AFRICAN BIRD EYE CHILI PRODUCTION

This is also known as African devil, belongs to species CAPSICUM, its hardness makes it require minimal inputs and
it can be grown with minimal in puts; local farmers can grow it with no money input as long as they have seeds
available. This is a small Chile, growing to about 1 inch but puck allot on a punch and always with many packed
seeds inside, they mature to red or purple. Historically found in the African forests. It does better when planted in
the bed and given care until it is ready for transplanting to the main garden. It is the second hottest pepper in the
world; it stays in production as long as it is given care for 2-3 years though production reduces after two years,
birds are the most known pollinators and pests.

Seed bed preparation

A fine seed bed should be prepared with soil which is roam sandy meaning it should be well aerated and with good
drainage, organic manure should be added especially chicken wastes or coffee husks to enhance good and healthy
growth of seedlings.

Sowing of seeds

Usually it is recommended that seeds should be sown to ½ inch meaning it is good after preparing the seedbed, it
is good you broadcast the seeds on top and make sure they are not over clouding in one place of the bed (you can
add a small layer of sand in the seed going to be broadcasted to avoid this) and then add a small layer of soil
especially very fine soil. Some people broadcast in small lines within a well prepared bed 7inch apart each line. It
works the same way, cover the bed with mulches and remove them when they sprout and cover the seedlings with
a 50 percent shade of grass. Check the soil moisture every morning. If dry, moisten with a fine spray of water, the
seeds should germinate in one or two weeks. They should be ready to transplant in 5-6weeks.

Transplanting seedlings

Reduce the amount of water irrigated and remove the shade after 3-4 weeks to harden them. Transplant them
after 5-6weeks when they are 3-4 inches tall. Space the seedlings in the field ½ a meter in rows and ½ meter apart.
When the land is very fertile always increase to 1meter because the crop can grow big, consider pruning and
thinning to make sure plants have enough light not covering each other, use 1-2 meters while inter cropping .

Land preparation and crop care.

The normal planting land should be prepared usually first ploughing and hallowing. It is good to prepare the land
in time, leave weeds sprout just near planting and spray them wish glyphosate and 24D to kill the weeds and when
you plant, the plants will be able to compete with weeds. Weeds should be removed always in time in order to
reduce competition and some weeds act as host plants for pests so should be removed regularly for good
performance of the plants.

It is very good and highly advisable to plant with good prepared organic manure which has rotted very well to
increase faster growth and good crop performance. In case you do not have organic manure, use DAP on planting
and make sure it is not in contact with the seedling roots because it burns and kills the seedling in case(DAP) so put
it into the hole(2soda covers) per hole and put some soil on it and then plant. On planting, make sure the part
which has been in the soil in the nursery should be buried on planting as well as a must. And add manure of
fertilizers every four months to make sure the plant is healthy and good performing. Mulching is very important as
this will prevent water splashing on fruits and making them dirty during rain; it will prevent weeds from growing
and protects the soil from being dry which protects the plant. It can be grown with others crops and does well in
banana plantations except (potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco) and do not grow in places which had these crops less
than a year because they harbor its diseases and pests in large numbers.
Spraying

Different from other types of Chile, African devil has the highest pest and disease resistance capacity and survives
the wide range of soils and climatic conditions in Africa since it is local and known of growing by itself in Africa’s
forests. This means spraying for disease control and pests is not usually done however some farmers have noticed
some pests and diseases meaning the large farmers do preventive spraying usually twice per month is enough to
keep the crop growing (mancozeb, indofil and other preventive chemicals can be used (, dud cyper and rocket) can
be used to kill pests in case, stop when harvesting starts, locally organic way you can use 0.5kg of dry chili pound it
in a motor, add little omo solution and add in a 20litter knapsack it will kill the aphids which are the main source of
viral infections and remove and burry infected plants, viral infections are not curable but they don’t kill the plant
just reduce yield and the production cycle) spraying foliar fertilizers twice a month is very important (green
miracle, vigimax, supper grow) and others can be used. I recommend towards flowering let the use of (allwingold)
be a must because it induces flowering in these plants then diementhoet can work to make sure flowers do not
drop out of the plant hence increased yield. However our local farmers who cannot afford spraying can also grow
this crop and it can still perform (Do not grow in field which were formally infested by pests and diseases or fields
of other chili and hot pepper plants unless it has taken like a year).

Harvesting and drying.

Harvesting starts at 2 ½ -3months after transplanting you should be able to start harvesting and the number
increases with time up to 18months, this can be done every day depending on the number of fruits that need to be
harvested, harvest mature red or purple healthy fruits. Stalks should be left on the plant, more advisory to smear
your hands with natural lemon juice in your hands to kill the burn and it can be used the same way in case it drops
in your eyes, damaged, or green chilies should not be taken for drying, the fruits should be picked early hours just
after the dew has evaporated, harvest only full ripped to make sure there is uniformity in colour and not braking
during harvesting. It is profitable to harvest all the red chilies on one plant than harvest half from all plants
because the plant will not flower while having red or purple chilies on the same plant.

Note, harvesting is labour intensive and it is only advisable to grow only what you’re sure of always harvesting in
time to avoid losses.

The post harvest handling of chilies is very important to ensure quality and standards of your buyer. Drying takes
3-4 days depending on weather(dry each day harvests separately), do not dry chilies on the ground they should be
dried above the ground good to use racks with free air movement, use an aerated material above the drying rakes,
make sure it does not come in contact with the rain while drying. Grading is very important and this should be
done during drying to save time, remove extra small ones and damaged to live the better ones alone., packing is
good to use gunny bags or locally woven baskets that allow some air to pass through but do not use a
polyethylene. Do not put the storage bags on ground it may attract some moisture and spoil your chilies, make
sure they are always on raised ground. in case of rain in door drying can also be done, raised ground and you can
use the papyrus mat pour on it in a single layer and make sure that the room is aerated until the sun comes. The
same is done in the evening after days drying until ready for storage (chilies should be shrived but not over dried)
more info to come on this.

Investment and yield

Small growers can produce chilies with no cash investment as long as they have the required seed by the use of
family labour.howevery better returns can be obtained for commercial farmers with improved garden care
facilities which include use of additional foliar fertilizers, chemicals that facilitate flowering and improved disease
control methods especially good to do preventive spray. This crop can be drought resistant when established but
water stress causes flower abortion and reduce flowering so irrigation can be done though this is not commonly
done as many farmers depend on the rains(small farmers can use plastic bottle system of irrigation. Meaning that
the level of investment in this plant is minimal and affordable to many farmers.

Yield: yield depends on soil, climatic conditions, seed source and management practices and these practices have
been talked about in this document. (Expect between 800-1400 dry kgs per acre per season meaning 1600-
2800kgs of dry chilies per year per acre.

Advise: keep weeds outside your garden to avoid pests and diseases, look for advise in case of a disease you don’t
understand, plant only what your sure of the labour to harvest in time, harvest only ripped ones to ensure clour
uniformity in drying and braking, make sure you take very well post harvest handling stapes very well to keep the
quality and avoid rejects as we aim on profits, plant only what your buyer gives you and do this farming with
passion. If you do all that am sure you will make it.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF AGRIBUSINESS ENTERPRENUARES.

Nsubuga Samuel (0752779730/0789449039 samnsubuga2@gmail.com)