Nandi county government has embarked on the promotion of coffee farming in Tinderet Sub-County to tame perennial landslides and boost income for farmers.
Through the initiative which targets areas prone to landslides, the county government seeks to restore degraded land while encouraging farmers to increase acreage under the crop.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said his government was keen on reviving coffee farming while at the same time addressing land degradation which has left pockets of Tinderet prone to landslides.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at Lengon in Kapchorua ward, Sang said the county government will construct farrows in the affected areas and at the same time support the affected households with coffee seedlings to roll out the initiative.
Over 500 people who were affected by landslides during the recent floods in Kapchorua and Tinderet wards, he said stand to reap big from the programme.
“Coffee pays and our farmers are going to benefit immensely from this initiative. Coffee is also a tree through which we can increase tree cover in this areas to control floods and landslides,” he said.
The Governor donated coffee seedlings to Persons Living with Disability (PWDs) in the two wards adding that through the programme, 40km of furrows would be done by the county government to restore degraded land.
Chief Officer for Agriculture Paul Sanga said the project has been designed to allow steady flow of rainwater while protecting the soils from being washed away.
Sanga asked the community to embrace coffee farming saying the benefit was two prong.
One of the beneficiaries, 96-year-old Lucas Simatwo, lauded the county government for the initiative saying the landslides menace has left a trail of destruction in the area impoverishing households.
“Year in year out farmers in this area incur losses worth millions of shillings due to floods and landslides,” he said.
Tinderet Sub-County, he added, was marginalized and has continued to lag behind in development adding that the renewed focus by the county government was set to change the fortunes for the locals.
He said besides the coffee, the furrows would help in the conservation of soil allowing farmers to venture into production of other short term crops to boost food security.
By Kosuri Valarie
