Rediscover profitability of Green Grams farming despite a changing climate

Climate change has made it difficult to accurately predict weather patterns thus farmers must adapt their farming practices and grow crops with higher resilience to the impacts of climate change.

One such crop is green grams also known as mung beans or ‘ndengu’. Green grams have a high nutritional value and yield high financial returns on investment. The crop is not only a low maintenance crop – requiring minimal rainfall but is also high in nutritional value.

However, green grams has not escaped the challenges posed by climate change; such as unpredictable rainfall seasons; extreme high temperatures and droughts; poor rainfall distribution with heavy rains leading to flash floods in some areas of the country; as well as an upsurge of pests and diseases, among others. Recent analysis by the Climate Resilient Agribusiness for Tomorrow project (CRAFT) shows a decline in green gram yields in Kenya, ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 tonnes per acre against a global average yield of 0.73 tonnes per acre. This is far below the crop’s potential.

There is hope for the crop however if farmers adopt climate-smart technologies and practices  like use of climate information to determine choice of variety and planting dates, use of certified seeds, optimum spacing, practicing conservation agriculture, timely weed, disease and pest management, proper  harvesting upon maturity, and use of improved storage.

Read the full article in the East African Business week

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