The government has commissioned the first batch of the 100-grain dryers it procured to assist farmers in mitigating post-harvest losses in 15 maize-growing counties.
This is the first phase of the government plan to support the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Farmers Cooperatives, and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) with 200-grain dryers to curb post-harvest losses occasioned by poor storage, inadequate drying facilities, and poor weather conditions.
The counties set to benefit from the first 100 dryers include Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Bungoma, and Kakamega.
West Pokot, Narok, Kericho, Migori, Bomet, Baringo, Nyandarua and Laikipia counties will also benefit from the first phase of the grain drying facilities for sustainable post-harvest management project.
Speaking at the NCPB Eldoret depot where he flagged off the dryers Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said the 15 earmarked counties were mainly maize-growing counties whose crop harvesting coincides with the October-December short rains which are this year expected to be higher than normal due to the El Nino effect.
Linturi who also witnessed the operationalization of the dryers in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu County, said other counties will receive their dryers in the second phase.
The CS was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, Soy MP David Kiplagat, Senator Jackson Mandago, and Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Edyson Nyale.
Linturi said that although food and nutrition security was one of the key pillars of the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda, post-harvest losses were a major impediment to achieving 100 percent food and nutrition security.
“Each dryer has the capacity to dry 14 tons of maize in two hours, and there is no reason for a farmer not to dry their maize to the required moisture content,” Linturi said.
This year maize production is expected to increase due to favourable weather conditions and farmers accessing low-cost fertilizer under the government subsidy initiative.
The CS said the country expects to harvest more than 60 million bags of maize this year and lauded farmers for responding to the government’s call to produce more to make the country self-sufficient.
“I appeal to our people to return to the farms now that the fertilizer cost has come down to Sh2500, so that we produce more and eradicate the shame of our country begging for food relief 60 years after independence,” said Linturi.
By Kiptanui Cherono
