Canola also known as rapeseed is a cool climate crop, it is suitable for high altitude areas(1800-2400)m asl with average rainfall of 700mm. Optimal temperatures for germination is between 15-20OC. Low temperatures at flowering is a prerequisite.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

Canola is a special biotype of rapeseed. The word โ€œcanolaโ€ is derived from โ€œCanadian oil, low acidโ€. Rapeseed, is an oilseed plant originated from an ancient civilisation as far back as 3 000 years ago in India. Canola was developed through breeding from rapeseed. The word โ€œrapeโ€ in rapeseed comes from the Latin word โ€œrapumโ€, meaning turnip. Turnip, cabbage, brussel sprouts, mustard and many other vegetables are related to canola. The negative associations with the word โ€œrapeโ€ in North America resulted in the more marketing-friendly name โ€œcanolaโ€.

FARMING CANOLA IN KENYA

In Kenya, canola farming is characterized by small-scale farming and it was first introduced in Nyeri County in the past and later spread to other counties especially within the Rift Valley part of Kenya. Kenyaโ€™s demand for oil crops such as sunflower, canola, soybean and linseed remains high with the country producing only 50% of its needs.

Most of the edible oils produced in Kenya face a huge gap between production and consumption, a gap that is filled by imports from neighboring countries such as Uganda and Tanzania. For example, the demand for sunflower is about 10,000 metric tons while the country produces only 5,000 metric tons. Kenya has high potential to grow the oilseed crops since most of them grow well in poor soils, they are drought resistant and adapt well to diverse agro-ecological zones.

The Government of Kenyaโ€™s (GOK) general agricultural policy calls for food self-sufficiency by 2030, but so far that has been difficult to achieve in the vegetable-oil sector.

Profitability of canola farming

Canola profitability was found to differ from one farmer to another. Canola is a plant that requires less attention from the time of planting to harvesting which has enabled its farming to have a lower cost-revenue ratio. The average cost of canola production is around 30,000 while the total income is around Kshs 110,000.

The profit from canola production in Kenya is on average Kshs 80,000. The cost/revenue ratio is found to be 0.35 which implies that canola production was a profitable venture in Kenya. The bulk of the cost emanates from labour which is required mainly during land preparation and harvesting.

Canola production is profitable due to three main reasons.

  • First, the canola produce is sold at stable prices, currently at 115 Kshs per kg regardless of the quality of seeds as compared to other crops such as maize or beans whose prices frequently fluctuate.
  • Second, canola requires low investment costs and maintenance as confirmed by 89% (41) of the respondents who stated that was their main reason for farming canola.
  • Canola farming is a highly mechanized venture, and less labour is required. Itโ€™s planted by drill method using planters since it has very tiny seeds which would take so long for human labour to plant one acre.
  • Harvesting is also done by the use of combined harvesters which minimizes on wastage during harvesting. In canola land preparation, tractors are used for planting and harrowers for levelling and ensuring that the soil is fine enough. All these machines charge a fixed amount of fee usually based on the size of land and the area a farmer comes from.
  • Lastly, canola farming also requires less labour and less monitoring between planting to harvesting time.
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Challenges faced by canola farmers in Kenya

Despite canola farming being profitable, canola farmers face serious challenges.

  • The first is bird infestation which reduces the level of yields hence lowering the income of the farmersโ€™.
  • Second, whiteflies being the only insect that attack this plant, it is common especially before rains falls.
  • The farming system (broadcast) poses a challenge of spraying with ย the ย respective ย insecticide.
  • It is a challenge to acquire loans to facilitate canola farming from various financial institutions.
  • There is no government intervention, for example, supply of subsidized fertilizers, regulation of buyers and standards of output such as quality, and specific bodies to look into canola farming like in other farming activities such as coffee and tea.
  • Inefficient and often absent bookkeeping practices hinder financial planning and decision-making.
  • Adoption of technology and online software like Zintego for invoicing is limited and thus hampers efficiency and productivity.

Success Story Of A Canola Farmer In Kenya

By Steve Njuguna

Jimmy Irunguโ€™s farm in Marmanet, Laikipia County, can best be described as a field of gold.

It is a sea of yellow flowers, which blend beautifully with the green stems hosting them.

