New Farm Technology Targets Input Costs and Better Yields for Kenyan Farmers

A new crop technology targeting lower farm input costs and improved yields has been launched in Kenya as farmers contend with rising production costs and increasingly unpredictable weather.

Plantos Verde, a mineral-based plant growth activator distributed by AgriMedic East Africa, is designed to complement conventional fertilisers by improving how efficiently crops use nutrients and other resources.

The technology was launched at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Nairobi. AgriMedic East Africa Executive Chairman Ian Amani Jefwa said the product could help farmers produce more from existing farmland while improving profitability.

“We cannot continue to demand more from our farmers without giving them better tools,” Jefwa said, pointing to declining soil health, droughts, floods and rising fertiliser and crop protection costs as growing challenges.

Plantos Verde is formulated from micronized calcium carbonate and 15 additional minerals. It is applied as a foliar spray and is intended to support processes linked to photosynthesis, biomass development, plant structure and water-use efficiency.

The company said the technology is not designed to replace conventional fertilisers. Instead, it is intended to work alongside existing fertiliser programmes and good agricultural practices.

According to Jefwa, technical findings indicate that farmers could potentially reduce synthetic fertiliser use by up to 30 per cent and pesticide and fungicide use by between 20 and 40 per cent under suitable conditions.

He stressed that the figures should not be treated as guaranteed savings because performance can vary depending on crop type, soil conditions, farming practices and the environment.

The technology has undergone efficacy trials with KALRO involving Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, barley, lemons and avocados. Jefwa said KALRO’s Kabete Food Crops Research Institute provided technical expertise, research support and facilities for testing and demonstrations.

“Farmers should not be asked to believe in technology simply because somebody markets it well,” he said, stressing the importance of evidence in agricultural innovation.

The company also plans to establish farmer support systems covering technical training, monitoring, evaluation and supply, alongside partnerships with researchers and agricultural organisations.

AgriMedic Global co-founder and director Henry Potgieter said the technology uses micronized mineral elements designed to be absorbed by plants and support crop growth and resilience.

He said the product could be applied across different soil and climatic conditions and on a wide range of crops. The recommended application is about three kilogrammes per hectare per spray, with roughly 12 kilogrammes required during a complete crop cycle.

Potgieter said the technology was intended to work with existing fertiliser companies and distribution networks rather than replace them.

Field testing has also been conducted at a farm in Timau, Nanyuki, with Jefwa acknowledging Dr Kimani Rugendo of Kevian for supporting on-farm trials.

AgriMedic East Africa plans to distribute Plantos Verde beyond Kenya to Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The launch comes as farmers across the region seek ways to maintain productivity while reducing exposure to high input costs and climate-related production risks. The company says its next focus will be expanding farmer support and generating further field evidence on the technology under different crops and growing conditions.