Farmers in Kirinyaga county are turning to sorghum production in response to rising demand for the commodity for making beer.
Demand is being driven by a ready market from the East African Breweries Limited (EABL), which is contracting farmers to grow the product for beer making.
Last rain season, about 1,500 farmers who piloted contract sorghum farming for EABL in Mwea constituency supplied about 330 tonnes of sorghum to the brewer earning about Sh15.8 million. The number of contracted farmers growing sorghum has risen from about 1,500 last planting season to over 2,500 this season.
Last season, David Mucee, a farmer from South Ngariama delivered the highest volume of sorghum to EABL. He harvested 20,000 kilogrammes from his 40 acre piece of land.
“I was among farmers who piloted sorghum farming in Mwea last season and am happy. Sorghum has become my main cash crop, it requires less work and can grow even during dry spells,” he said.
He said sorghum has turned his dry land into a food basket.
John Mwai, harvested 2,000 kilogrammes of sorghum from his one acre farm in Ngurubani area.
“Sorghum grows well even in dry conditions. This makes it relatively easier to grow as compared to other crops we are used to such as maize,” he said.
EABL-Eastern Regional Agricultural Manager Jacob Githigi says the trial produce from Kirinyaga surpassed all other regions that are currently engaged in the EABL contract sorghum farming in the country.