Garlic Farming in Kenya :Step-by-Step Guide to Succeed

Introduction Garlic Farming in Kenya

Garlic farming in Kenya has gained popularity. Its part is required for cooking, for medicine in addition to for export. Very profitable vegetable crop, provides competitive price income, particularly to small farmers. There is also the fact that more people are becoming aware of the health benefits of garlic and want to plant it. Kenya’s Demand for Garlic Rises by 7% every Year Nonetheless, local consumption is still very dependent on imports.

This guide covers:

1. The garlic industry in Kenya
2. Garlic varieties grown
3. Climatic and soil requirements
4. Planting steps
5. Crop management
6. Harvesting and post-harvest handling
7. Challenges faced by farmers
8. Opportunities in garlic farming
9. Frequently asked questions

The Garlic Farming in Kenya 

The farming of garlic, or Kitunguu Saumu in Kenya, is growing more and more important. It is a member of the onion family and has great value for also cooking and healingainen. Garlic is attractive to farmers because it has a high financial value.

The demand for garlic is increasing locally and internationally. There lies the business prospect this boom is creating. They are mainly cultivated in Central Kenya (Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Kiambu), parts of Rift Valley (Nakuru, Bomet) and some other areas of Eastern Kenya (Embu, Meru).

This demand is powered by the middle class and health-conscious consumers. But people want garlic to spice up their food and for medical purposes. But, Kenya is still by far the largest importer of garlic largely from China. This creates opportunities for regional farmers to step up and scale their operations.

Exports are also on the rise. They gain attention in countries as far afield as Uganda, Tanzania and Middle East markets. Kenya’s Demand for Garlic Rises by 7% every Year Nonetheless, local consumption is still very dependent on imports.

Health Benefits and Nutritional Value

Garlic’s popularity in Kenya is partly due to its numerous health benefits:

• Boosts Immune System: Garlic enhances immune cells, aiding infection defense.
• Improves Heart Health: Regular garlic intake lowers blood pressure and heart disease risk.
• Garlic offers antioxidants. It may protect cells and inhibit cancer growth. More research is needed.
• Reduces Cholesterol: Garlic lowers total and LDL cholesterol, reducing heart disease risk.

Varieties of Garlic Grown in Kenya

Garlic is mainly divided into hardneck and softneck types. Kenya mainly grows softneck garlic due to its better climate fit. The top three varieties are:

1. Africa Giant: Known for big bulbs and strong flavor, it’s ideal for Africa.
2. Arusha Giant: This variety, popular in East Africa, is named after a Tanzanian city. It’s praised for its growth and yield.
3. Rwanda Giant: Originating from Rwanda, it thrives in Kenya, thanks to similar conditions.

These varieties range from white to purple. The color doesn’t impact taste or nutrition much, but it does affect market appeal.

Popular Garlic Varieties in Kenya

Climatic and Soil Requirements 

Garlic prefers Cool to temperate climates prefers 12°C-24°C tolerates mild frost. As a result, high-altitude areas such as Central Kenya and some parts of Rift Valley are ideal places to grow it. Garlic will grow best in full sun, but too much heat can harm the building of bulbs. However, wet soil will result in rot.

Prefers a well-drained, loam soil that is rich in organic matter. They like sandy loams because they are free draining and they can grow up in the conditions they thrive in. pH of the soil should be slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0). Heavy, wet clay soils that do not drain well can lead to rot so avoid these.

Improve the fertility of soil by upgrading it with natural matter such as compost is necessary to do before planting. With good care one can get 【10 tons】 of garlic per hectare. It can be grown in some climates to as much as 22 tons per hectare, but more commonly in Kenya, the yield is about 5-6 tons per hectare.

Steps for Planting Garlic 

1. Choosing Your Garlic Type 

Garlic comes in many varieties, each with its own unique flavor profile. There are two main categories of true garlic:

1. Hardneck Garlic

• Has a hard center seed stalk called a scape.
• Typically has a strong or hot flavor.
• Shorter storage life (up to 3 months after harvest).
• Usually has 12 or fewer large, uniform cloves in a single layer.

2. Softneck Garlic

• Lacks a hard center stalk; tops remain soft and flexible
• Ideal for creating decorative garlic braids
• Offers a milder flavor compared to hardneck varieties
• Longer storage life (6 months or more)
• Contains up to 40 small, irregular cloves in multiple layers

Buy garlic from local garden centers for varieties that match your climate. Supermarket garlic often fails to thrive outside its original region.

2. Timing Your Garlic Planting 

Garlic can be planted in fall or early spring. However, it requires a chilling period for proper development. Without this, garlic heads won't divide into cloves, resulting in onion-like bulbs. Many gardeners prefer fall planting for several reasons:

• Coincides with planting other flowering bulbs
• Provides extended growing time
• Results in larger, more flavorful summer harvests
• Allows for natural chilling

For fall planting, aim for two weeks before or after your area's typical first frost date. Consult your local county extension agent if you're unsure about frost dates in your region.

