Maryam Sunte, a small-scale farmer from Kajiado County, has been cultivating tomatoes for over a decade. Despite her extensive experience, she has faced numerous challenges throughout her farming journey. These challenges included pest and disease attacks, post-harvest losses, and limited access to markets for her produce. However, her situation has significantly improved in recent years thanks to a collaborative effort by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) and the Korea-Africa Food and Agriculture Initiative (Kafaci).
In 2020, the two organizations launched a five-year project aimed at improving tomato production across various regions in Kenya. The initiative focused on validating improved tomato varieties, enhancing agronomic practices, and integrating pest and disease management strategies. It also emphasized post-harvest handling, processing, and value-addition technologies. The project was implemented in several counties including Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Kajiado, Garissa, Bungoma, and Busia, regions where tomato farming is a significant economic activity.
For Sunte and other farmers involved in the project, the training has been transformative. It has provided them with the necessary tools, knowledge, and skills to improve tomato yields through the use of diverse and improved tomato varieties. With the support of this initiative, farmers have significantly increased their production, moving towards more sustainable and profitable tomato farming practices.
Despite the positive impact of the program, Sunte and many other farmers still face a major hurdle the lack of ready markets for their produce. While the improvements in production techniques have led to higher yields, farmers continue to struggle with marketing their tomatoes, which often leads to unsold produce and financial losses.
The Director of Crop Systems at Kalro, Lusike Wasilwa, emphasizes the importance of tomato production in Kenya. Tomatoes are a staple in Kenyan households, featured in at least two meals per day for most families. With over 500,000 tomato farmers in the country, the demand for tomatoes is high, but the supply is often insufficient due to challenges such as poor seed varieties and low yields. The average yield for tomato farmers in Kenya is currently 8.8 metric tonnes (MT) per acre, which is far below the potential yield of 20 MT per acre.
Kalro continues to focus on developing new and improved tomato varieties to address the issues faced by farmers. The organization is also working on identifying the best irrigation practices for tomato farming, which is critical in a country that faces irregular rainfall patterns and water scarcity. Efficient irrigation methods are essential for ensuring consistent yields and improving overall production in regions where water access is limited.
In addition to the challenges related to seed varieties and irrigation, post-harvest losses remain a significant problem for tomato farmers. Tomatoes are highly perishable, and without proper storage and handling facilities, large quantities are wasted before they can be sold or processed. The project’s emphasis on post-harvest handling and value addition has helped farmers mitigate some of these losses by providing them with the knowledge and tools to process and preserve their tomatoes.
The initiative is also focused on creating awareness about the importance of value addition in tomato farming. By processing tomatoes into products like sauces, pastes, and dried tomatoes, farmers can extend the shelf life of their produce and access higher-value markets. This has the potential to boost income for farmers and create employment opportunities in rural areas.
As the project draws to a close, the impact on tomato farming in the target counties is evident. Farmers have gained valuable skills that have led to higher production levels, and the knowledge of value-added techniques has opened up new opportunities. However, the success of the program hinges on addressing market access challenges, which remain a significant barrier to fully realizing the benefits of improved production techniques. If these issues are tackled, Kenya’s tomato farmers could see substantial growth, both in terms of yields and profitability.
