Self-pollinated pawpaw changing lives of farmers in arid region

Pius Lingo, a farm attendant at the Food and Agriculture Organisation's demo plot in Mosol inspects pawpaw fruits. The new fruit variety, Maradol, has adapted well to the prevailing climatic conditions, giving even better yields. PHOTO | ISAIAH ESIPISU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The variety matures in 11 to 12 months, and has a lifespan of three to four years.
  • One Maradol pawpaw tree variety can yield up to 100 fruits for three years.
  • Over 2,000 individual farmers are growing the new pawpaw variety, with some having harvested and sold the fruits in the local market at between Sh40 and Sh60 each.
  • Pawpaws are rich Vitamin C and a number of minerals including potassium, niacin, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese.

A new pawpaw variety known as Maradol is changing the lives of farmers in West Pokot.

Maradol is high-yielding, tasty, and the tree is dwarf, making it possible for even small children to pick ripe fruits.

Above all, the fruit is self-pollinated, therefore, does not require the aid of insects or hand pollination.

The variety matures in 11 to 12 months, and has a lifespan of three to four years after which it should be cut down.

“I started with three trees and got over 100 fruits which encouraged me. This would now be my main source of livelihood as I have increased the number of trees on my farm to 103,” says Sheila Cherop, a mother of three children from Kangorio village.

According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which introduced the plant, one Maradol pawpaw tree variety can yield up to 100 fruits for three years.

FAO first introduced the variety in Ethiopia over three years ago, where it flourished. It then brought certified seeds to Kenya though an Italian organisation.

So far, the fruit has adapted well to the prevailing climatic conditions, giving even better yields.

“One of our targets is to help rural communities adopt new ways of accessing food, incomes and better nutrition,” said Guiseppe De Bac, the project manager working with FAO.

So far, over 2,000 individual farmers are growing the new pawpaw variety, with some having harvested and sold the fruits in the local market at between Sh40 and Sh60 each.

“Once farmers start planting the pawpaw crops in large quantities, we will teach them ways of adding value to the fruits so that they can sell in other markets away from Pokot County,” said De Bac.

FAO has handed the crop to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) in Marigat, Baringo for further research, especially to find out where else the fruits can flourish well.

Pawpaw trees are relatively disease-free, including being resistant to Oak root fungus (Armillaria).

Pawpaws are rich Vitamin C and a number of minerals including potassium, niacin, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese.