trained the farmers on the benefits of organic farming and the best practices to use because most of the macadamia nuts destined for international markets are rejected due to high levels of fungicide residues,” said Ms Amwai.
She urged the government to intervene in the macadamia market and address challenges posed by brokers, saying farmers had for a long time been calling for better prices for their produce.
Macadamia farmer Kenneth Njiru said farmers faced challenges accessing organic fertilizers and quality seedlings, forcing many to rely on costly farm inputs.
“We have been alerted on the dangers of using pesticides and fungicides, not only on the quality of our produce but also on our health,” said Njiru. He urged the government to establish and support macadamia nurseries to ensure farmers have access to adequate and quality seedlings.
Njiru further decried unreliable markets and fluctuating prices, saying macadamia nuts were sometimes bought for as little as Sh40 per kilogram.
“The price can go as low as Sh40 per kilogram. Yet we would like the government to help raise the price to at least Sh250 per kilogram. This really affects us because we are unable to recover the costs incurred in farming,” he said.
The farmers said improved market access, better prices and availability of organic farm inputs would help make macadamia farming more profitable and sustainable in the county.
By Dickson Mwiti/Beatrice Mwende
