Sunflower is a major source of cooking oil and protein supplements for animal feed. However, with its high demand for cooking oil and animal feed, Kenya has not managed to sustain its demand for sunflower products and relies mostly on imports.
These imports are not sustainable, as consumers are left at the mercy of importing countries. A change in import tariffs has led to an artificial shortage, which finally hurts the final consumer.
Another key advantage of sunflowers is their ability to attract bees. Sunflowers can be planted along beehives to attract bees. These kinds of sunflowers should be left to grow naturally without any chemical spraying.
Can Kenya sustain its demand by encouraging farmers to farm sunflowers? Sunflowers can grow in most areas where maize is farmed, which means they can also do well under good management. With the short rains expected to depress, sunflowers can be a good source of fodder for animals as they require little rainfall.
The farm should be well ploughed with a good tilt. Sunflower does well in Sandy loam soils supplemented with three tons of manure. The manure and sand should be mixed evenly to avoid scorching seeds.
Planting can be done manually or using machines depending on the land size.
How to plant sunflower
Planting should be done at the onset of rain, but those using irrigation can plant at any time. This should be done by observing a spacing of 60cm by 30cm, sowing two to three seeds per hole at a depth of one to two inches.
A seed rate of 4 kg per acre is enough. The variety to be planted depends mainly on the purpose of planting, as various varieties have different yields and oil content.
The farm should always be clean of weeds. Eptam, lasso and storm herbicides may be used to control Weeds.
Pest and disease management
Cutworms and African worms are the most devastating pests in sunflower farming. Cutworms tend to cut young plants at ground level while others eat leaves.
Bird destruction is another threat; farmers should plant when others are growing to minimize the damage to the birds.
Sclerotinia wilt disease attacks roots and stems, where infected plants shrink and rot. This can be controlled through crop rotation, using certified seeds, and even burning the infected plants. Downy mildew should also be controlled to prevent defoliation.
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Harvesting is done once the heads are yellow and fully mature in the case of hay.
For farmers intending to harvest seeds, the head should be cut and spiked upside down on the stack and other structures to reduce bird damage.
