ORGANIC AGRICULTURE CENTRE OF KENYA. (OACK) – NGO

by S.Ng’ang’a
(Kangari Town, Central Province, Kenya)

BioFarming of chamomile

By S.Ng’ang’a – Executive Director

OACK’S RESPONSIBILITY

It’s responsibility & role is to educate & train the small-scale farmers groups on participatory learning in sustainable organic agriculture

Dealing with chamomile Matricana recutita.

Family – compositae
It is grown for its dried flowers and essential oil that is usually 0.5%.
Uses
Dried flowers uses-
They’re used to make teas, flour, herbal beers, and biopesticide.
Oil uses

Oil is used to make drugs, flavoring for liquors, cosmetics, medicine.
Products of chamomile
· Digestive disorders
· Menstrual pains
· Rheumatism
· Healing wounds
· Antispasmodic
· Diarrhea
· Anti-inflammatory
· Acidity
· Hysteria
· Colic
· Allergy
· Sleeplessness

0.4 ha can be planted with 10,000 plants.

Preparation & Use
Internal use
1. Infusion
With 5-10 g of flower heads per litre of water. Drink up to 6 cups daily.

2. Powder
The dose varies from 2-10 g a day. Prepare it in a water solution and add some honey.

3. Essence
The recommended dose is from 2-4 drops, three times a day.

External use
4.Compresses soaked in a decoction made with 20 -30g of flower heads per litre of water. The cloth is then applied on the skin.

5.Eye baths with the same concoction.

6.Lotion on the skin, with the essence of the plant dissolved in alcohol.

Synonyms. Chamomile, garden chamomile, ground apple, low chamomile, whig plant.

French.Camomile romaine.Spanish.Manzanilla romana.
Habitat.Farmed fields in Western Europe. The plant grows in areas of America.

Description. Vivacious plant of the Compositae family, growing from 10-30 cm high.
It is shorter and more common than German chamomile. Roman chamomile has finely divided leaves and flowers which are quite similar to those of German chamomile, however with a more intense aroma.

Parts used
The flower clusters or flower heads.

Over 12 groups are involved in growing of chamomile

How to conserve moisture with dry straw. Planted kales, tomatoes. These farmers have no tank of water which is far from home.

We are teaching farmers to grow/harvest chamomile, dry them and store them (Ndakaini)

Double digging cropping with maize is good for retention of moisture and upholding of nutrients.
After double-digging add organic matter or green manure.

Retains more water during the dry season, provides healthy crops with optimized yields.Planted nappier for fodder and mixed trees for wood fuel.

Chamomile is produced organically.