Kalro-Sugar Research Institute

KALRO-SUGAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1st and 2ndQuarter 2016/17 review of the Sugar industry performance*

Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas Variety Elite sugarcane varieties in quality, Evaluatio 6 varieties planted for The 6 promising varieties that were development yield and adaptation n of Distictiveness Uniformity & superior to the check cultivars in both National Stability (DUS) in SRI-Kibos quality and yield include; KEN 95- Performan were characterized in 378, KEN 95-593, KEN 97-102, KEN ce Trials September 2016. 97-131, KEN 97-215 and KEN 97-317. 1995,96 & 97 series Evaluatio Data compilation and Promising varieties from preliminary n of preliminary statistical analysis: KEN 95-486, KEN 98-21, National analysis concluded KEN 01-26,KEN 01-24, KEN 01-345, Performan KEN 01- 404, and KEN 01-1100 ce trial (NPT) KEN 01 & 02 series. Evaluatio Both trials are in first ratoon Yield and quality parameters obtained n of crop stage National Performan Harvested in September 2016 ce trial (NPT) for KEN 2003 and 2005 series. Evaluatio Both trials are in RC II stage. Trial on-going n of Data analysis in progress and preliminar Elite clones to be advanced to Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas y variety NPT trials 2008 and 2009. (PVTS) Pests and Research on pests and diseases of Surveillan Provided mitigation measures The economic impact of the sugarcane diseases economic importance to the industry to ce on to the sugarcane yellow aphid yellow aphid from secondary literature management reduce yield losses sugarcane reported and confirmed in shows 30% yield loss. Need for pests and Soin, Transmara, Malava, research on aphid control approaches diseases SonySugar and Busia. in sugarcane in Kenya. Stakeholders to finance such research COMESA Modelling COMESA sugar inflows to Examinin Completed Implementation of the roadmap is at studies Kenya g the 70%, sensitization on quality based implement payment is ongoing ation The shift to quality based payment yet roadmap to happen of the recommen The model forecast a decrease in sugar dations inflows to Kenya by 11.2% from made by 247,389 Mt in 2015 to 219,760 Mt in Kenya 2016 and by 2017 it will decrease by Sugar 14.5% to 211,560 Mt Sector Safeguard Assessme Key Recommendations nt COMESA member countries should (KSSSA) investigate and confirm that sugar mission imports, have undergone substantial (2007) transformation (value addition) or have been sufficiently processed within the Forecast region, as per COMESA’s rules of COMESA origin. sugar inflows to Government should preside over Kenya industry expansion and improved Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas productivity through technology transfer and encourage local entrepreneurs to venture into further sugar processing for value addition and self-sufficiency in sugar production.

The Government should take advantage of the current window created by the allocation of quotas to member states and control imports and avoid requesting for the 8th extension of COMESA sugar safeguard Pilot Cane Technical information guiding NIR based Data gathering Nzoia stopped CTU SonySugar cumulatively Testing establishment & implementation of cane in November 2016 due to analyzed 1932 as at November 2016 of findings future cane testing units in the sugar testing exhaustion of funding which 1273 sample were used in the industry generated technolog allocated to the project calibration/ validation of the data set y At the current pace of sample Quality/sucrose based cane payment establishe A detailed technical report of collection, development of a localized system development d at Nzoia findings so far submitted to calibration model fit for payment of & Sony AFA-SD farmers may require three (3) more Sugar years of sample collection factories Work at Sony Sugar CTU continuing and progress Challenges: report on achievements Capacity of the wet laboratory limited submitted to AFA-SD. at six samples

Malfunction at the core sampler requiring repair

Challenges with IT system in terms of backup for redundancy in case the hard disk of the micro-computer crashes or software compromised integration problem between the INFRACANA Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas and the wet lab computer

Temporary employment contracts for staff are expiring at end of January 2017

Preliminary results demonstrate good ability of technology to predict cane quality for use in determination of cane payment report Suitability Sugarcane Suitability maps for Three Project completed and maps Sugarcane suitability maps were maps for Kakamega, Bungoma, Kisumu, Migori, suitability are available. generated for the six counties i.e. growing Kisii and Nyamira counties generated. criteria Publications are underway Kakamega, Bungoma, Kisumu Migori, sugarcane i.e. soil and will be shared with Kisii and Nyamira showing the levels (pH, stakeholders of sugarcane suitability in each county. texture, Suitable, Moderately suitable, and less depth, suitable areas were identified and maps drainage), released. climate (rainfall, temperatu re) and topograph y were evaluated based on agronomis t experts opinions and FAO guideline for rain fed agricultur Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas e.

An Analytical Hierarchic al Process was used to determine relative importanc e of criteria and the resulting weights were used to construct the suitability maps/laye rs using GIS software. Soil testing Sampling of farmers’ fields for analysis 218 soil Task ongoing and farmers are The sampled farms are located in and analysis samples being sensitized on their Kisumu, Kakamega and Migori were specific recommendations. Counties under the crop monitoring analysed project. The project envisages a 10% at Soil increase in yield if the farmer adheres Care to their specific recommendations. limited and field specific Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas recommen dations released. Farmer Farmers recruitment and Trained of Recruitme About 500 farmers trained -200 farmers were trained in Kisumu , trainings farmers on good agricultural practices nt and and the activity ongoing Kakamega and Busia counties on training crop monitoring services using GIS on good In house training for 211 farmers in agricultur Migori , Waundha West Sub-location al Awendo, Sub County and KIIA Sub practices location Uriri Sub County -90 farmers in Kericho and Migori Counties earmarked for CROPMON training in the 3rd quarter. Farmers outreach and Partnership Formation Planed field days held -8 field day conducted across the forums of the industry and attended by more than farmers 1500 farmers outreach -6 Sensitization forums for farmers in and Kakamega, Bungoma and Busia partnershi ps for field day participati on Participate Participated in Migori and in Nairobi international trade Agricultur fair al shows/exh ibitions Establishment and maintenance of Maintenan Using show plots and existing -ASK show demo-plots in Kisumu, Demonstration plots ce of the FRG as demo plots Kakamega, Bungoma, Kitale, Eldoret existing and Mumias maintained demos/FR -6 FRG maintained Gs Thematic Desired outcomes Initiatives Status/comments Final results/preliminary findings areas On-farm 7 new demo plots established - Demo of KEN 83-737 at Nasweya, demo Matayos, Khalaba, Kwa Okumu, plots Matulo and Kitale show and planting maintenan one demo plot in Selia, Nandi county ce Seedcane Seedcane production and distribution Seedcane A total of 51.8ha were -Seed will be up-scaled in March- and promotion of improved sugarcane productio established with KEN series April 2017 upon availability of the varieties a cross the sugar industry n under across the industry between rains with the establishment of SRSP, April and June 2016 approximately 542 ha in March - June PE2 2017 programm The crop is between 8-10 e months Seedcane To date 168 ha of seed cane Seedcane supplied to farmers for the programm plots have been developed period of (April 2015- February 2017) e by AFA- across the Industry by SRI. was 3,860 MT SD *Report of the SRI to the 40th Sugar industry performance meeting.

That since the scrapping of the SDL, SRI’s research programmes have been adversely affected.