JEEVAMRUT & DASHAPARNI INNOVATIONS TO GO GREEN- Power of Progressive Farming

By Bernard Muhia

Modern farming practices affect the world by the way of soil degradation, soil compaction, soil erosion, nutrient runoff, water pollution, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, food contamination and destruction of traditional knowledge systems among others. All these result into changing climatic conditions that directly affect crop production thus affecting farmers.

These ill effects of modern agriculture and climate change can sometimes be delineated by adopting organic farming. Though the use of chemicals in agriculture is inevitable to meet the growing produce demand, there are opportunities in some areas where organic production is yielding good results. Chemicals give an immediate effect on crop production for a small duration but creates long term ill effects on environment. Organic production provides healthful alternatives that are ecofriendly through use of less chemicals or no chemicals in crop production. This is in line with the growing demand for safe and healthy food, sustainability as well as reduction of environmental pollution associated with indiscriminate use of agrochemicals.

There are a wide variety of ecofriendly bio products that have evolved through researchers and farmers. Farmers are preparing these products using locally available materials and they have been proved to be more suitable for increasing crop production as well as in lowering the cost of production.

Some of the ecofriendly organic products in use includes; vermicompost, poultry manure, Jeevamrut and Dashaparni Kashayam. Jeevamrut and Dashaparni are two organic products that originated from India that have been in use, but of late they are trending.

Jeevamrut is a liquid organic manure which is an excellent source of natural carbon, biomass, nitrogen, phosphorous, Potassium and lot of other micro nutrients required by crops. As compared to other forms of manures, Jeevamrut has proven to be a lot more effective and can also be used along with other manures.

Jeevamrut as observed from a flower grower in Limuru, Kiambu County is being made locally by mixing; water, cow dung, cow urine, bean flour, molasses and virgin soil. These are put together in a drum, stirred everyday as they ferment for seven days, in cool dry place away from the sun. They are then sieved through charcoal, sand, rocks and then applied into the farm. The grower concurs that the mixture is rich in microbes, that are very good for the soil.

Advantages of Jeevamrut

• It increases the microbial count and friendly bacteria in the soil
• As the preparation time is 7 days, it can be used effectively and frequently
• It increases the earthworms count in the soil. Earthworms lead to porous quality soil which has a higher water holding capacity, improved aeration and bring minerals closer to the surface
• Continued use removes the need of use of chemical fertilizers
• Improves the PH of the soil
• It is suitable for all crops, increases yields and cuts down on cost

Disadvantages of Jeevamrut

• It is prepared from animal remains and naturally it has a very foul smell.
• It is in liquid state thus not as easy to handle as the solid fertilizers though for fertigation purposes this is not a disadvantage.
• The liquid has a shelf life of not more than 10-12 days beyond which it isn’t potent.

The second product Dashaparni Kashayam is a natural insecticide. It is locally being made by mixing water, cow dung, cow urine, caster leaves, papaya leaves, mango leaves, datura leaves, Mexican marigold leaves, wild basil leaves and lantern leaves, all of which are not eaten by cows. In some cases, other locally leaves are being used. The mixture is covered with a cloth and left for a night. On the next day, garlic, ginger, turmeric and hot green chilies are added into the mixer, stirred twice every day; once in the morning and again in the evening, sealed tightly and fermented for 30 days. The mixture is then sieved through charcoal, sand and rocks and used to spray flowers as an organic pesticide to repel aphids, spider mites among others. It’s of importance to note that the cow dung and urine should be from local native cows’ varieties, that have humps such as Zebus and Borana cattle.

“It’s very natural, extracts from natural plants, a very friendly thing and doesn’t have any side effects” a production manager from one of the flower farms using Dashaparni said. Another flower farm manager contacted said that they are using 80% of their pest management through Dashaparni; he however says it has taken them two years of patience, through the adjustments, but they are seeing good results.