The County government of Busia remains committed to reviving the ailing agriculture sector following the plans to allocate 300 million to support farmers with inputs to increase production.
Speaking at Muhoho village in Samia, Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma disclosed that he will launch a drive that aims at recruiting 2000 farmers per ward across 35 wards to plant crops best suitable for the soil.
“As a county we must revive cotton farming and support Mulwanda ginnery. I will instruct MCAs to work with ward administrators to recruit 2000 farmers in every ward and as government we will be tilling land for them and offer free BT cotton seed,” said Dr.Otuoma.
The governor added that the county has all it takes to produce enough cotton to feed the ginnery as a way of opening up the economy of the county.
On production of edible oils, the governor noted that plans are underway to procure certified seeds with the help of Agriculture research institution KALRO Alupe to ensure that agriculture becomes more profitable to farmers.
“We will work with agriculture research institutions in the area to ensure farmers get certified seeds so that we can produce more edible oils like simsim, sunflower and groundnuts with a bid to empower them economically and rid the county of poverty,” said Otuoma.
In a bid to turn the fortunes of the county, the Governor said his government will intensify rice production in Bunyala from the current 3,000 to over 11, 000 acres, noting that value addition will also be given first priority to achieve food security in the county.
“I want Busia under my regime to be the leading rice producing county. With 3 billion expert processing zones at Nasewa, we must do meaningful farming to change the lives of our people,” he added.
Government has started an initiative to woo farmers in Bunyala who have unutilised land to allocate it to rice growing in a move meant to achieve social economic transformation.
“There is a lot of idle land because they are utilising part of it for subsistence. We want people to form groups under management and to make land productive to enable our people earn profits,”
The governor urged Busia residents to turn up in large number ahead of President Dr William Samoei Ruto launch of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and Industrial Park at Nasema this week.
By Absalom Namwalo
