Report on Fa rmers Forage Fieldday- held in Kisii County, Kenya 
on 19th January 2021 
 
  
Ruth Odhiambo, Solomon Mwendia and Zabron Ndubi 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                     
Introduction  
As part of the project: Feed and forage seed business models to support further professionalization of the dairy sector in Kenya and 
Uganda, forage field-days is an approach employed to capacity build and improve dairy farmers perception and 
forage cultivation practice and later follow up on knowledge, attitude and practices change by the dairy producers. 
In our case, is an approach considered as semi-intensive promotion of forage production. It is an open learning 
session where farmers come together to learn and share ideas interact and exchange ideas with experts on forages 
on display. The field day was conducted in Bomachoge Chache sub-county of Kisii in collaboration with Ministry of 
Livestock and Fisheries.  
Specific objectives of field day. 
 To learn more about forage grass; varieties, agronomic practices, utilization and conservation. 
 To exchange ideas with dairy farmers  
 To learn from fellow farmers on good managements practices  
 To share ideas and challenges facing farmers  
 To observe and appreciate performance of forages from the demonstration plots  
Topics covered  
 Planting / sowing 
 Managing forage crops  
 Forage harvesting 
 Utilization and conservation 
Demonstration plots  
The following were the forages were displayed and covers during the field-day  
 Brachiaria Cayman 
 Brachiaria Cobra 
 Brachiaria Sabia 
 Lablab 
 Chicory 
 Sorghum Bargrazer 
 Cowpea Glenda 
 Panicums Mombasa 
 Turnip 
Forage fieldday approach  
Department of Agriculture Livestock Fisheries & Cooperative Development of and (ALFCD) led on the ground 
farmer mobilization and advertising the fieldday. To reach the farmers, the livestock officer working in the project 
firstly used group approach. He contacted officials of 30 different groups whom in turn relayed the message to their 
members on the date and venue of the fieldday. Secondly, as the area has buying centers for raw tea produced by 
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farmers, printed posters on forage fieldday, venue and date were put on display for farmers to read and get 
information. Finally, deliberate effort was made to inform government administration through the area chief. 
On the material day, started with farmers registering, sanitizing hands and provided with nose masks as was happening 
during phase I of covid 19 spike in Kenya. Their consent was requested on taking their registration details as well as 
taking photos during the field day which was granted. Messaging on need to maintain physical distance were constantly 
reminded to the attendees. During registration farmers were requested to provide more details regarding their farms 
including; village they were from, land size they have, number of cows they are keeping, whether they had listened to 
a radio program on forages aired on March 2020 and finally if they had attended the Forage Seed farmer field School 
(FSFFS) the project had conducted in the area. On taking farmers through the forages plots they were grouped into 
cohorts of 20 depending arrival, and the batch visiting manned plots by forage experts from alliance of Bioversity and 
CIAT and the MoLF. The cohort moved from plot-to-plot until all the plots were visited. After all the groups were 
through, they gathered around the tent for questions, comments and observations.  
Observations made  
Farmer’s retaliated that they were happy to see the forages which were relatively new to them and they were willing 
to try them and improve their dairy production. Brachiaria Cayman and Panicums Mombasa were the best performing 
varieties on the demo plots followed by Sorghum Bargrazer and farmers were happy with them. Although turnip and 
chicory had done well, the host farmer explained they had matured earlier and had used most to feed the cattle and 
the reason why limited forage was visible during the fieldday. Farmers wanted to know where they could get the 
forage seeds and were notified some the seeds are available form ACL which was even attending the field day and 
some indicated they were willing to buy. In the end 12 farmers bought Cayman seed, and 6 Cobra all packaged in 50 
grams. Before departure the farmers indicated were happy and willing to attend if another fieldday was organized to 
include even more farmers. 
Annex 1: The forage fieldday in photos 
  
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Farmers Cayman Demo plot Farmers at Panicum Mombasa plot 
  
