Problems facing wheat farming in Kenya

Wheat was introduced in Kenya by Lord Delamere around Nakuru.

Main wheat Growing Areas in kenya




a) Uasin Gishu District
b) Nakuru
c) Narok
d) Laikipia
e) Trans Nzoia
f) Nyandarua
g) Timau
h) Mweiga in Nyeri

the following are problems facing wheat farming in Kenya




  • Farmers have inadequate capital to buy inputs which lowers the yields.
  • Pests such as dusty brown beetle which eat stem damaging the plant.
  • Diseases such as fungal stem rust which attack the stem.
  • Price fluctuations on the domestic market especially when selling through middlemen.
  • Shortage of storage facilities because the produce is transported to straight to NCPB before it sells it.




  • Climatic hazard such as stormy rains which flattens the crop leading to rotting and drought which may destroy entire crop.
  • Soil exhaustion due to monoculture.

Role of wheat farming to the economy of Kenya and Canada

Role of Wheat to the Economies Kenya and Canada

  • Has promoted the development of related industries such as bakery, alcohol manufacturing, etc.
  • It saves some foreign exchange.




  • It creates employment in farms, processing, and other related industries.
  • Provides income to farmers, and traders which alleviate poverty and also raise the standard of living.
  • In Canada, it has led to the improvement of infrastructure in growing areas to ease the transportation of wheat.
Role of wheat farming to the economy of Kenya and Canada
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6 Conditions favouring wheat growing in Kenya

Wheat was introduced in Kenya by Lord Delamere around Nakuru.

Main Wheat Growing Areas in Kenya




a) Uasin Gishu District
b) Nakuru
c) Narok
d) Laikipia
e) Trans Nzoia
f) Nyandarua
g) Timau
h) Mweiga in Nyeri

Conditions favouring wheat growing in Kenya

  • An open rolling topography provides adequate drainage and facilitates the use of machinery.
  • Moderate to high rainfall ranging between 500mm – 1270mm during the growing period
  • Warm temperatures of 150C – 200C for at least three months to enable the maturity of wheat
  • Warm and dry sunny period to enhance ripening and harvesting of wheat




  • Deep and fertile well-drained volcanic soils
  • High altitude areas ranging between 1500 – 2900m above the sea level to reduce incidences of pests and diseases
  • Adequate labour for planting, weeding, application of fertilizers etc.
  • Availability of transport facilities such as lorries and tractors to transport grains from the fields to the store and then to buying centres.

Comparison between Wheat Farming in Kenya and Canada

Similarities

  • Mechanization is done in both the countries – sowing and harvesting
  • It is done on a large scale in both the countries
  • In both countries wheat is grown in areas with gentle sloping.
  • Wheat farming is favoured by a dry sunny spell for harvesting in both countries.
  • Problems experienced in both countries are the same.




Differences

  • In Kenya, wheat farming is less mechanized while in Canada it is less mechanized
  • In Kenya, wheat farming is mainly for local consumption while in Canada wheat farming is done mainly for export
  • In Kenya, wheat farmers do mixed farming alongside wheat production whereas in Canada, the farmers are specialized in wheat farming.
  • There is more government support towards wheat farming in Canada through incentives and subsidies while in Kenya these are lacking.




  • There are more extensive tracts of land suitable for wheat farming in Canada than in Kenya.
  • Wheat farming in Canada benefits from more advanced scientific research which is not available in Kenya.