The County Government of Uasin Gishu, in collaboration with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), on Tuesday hosted farmers and youth agri-preneurs for a training session on avocado dry matter testing using the oven method.
During the opening of the workshop, Director of Agriculture Mr. Reuben Seroney praised the strong collaboration with AFA, noting that partnerships between county governments and national agencies are vital for building farmer capacity, improving product quality, and expanding access to international markets.
He emphasized that training on fruit maturity and proper harvesting techniques is key to maintaining market standards, boosting farmer incomes, and sustaining Kenya’s competitive edge in the global avocado industry.
According to AFA, Kenya’s avocado sector continues to face challenges in international markets due to the harvesting of immature fruits by some exporters seeking short-term gains. To address this, self-regulation by exporters and associations is essential, coupled with equipping farmers—particularly out-growers—with the knowledge of maturity indices and proper harvesting practices.
Participants were trained on how to identify mature avocados using several indicators:
•Physical colour change from “Safaricom green” to dark green,
•Flesh colour change from creamy white to cream,
•Seed loosening from the seed coat,
•Dry matter content, with a recommended minimum of 24%, measured using either a dry matter machine or the oven method.
While dry matter machines are costly, the oven method provides a cost-effective and accurate alternative. Farmers can apply this technique on their farms, while youth agri-preneurs can offer it as a service to groups or individual farmers, working in partnership with the AFA-HCD Research and Development Department for nationwide fruit maturity predictions.
This collaboration strengthens avocado quality assurance, enhances market access, and creates new opportunities for farmers and youth agri-preneurs across the county.