Farmers at Sorghum Bargrazer demo Sorghum Bargrazer 
  
Cowpea Glendar Turnip 
  
Brachiaria hybrid Cobra Chicory intercropped in maize 
  
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Advantage Crops Limited (ACL) field officer engaging Brachiaria Cayman intercropped with maize in one of the 
farmers after visiting forage demo plots on host farmers farm 
conservation and feeding 
  
Farmers buying forage seeds from ACL after visiting These farmers opted to borrow splits from host farmers 
forage demonstation plots after touring the demonstration to try on their farms 
 
Annex 2 
Table 1. List of farmers in attendance and selected characteristics.  
Farmer Gender Village from Land size Number of Did you listen to Have you Age (years) 
(male (acres) cows in the livestock forages by undergone the 
or farm Egesa FM radio Forage Seed 
female) February 2020 (Yes or Farmer Field 
No) School in Kisii 
(FSFFS) (Yes 
or No) 
1. F OMOBUNO 2 1 YES NO 53 
2. F OMOBUNO 3.5 2 YES NO 42 
3. F RIOKINDO 2.5 2 YES NO 55 
4. M MAGECHE 5 3 YES NO 50 
5. M ICHUNI 2.5 4 YES NO 56 
6. M ICHUNI 2.5 3 YES NO 56 
7. M MOSOBETI 1.5 2 YES NO 59 
8. M ITEMBU 2 2 YES NO 66 
9. M MOKUBO 0.5 1 NO NO 32 
10. M MOSOBETI 0.5 1 YES NO 55 
11. M MASENCHE  4 5 YES NO 33 
12. M ENDERETI 4 5 YES NO 78 
13. F GETUMO 4.5 6 YES NO 68 
14. F GETUMO 3.5 1 YES NO 45 
15. F RIOMBASA 1 2 YES NO 58 
16. F RIOMBASA 1 1 YES NO 50 
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17. M NYANGETI 2 2 YES YES 73 
18. M EBERETI 1 2 YES NO 46 
19. M MOKUBA 2 2 NO NO 57 
20. M MOKUBO 0.5 1 NO NO 58 
21. M BOKIMONGE 2 1 NO NO 60 
22. M MOKUBO 4 3 NO NO 32 
23. M MOKUBO 2 2 NO NO 56 
24. F MOKUBO 0.5 1 NO NO 45 
25. M NYAMUSOCHO 3 2 YES NO 58 
26. M NYAMUSOSO 2 2 YES NO 48 
27. M MAANCHE 0.5 1 YES NO 35 
28. M RIRIE 3 3 YES NO 48 
29. F MOKUBO 0.5 1 YES NO 48 
30. F MOKUBO 1 1 YES NO 42 
31. M BOSOTI 2 2 YES NO 61 
32. M BOSOTI 0.5 1 YES NO 64 
33. M MAGENA 2 1 NO NO 62 
34. M IYENGA 1 2 NO NO 25 
35. M NDERETI 1 2 NO NO 45 
36. 
F NDERETI 1 1 NO NO 30 
37. 
F NDERETI 1 1 NO NO 61 
38. 
M NDRETI 1 1 NO NO 31 
39. 
F EKANDI 1 3 YES NO 35 
40. 
F EKANDI 1 2 NO YES 45 
41. 
M ENDRETI 1 1 NO NO 61 
42. 
M SENGERA 3 1 NO NO 70 
43. 
M MOKUBO 1 2 NO NO 36 
44. 
M ENDERETI 1  NO NO 40 
45. 
M KENYANYA 1 2 NO NO 38 
46. 
M KENYANYA 2 2 NO NO 65 
47. 
M MAGANA 1 2 NO NO 38 
48. 
M SENTA 0.5 2 YES NO 56 
49. 
M IGEMBE 2 3 YES NO 48 
50. 
F ENDERETI 1 2 YES NO 75 
51. 
M ENDERETI 1 2 YES NO 93 
52. 
M MOKUBO 1.5 2 YES NO 42 
53. 
M MOKUBO 0.5 1 NO NO 62 
54. 
F MOKUBO 2 1 YES NO 58 