The flowers stretch as far as the eyes can see, seemingly touching the hills and the sky yonder, as they create a magnificent scenery.

The crop on Irunguโ€™s farm is rapeseed and he grows it on 100 acres in total (50 in Marmanet and the rest in Sipili) for the extraction of canola oil. ย Of the 100, the farmer owns 20 acres and has leased the rest.

To end up with the oil, the plantโ€™s seeds are dried, crushed and then cold-pressed.

โ€œI switched from maize and wheat to rapeseed in 2019 in search of higher returns. The cost of production for the canola plant is also lower,โ€ says Irungu, adding the plant also matures in about 100 days, unlike maize which he has farmed since 2005, that lasts six months on the farm.

The plant has also helped Irungu escape conflict with wild animals, in particular elephants, which used to invade his maize farm after straying from Rumuruti and Marmanet forests in Laikipia West.

Canola, according to Irungu who works with the county government, does well in the same weather conditions that favour maize and wheat, but is well-suited for soils that do not crack.

One acre requires 4 kilos of rapeseeds and the crop can be planted manually, but use of a planter is recommended.

โ€œThe seeds are planted from a half to three quarters inches in the soil. They should not be planted any deeper than one inch because they will not germinate.

They should be spaced six to nine inches apart,โ€ says the farmer, adding he spent Sh15,000 per acre to farm the crop.

Adjust the settings

Canola plant needs well-drained soils, which must not be acidic or water-logged. The soil must be tested, he advises.

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โ€œApply sulphur-rich fertiliser after planting, but the input should not come into direct contact with seeds to avoid damage,โ€ says Irungu, noting that weeding may not be necessary as the plant competes well with most weeds.

Common canola diseases include black-leg and white mould while birds also attack during the pod-filling stage where they eat the green seeds as they form.

โ€œPeriodic monitoring of insects, weeds, diseases and fertility often reduces crop losses.โ€

Depending on climate conditions, farming techniques and seed quality, an acre yields between one to two tonnes.

โ€œThe crop is harvested by the same machines one uses for wheat or barley such as combine harvesters. ย What you have to do is adjust the settings because canola seeds are smaller than maize or wheat grains. I sell a kilo of canola seeds at between Sh40 and Sh50,โ€ says Irungu.

As many other farmers growing the crop, ย he does the farming on contract, selling the seeds to Agventure, the company that also offers him planting materials and ensures he grows them to the standards they need.

He fetches good returns from the oil crop as the country has unmet demand for both its industrial and domestic use.

โ€œThe buyer uses a score card that determines the bonus that we get from the crop. We are guaranteed of the market and know the price before planting.โ€

Proven ability

Canola oil has seven per cent cholesterol, while sunflower has 12 per cent, olive oil 15 per cent, maize oil 20 per cent and coconut oil 22 per cent, making it the best for making healthy oils.

Nutritionists observe that canola is one of the best oils because it has less saturated fats, thus helps lower cholesterol levels.

As a cooking oil, it is good for sautรฉing, baking, stir-frying and grilling, among others. It is also used in making of salads and sauces.

Peter Maina, an agronomist with Amiran, says canola plant fixes nitrogen in the soil making it an appropriate crop for rotation.

โ€œIt also contains chemical compounds, which repel cereal pests.โ€

Maina explains that canola has demonstrated a proven ability to suppress rye and brome grasses, which are highly competitive weeds, most problematic in all wheat and barley growing areas in the years.

The weeds that are hardy and vigorous during growth become resistant to herbicides.

The agronomist observes that most cereals are shallow-rooted but rapeseed plants have deep roots that go up to two feet into the ground, thus, help in bringing nutrients to the top soil so that other crops use it.

โ€œBeing a deep rooting plant, it opens the soil structure and enhances biological function in soils which is very vital before wheat or maize is planted on a field,โ€ he state.

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Benefits

1.ย Canola plant produces Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids that are otherwise only found in specific species of fish and are known to prevent Arthritis, Diabetes and Heart disease besides giving many other health benefits.
2.ย The crop is a flower like plant of the cabbage family, taking between 80-150 days to mature, therefore, can also be rotated with other common garden crop
3.ย Canola cakes are highly nutritious for chicken and other domestic animals.
4.ย Canola is grown for its highly nutritious oil, which is extracted from the seeds.

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