Bangor University research agronomist, Dr David Harris, was delighted to receive a request recently to act as script consultant for a Kenyan television series. It might seem like an unlikely career diversion-but Dr Harris was only too keen to assist as the popular ‘soap’ wanted to promote a farming technique he has researched for many years.

In a similar way to the BBC’s The Archers programme, which used storylines to share new ideas and good practice with the UK’s post-war farming community, Makutano Junction’s storyline will increase viewers’ awareness of the simple but effective crop growing technique of soaking seeds in water prior to planting.

In the soap, farmhand Maspeedy is seen with a large barrel of seeds and liquid which local troublemaker Snake believes that he’s using to ferment illicit alcohol- he later drinks the liquid and is seen being violently ill. Maspeedy’s story about ‘seed priming’, as the technique is called, is eventually believed by the community and the message relayed that soaking seeds prior to planting is a simple and effective way to improve yields. The story will run on Kenyan television on the 8th of May, and will later be screened on Ugandan television.

Dr David Harris, Deputy Director of CAZS Natural Resources – a centre within the University dedicated to promoting rural development overseas – helped with the script for the broadcast and provided technical input into a comic that will accompany it.

“I was sent the final script and my two kids had fun acting it out for me! It’s really great that this method is being highlighted in the soap in such an entertaining way, and will reach so many more people” he said.

He explains: “Soaking seeds in water is not a new idea – my dad used to soak his runner beans before sowing them – and it is a practice I have encountered around the world. What I have been doing over the years is to work out the ‘best’ timing, duration and so forth, to soak seeds of various crops and to work with farmers so that any techniques developed were easily adopted by them. I have looked in detail at the benefits that generally follow the use of soaked seeds – better germination and emergence, more vigorous growth, better competition with weeds, earlier flowering and maturity and higher yields. More recently, I’ve been working with scientists and farners around the globe identifying situations where adding small amounts of certain nutrients to the priming water could make a huge difference where a lack of these nutrients in the soil was limiting crop growth.”

In general, averaged over many crops and countries, seed priming increases yield by 20-30% and is essentially cost free. Seed priming is of greater benefit to farmers in marginal areas of developing countries as they often don’t have access to other means of improving their crops- and are faced with no irrigation facilities and poor quality seed. Seed priming can compensate to some extent.

According to the television company, Mediae; “Makutano Junction is a soap set in a quintessential Kenyan town filled with gutsy market women, corrupt politicians, ambitious mothers and young lovers. The programme not only entertains but also informs and educates. These characters cope with the typical issues and problems that face Kenyans today; poor yields for their crops confront them as does often inadequate leadership and a constant struggle to support themselves and their families financially. All these problems are met by this vibrant community with laughter and courage.”