55. 
F GETENGA 2 1 YES NO 50 
56. 
M ENDERETI 1.5 3 YES NO 63 
57. 
M MOKUBO 0.25 2 NO NO 31 
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58. 
M MAKUBO 1 1 NO NO 32 
59. 
M MAKUBO 0.5 1 YES NO 32 
60. 
F MOKUBO 0.5 1 NO NO 38 
61. 
M KIABUGESI 4 2 NO NO 68 
62. 
M KIABUGESI 3 2  YES  
63. 
M KIABUGESI 2 2 NO YES 61 
64. 
M MUKUBO 10 1 NO NO 79 
65. 
F MUKOBO  2 2 YES NO 64 
66. 
F ENDRETI 3 3 NO NO 60 
67. 
M SENTA 0.5 1 NO YES 56 
69. 
F ENDERETI 0.5 1 NO NO 53 
70. 
M ENDERETI 0.5 2 YES NO 49 
71. 
M SENTA 1 2 NO NO 40 
72. 
F ENDERETI 1 3 NO NO 61 
73. 
M ENDRETI 3 2 NO NO 54 
74. 
M ENDRETI 2 2 NO NO 68 
75. 
F MOTEMOMWAMU 19 1 YES NO 39 
76. 
M MYAMESO 5 2 NO NO 70 
77. 
M KENYENYA 2 2 YES NO 31 
78. 
M MOKUBO 2 1 NO NO 63 
79. 
M SENTA 2 2 YES NO 68 
80. 
F MOTEMOMU 3 3 NO NO 58 
81. 
F ENDERETI 1 2 YES NO 27 
82. 
M      NO 31 
83. 
M ITEMBU 2 3 YES NO 36 
84. 
M HOMABAY    NO >40 
85. 
M BOOCHI 0.9 2 YES NO 75 
86. 
M SENGERA 2 2 YES NO 63 
87. 
M GESABAA 2.5 2 YES NO 63 
88. 
M NYAKOBA 3 3 YES NO 61 
89. 
M MATONGO 3.5 5 YES NO 57 
90. 
M SUGUTA 3 2 YES NO 53 
91. 
M GESABWA 3 5 YES NO 60 
92. 
F NYAMBUNYU 3  NO NO 50 
93. 
M RITEMBU 2 3 YES NO 58 
94. 
M RETEMBA  0.25 1 YES NO 51 
95. 
M RITEMBU 3 1 YES NO 59 
96. 
M RIOMBASA 1 1 YES NO 48 
97. 
F RIOMBASA 2 1 YES NO 50 
98. 
F RIOMBASA 1 1 YES NO 45 
99. 
M NYABIORE 2 1 YES NO 56 
100. 
F BOSOTI 0.5 1 YES NO 48 
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101. 
M BOSOTI 0.5 1 YES NO 24 
102. 
M ENDERETI 0.5 1 YES NO 68 
103. 
M MAGECHE 1 2 NO NO 42 
104. 
M MAGECHE 2 2 YES NO 60 
105. 
F BOSOTI 2 2 YES NO 48 
106. 
F BOSOTI 2 1 YES NO 50 
107. 
M GESABAKWA  1 1 YES NO 46 
108. 
M BOSOTI 0.5 1 YES NO 44 
109. 
M KENYENYE 2 1 YES NO 50 
110. 
M RIYAMBU 2 1.5 YES NO 66 
111. 
M KANYIMBO 1 3 YES NO 45 
112. 
M TEGEMEA 3 1 YES NO 61 
113 
M ITENGA 3 2 YES NO 52 
114. 
M TEGEMEA 2 1 YES NO 60 
 
Acknowledgement 
We would want to thank farmers who turned up for the fieldday and showed interest in forage cultivation towards 
improving their dairy production. Equally, we thank Agnes Omweno and Boaz Kimonge staff from department of 
ALFCD for being resourceful during the fieldday and assisted in sharing forage knowledge with the farmers. Lastly 
but not least, the project is a consortium of partners helpful in ideas, including ABC, NaLIRRI, ILRI, KIT and 
private sector seed companies Advanced Crops Limited and Barenbrug Seeds, coordinated by KIT. The project is 
funded by the Dutch government, NWO-WOTRO.  
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