3. Preparing Garlic Planting Beds 

To ensure a successful garlic crop, follow these steps:

1. Choose a location with full, direct sun
2. Prepare loose, fertile, well-drained soil
3. Enhance beds with a 3-4 inch layer of organic matter (e.g., compost)
4. Incorporate a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) into the soil
5. Conduct a soil test to ensure optimal pH (ideally 6.0 to 7.0)

4. Planting Your Garlic 

Unlike many vegetables, garlic is grown from individual cloves. Here's how to plant:

1. Separate cloves from the bulb just before planting
2. Keep the papery covering on individual cloves
3. Plant cloves 1-2 inches deep in warm climates, 3-4 inches deep in colder regions
4. Position the flat rooting plate down, with the pointy end up
5. For fall plantings, add a 4-6 inch layer of weed-free mulch (grass clippings, leaves, or straw)

5. Caring for Garlic as It Grows

1. Remove mulch gently when leaves emerge in spring
2. Add compost and fertilize when leaves reach 6 inches tall
3. Keep the area well-weeded
4. Provide about 1 inch of water per week
5. For hardneck varieties, remove scapes in early summer to promote bulb growth
6. Reduce watering as garlic matures to harden bulbs

6. Harvesting and Storing Garlic

1. Harvest when stems turn yellow and fall over (typically July through September)
2. Carefully dig up bulbs, keeping stems intact
3. Cure garlic in a warm, dry, shaded area with good ventilation for 2-4 weeks
4. For storage, cut stems 1 inch above bulbs or braid softneck varieties
5. Store in a cool, dry place or refrigerate for long-term preservation

Garlic Crop Management 

1. Weed Management

Regularly control weeds, especially in the first two months.

• Use straw or dry grass mulch to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and regulate temperature.
• For weed pressure, consider manual weeding or herbicides where allowed.

2. Diseases

1. Downy mildew (Peronospora destructor)
   • Symptoms: Pale spots on leaves, gray-purple fuzzy growth, yellowing leaves
   • Management: Crop rotation, proper spacing, destroy infected debris, fungicides
2. Purple blotch (Alternaria porri)
   • Symptoms: Water-soaked lesions, brown to purple color, yellow zones
   • Management: Long crop rotations, reduce leaf wetness, fungicide application
3. Rust (Puccinia porri)
   • Symptoms: White flecks developing into orange pustules
   • Management: Use disease-free seed, well-draining soil, weed control, fungicides
4. White rot (Sclerotium cepivorum)
   • Symptoms: Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, white growth on bulb base
   • Management: Avoid soil transfer, hot water seed treatment, crop rotation
5. Mosaic (Garlic mosaic virus)
   • Symptoms: Mosaic patterns, chlorotic mottling, stunted growth
   • Management: Plant virus-free cloves from meristem tip culture

3. Pests

1. Bulb mites (Rhizoglyphus spp., Tyrophagus spp.)
   • Symptoms: Stunted growth, rotting bulbs
   • Management: Avoid successive allium crops, fallow periods, hot water seed treatment
2. Leafminers (Lyriomyza spp.)
   • Symptoms: White winding trails on leaves
   • Management: Check transplants, remove plants post-harvest, targeted insecticide use
3. Onion maggot (Delia antiqua)
   • Symptoms: Wilting seedlings, deformed bulbs
   • Management: Good sanitation, remove volunteer plants, insecticides, row covers
4. Thrips (Thrips tabaci, Frankliniella occidentalis)
   • Symptoms: Discolored, distorted leaves, silvery appearance
   • Management: Natural predators, avoid planting near grains, overhead irrigation, insecticides
5. Lesion nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans)
   • Symptoms: Stunted plants, lack of fine roots, lesions on roots
   • Management: Hot water dips for bulbs, limited effectiveness of crop rotation

4. Water Management

• Garlic needs steady watering, especially when bulbs form. Too much water can rot the bulbs.
• Use drip irrigation to keep the soil moist without wetting the leaves. This prevents fungal diseases.
• Controlling weeds and pests can boost garlic yields by 25%. It also improves bulb quality and market prices.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling 

A. Harvesting

• Look for bottom leaves turning brown while upper leaves remain green
• Use garden tools to pull garlic, rather than pulling stems

B.Selection and Storage

• Choose clean, firm, unbroken garlic bulbs without mold or sprouting
• Cure bulbs at room temperature for a week
• Store in nylon netting for good air flow
• Maintain 20-30°C temperature and <75% relative humidity for 1-2 months storage

C. Peeling Methods

• Lye peeling: Using hot caustic soda solution
• Water dipping: Submerge in warm water for 5-10 minutes
• Oven peeling: Heat in oven for 5-10 seconds
• Flame peeling: Direct contact with live flame

