Nakuru County in collaboration with World Vision has held a farmer market linkages exhibition, where farmers got an opportunity to meet various stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Visoi Ward, Rongai Sub-County.
The exhibition also provided one-stop extension services for farmers on environmental conservation, sustainable farming practices, emerging innovations, and technology.
The County Agriculture Chief Officer Newton Mwaura appreciated the collaboration with World Vision, noting that the administration is committed to fostering the relationship with stakeholders to improve farmers’ livelihoods across the County.
Mwaura said the County is committed to ensuring the reduced cost of production through the last mile delivery of fertilizer program in the County, by ensuring that all farmers are registered, and encouraged to prepare their farms on time for planting.
He noted that strengthening market linkages was vital for reducing post-harvest losses, creating a more equitable distribution of power within the supply chain, encouraging investment, and advancing agricultural practices.
Additionally, he said strengthening market linkages was not only beneficial to all stakeholders across the food supply chain, but it ensures that farmers are aware of their customers’ needs, and plant what sells faster than the current presumptions.
Apart from that, the Chief Officer said over 75 percent of Kenyans rely on agriculture to make a living, and most of these are smallholder farmers, who cultivate small parcels of land, are unsupported in production, and are isolated from the markets. Hence, the a need to link them to markets and enable them to make profits.
The farmers’ leader at the Rongai Sub County Mrs. Agnes Rono, decried the higher cost of inputs than the prices that the farmers receive from the sale of their produce, which often equals, or is less than their cost of production.
She urged all Counties to support farmers to get quick, and reliable markets, and if possible, agree on prices even before planting for the linked markets, otherwise, farmers might continuously stay in a trapped cycle of poverty due to a lack of fair markets.
By Veronica Bosibori
