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 Social and economic developments during the colonial period in Kenya

Wheat and sisal growing by settlers in Kenya

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Wheat and sisal growing by settlers in Kenya
(i) Wheat
It was introduced in Kenya in 1903 by Lord Delamere who experimented on his Njoro farm. It was however until 1912, when a more resistant variety was developed, that wheat growing took root in Kenya.
In 1908, Lord Delamere set up Unga Ltd which boosted
wheat farming in Kenya. It was grown in the Nakuru and Uasin Gishu areas. Africans began to grow wheat only after independence.
(ii) Sisal growing
It was introduced in Kenya from Tanganyika in 1893 by Richard Hindorf, a german Doctor. Initially, it was cultivated around Thika
in 1904. By 1920, it had become the second –largest income-earning crop after coffee.
The main sisal growing areas included Baringo, Koibatek, Ol Donyo Sabuk, Ruiru, Thika, Voi, Taita and Taveta. Africans began growing coffee in 1964 though its growth declined due to the completion it faced from synthetic fibre.


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