D. Preservation Techniques

a) Freezing

• Freeze peeled cloves in freezer bags
• Freeze chopped garlic wrapped in plastic
• Make and freeze garlic puree oil

b) Roasting

• Bake peeled cloves at 350°F (180°C) for 45-60 minutes

c) Garlic in wine or vinegar

• Submerge peeled cloves in undiluted wine or vinegar
• Refrigerate for up to four months

d) Garlic in oil

• Add citric or phosphoric acid to increase acidity
• Chop garlic, mix with acidified water, and store

e) Drying Methods

• Open or shade drying
• Solar drying
• Cabinet drying (60°C, 30mm thickness, 9m/s velocity)
• Tray drying (60°C for 1 hour at 2m/s air velocity)
• Fluidized bed drying (60°C for 4 hours)
• Microwave drying (40-70°C at 1.0-2.0 m/s air velocity, 40W power)

E. Packaging and Transportation

• Use wooden boxes (17 kg) or jute bags (25 kg) for raw garlic
• PP bags and PVC punnets with cling film for peeled cloves
• Store dry garlic at 0-1°C and 65-70% relative humidity

Different Preservation techniques for Peeled cloves

1. Freezing

• Peel the cloves and place them in freezer bags in the freezer.
• Another method for freezing garlic is to chop it and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or freezer bag.
• Garlic puree oil can be prepared by adding one part peeled garlic cloves in a blender or food processor along with two parts olive oil.
• Puree the mixture, then immediately transfer it to a freezer container. Cover the container and place it in the freezer.

2. Roasting

• Wrap the peeled cloves in baking dish and bake at 350°F (180 ºC) for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Sprinkle with olive oil or some greasing agent to be used as side vegetable with pinch of salt and other herbs.

3. Garlic in wine or vinegar

• Prepared by adding peeled garlic cloves to undiluted wine or vinegar and refrigerating it.
• Preserves garlic- liquid mixture for about four months.
• Submerged cloves can be further utilised for preparing other dishes.

4. Garlic in oil

• Garlic in oil is prepared by adding citric acid or phosphoric acid to increase its acidity.
• Chop the peeled garlic into pieces of 6mm or not longer than ¼th of inch.
• Take 2 cups of warm water and add 1 tablespoon equivalent to 15 ml or 15 g of citric acid powder. Add 2/3 cup of chopped garlic to 2 cups of prepared solution and stir it.
• Store at room temperature or in refrigerator.

5. Drying

Open or Shade Drying

• Place the product under the direct sunlight or it can also be carried out undershade. It is widely method.
• Preserves nutritional components during shade drying.

Solar Drying

• Solar drying has faster drying rates.
• Air is heated to 10-30 ºC above ambient, which causes air to move faster through drying and reduces its humidity.

Cabinet Drying

• Superior method than sun drying and other drying techniques.
• The ideal settings for cabinet drying are: 60 ºC, 30 mm thickness, 9 m/s velocity, and 0.1% sodium metabisulphite. Garlic slices dried this way turn lighter, have a high dehydration ratio, moisture below 5.5%, and score well in taste tests.

Tray Drying

• Garlic is dried by spreading on the trays which can be perforated or non-perforated.
• Generally recommended temperature of drying is 60 ºC for duration of 1 hour at an air velocity of 2m/s

Fluidized Bed Drying

• Most suitable method of drying for drying fruits and vegetables which are small in size.
• Drying is achieved by fluidisation of food products by the underneath flow of air which is cut into small size or converted into granular form.
• Recommended conditions for fluidisation of garlic is 60 ºC for 4 hours with good quality of powder and low in moisture content (<3%),

Microwave Drying

• Microwave Drying can be performed individually or in combination with conventional drying methods.
• Rapid method of drying without causing overheating of product.
• The best suitable parameters for microwave air drying are at the temperature of 40, 50, 60 and 70 ºC at air velocities of 1.0 and 2.0 m/s using continuous power of 40 W

Challenges Facing Garlic Farmers in Kenya 

Garlic farmers in Kenya face several challenges:

• Farmers lack quality seeds, lowering yields and increasing pest vulnerability.
• High costs for fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation burden small farmers.
• Pests and diseases like white rot, thrips, and nematodes cut yields.
• Limited market access forces farmers to sell low, relying on middlemen.
• Seasonal price changes complicate planning and reducing profits.

Opportunities in Garlic Farming in Kenya 

Despite challenges, garlic farming in Kenya offers several opportunities:

1. There is a rising demand for high-quality, locally grown garlic at competitive prices.
2. Garlic can be processed into products like powder, oil, and packaged cloves.
3. Organic garlic farming targets health-conscious consumers and fetches higher prices.
4. Government and NGOs offer training, quality seeds, and market support.
5. Organic garlic farming can boost profits by 20%. Consumers pay more for pesticide-free, organic produce.

Conclusion 

Garlic farming in Kenya offers a good chance for small and large farmers. The local and regional demand is growing. Meanwhile, the country still relies on imports. This creates a big opportunity for growth in the sector.

Key takeaways for successful garlic farming in Kenya include:

1. Choosing the right varieties suited to your local climate and market demand
2. Implementing proper crop management techniques, from soil preparation to pest control
3. Investing in post-harvest handling to reduce losses and maintain quality
4. Exploring value addition opportunities to increase profitability
5. Considering organic farming practices to tap into premium markets

Frequently Asked Questions 

Read Also

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2. Organic Farming in Kenya: A Sustainable Future