Multinational Del Monte has announced a new drip irrigation system will reduce its water usage in Kenya by 30%, newspaper the Nairobi Star reported. 

The company said the technological change would reduce its farms' dependence on the Athi and Tana river basins, while it would also improve water availability for local communities, the story reported.

The Nairobi Star reported drip irrigation would also allow Del Monte to apply fertilizers more effectively and efficiently.

Del Monte spray and irrigation superintendent Eric Wanjau, told the newspaper the amount of rainfall in Thika was not sufficient for pineapple production so overhead irrigation had been used in the past.

In other Kenyan news, the country's Agriculture Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr Romano Kiome told website Nation.co.ke that poor harvests would mean continued food shortages in 2012.

Photo: Flickr, ECohen

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