Despite facing financial challenges that forced him to drop out of school after the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in 1993, David Burii transformed his setbacks into opportunities and became a revered agricultural innovator not only in Kenya but also across parts of Africa.
Today, his Jua Kali farm machines, particularly the EasyDry 500, are helping farmers enhance grain drying methods and reduce aflatoxin contamination.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Education
After completing class eight, Burii’s dreams of pursuing higher education were shattered due to the lack of funds.
However, he decided to seek alternative avenues to improve his skills and knowledge.
He enrolled in a mechanic course at Nanyuki Polytechnic, not out of personal interest, but to at least acquire a certificate.
Although he studied mechanics for two years, he realized that his true passion lay elsewhere.
It was during his time at a welding workshop that Burii discovered his real talent and love for innovation.
He honed his welding skills and eventually set up his own workshop, where he could freely explore and experiment with his creative ideas.
Burii’s strong desire to help farmers and address their challenges became the driving force behind his innovative creations.
Observing the difficulties farmers faced during grain harvesting and drying, he aspired to develop affordable machinery to ease their burden.
Farmers often incurred significant losses due to poor drying methods, leading to aflatoxin contamination, which posed health risks to consumers.
“After harvesting, farmers spend a lot of time and resources drying maize in the sun. Sometimes it’s even rained on when there are unexpected showers, resulting to more losses. I thought of how I could manufacture a machine that would solve this problem,” he told Enterprise during an interview in his workshop at Mwireri, Timau in Laikipia County.
After extensive research and experimentation, Burii designed the EasyDry 500, a revolutionary machine capable of drying 500 kilos of grains in just three hours.
This portable device employs open technology and operates on a small petrol engine, utilizing burning maize cobs to generate heat.
The heat is then directed to the maize bed, a suspended table-like structure placed on a canvas bag, effectively reducing moisture content from 20 to 13.5 percent.
One of the most significant challenges in the commodities market is moisture content in grains.
High moisture levels can cause farmers to incur substantial losses, making it essential to address this issue.
The EasyDry 500 has proven to be highly effective in reducing aflatoxin levels, with tests conducted by AflaSTOP showing a 77 percent reduction, compared to the traditional drying method’s 51 percent reduction.
Burii’s innovative solution has gained widespread popularity, and he has sold 23 units within Kenya.
It costs at least Kshh70,000 to manufacture one machine, with each going for Ksh90,000.
Beyond the Kenyan borders, his machines have found eager markets in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Additionally, he offers a unique service, charging a fee to dry maize for local farmers who may not have access to the EasyDry 500.
“I also offer a service where I charge Sh200 to dry a bag of maize but most farmers don’t understand why they should pay this much. But if you look at the cost of drying maize in the open air for an average of two weeks when the farmer takes them out every day, the labour costs are too high,” he says.
With the support of the Laikipia County government through the Laikipia Development and Innovation Program (LIDP) and the County Enterprise Fund, Burii’s business has experienced remarkable growth.
What began as a small workshop now employs twenty individuals, and he envisions creating even more job opportunities for the youth in the future.
In line with his commitment to empowering local communities, Burii also plans to expand his services to different villages, providing affordable drying solutions to farmers.
His dedication to addressing the plight of farmers stems from his firsthand knowledge of the challenges they face.
