AVOID CLEARING LAND BY BURNING, THIKA FARMERS ADVISED.

Farmers in Gatuanyaga, Munyu and Githima Locations of Thika East District  have been urged to avoid burning as a method of land clearing.

Thika East Agricultural officer Stephen Muia noted that many farmers in the area were currently burning the dry vegetation on their farms in preparation for the October rains.

Speaking to journalists from his office yesterday, Muia warned that it was risky for farmers to engage in the practice considering the current dry weather in the area.

"We would like to warn the farmers against the practice as this place is usually windy and fires can easily spread to other farms and cause great damage,” said Muia.

He advised farmers to instead use other safer methods like slashing or just letting the already dry vegetation die off and rot in the farms, saying that this would increase the soil organic matter. The added that burning had other disadvantages such as killing essential soil micro-organisms and degrading the soil physical conditions.