Farmers in Mumias West Sub-county will receive 1,000 tissue culture banana plantlets from Kakamega county government to boost the production of the crop in the area.
The Sub-County Agriculture Officer (SCAO), Joseph Wasike said the banana seedlings will be distributed to farmers in the four wards of the Sub-County. Each Ward will receive 250 seedlings.
Wasike told KNA on Wednesday that the farmers who will receive the seedlings have been identified and that they will do bulking of the seedlings for onward distribution of the suckers to other farmers in the area.
He said that the County government will meet the cost of the seedlings but the farmer will provide manure and labour for land preparation and planting.
The SCAO noted that the area has a potential of producing bananas on a large scale but currently the area under bananas is 138 hectares that he said can be expanded if the farmers put in more efforts.
He said that other fruits that can do well in the area include pawpaw, passion, pineapples and mangoes and asked farmers to liaise with the agriculture extension officers in the wards to get technical advice on the production of the fruit trees.
Wasike said that farmers in the area plant local vegetables for domestic consumption and sale in big markets.
He said that production of kales was now at 162.5 hectares, while that of cowpeas is at 136 hectares,black African shade (suja) 17.1 hectares. Another popular local vegetable spider plant (saga) is at 34 hectares.
Wasike said that the production of local vegetables was still low as compared to the demand of the same and pointed out that the deficit is covered by vegetables that are brought into the market from other neighbouring towns.
He asked farmers to source for certified seed for the indigenous vegetables from the agro vets in town to be sure of quality.
By Catherine Nyongesa
