Mbeere’s dry land rice farming

By Mugendi Kagichu,

Commonly, rice farming is practiced in Mwea area of Kirinyaga County within Mt. Kenya Region. But did you know, the crop can thrive in Embu?

Catherine Mbuya Njuki, a farmer in Rianjeru village of Mbeti South ward in Mbeere South constituency, Embu County confirms this.

On her farm, a lush field of rice plantation makes it difficult to believe it is a semi-arid area.

Here, Mbuya with the assistance of her husband—who is an agricultural specialist—has gone against the grain and plunged into rice farming, a venture she has been into for the last ten years depending on the low rains received in the area.

“I bought this land during a dry season. For some seasons I grew maize among other crops and learned that this piece is mostly swampy. Crops are grown here turn yellow in their early stages thus yielding poorly,” she notes.

“After trying different crops and failing, my husband thought we can try growing rice in the area and for sure, it worked out,” she reveals.

After her husband hinted about rice farming, Mbuya visited different farms in Mwea where she obtained some knowledge regarding rice growing. Besides, having a specialist in the house—her hubby—was enough backup to start off the project.

At first, she received disapproving sideways glances from locals who made an assumption that she would not thrive in rice farming, but she didn’t lose hope. She believes that to succeed, one must accept finite disappointments but never infinite hope.

Mbuya grows Nerica 4 rice variety which is known for its ability to thrive in African soil and quick growth, shortening the growth cycle by 30-50 days, thereby enabling double cropping and minimizing the drought damage.

“During this season, I have put a small piece under Kwamboka rice variety which is also doing great,” she reveals.  According to agriculture experts, Kwamboka rice variety can yield up to 7 tonnes per acre if well managed.

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) says Kwamboka rice variety that has been there since 2013 can be grown in non-traditional rice growing areas as it requires less water making it suitable for both irrigated and rain-fed lowland ecologies.

With enough rains, Mbuya says she harvests at least 25 sacks of rice each weighing 90 kilograms from the acre land that she has put under Nerica variety. However, she has never harvested below 15 sacks on any season.

“For sure, the crop has brought good tidings in my family. From the crop proceedings, we have been able to foot most of our family bills including paying school fees for our children and funding other family projects,” she reveals.

She says if well managed, rice grown in the region produces more in quantity compared to the one grown in Mwea area.

Mbuya sells her rice produce to locals within her home place and Embu town at Sh120 per kilo. Her prices are not affected due to the fact that she is among the few rice farmers in the area.

“Besides, there is high demand for rice in this region since many people have dental problems caused by chewing Miraa thus left with the only option—consuming soft food,” she reveals.

Despite that Mbuya has succeeded in rice farming and has been challenging fellow residents to venture into a similar project, they don’t seem to buy her idea as many say it is tedious and time-consuming.

But Mbuya says the difficult part of the project is repelling birds when rice starts showing but she has always been faithful in the activities of keeping birds at bay.

Unlike many other farmers who first soak rice seeds and then transplants them, Mbuya plants the grains directly.