Some 100 farmer groups in Baringo County engaging in milk, meat and honey value chains have benefited from Sh20 million in support by Agriculture Sector Development Programme (ASDSP).
Speaking when he presided over the distribution exercise of assorted agricultural innovation equipment to the groups from across all the 30 wards in the county at Kabarnet town on Governor Benjamin Cheboi stated that the tools are geared towards increasing the productivity of the priority value chains.
The items dished out include beehives, sewing machines for making honey harvesting gear, milk and meat fridge-freezers, five motorbikes for extension services, wood cutting machines and pasture seeds, among others.
Cheboi noted that his administration took the deliberate step to empower farmers, who form about 58 percent of the county’s population and in turn revolutionize and uplift the agricultural landscape of the region, thus ensuring sustainable food and nutritional security.
The County boss urged the farmers to embrace innovative agricultural methods that will bring them high yields and fetch high prices in their respective ventures.
“Most of our farmers are traditional livestock keepers who often herd them in the fields waiting for their maturity but we want to change the narrative after the county administration invested in extension services and modern practices that are geared towards improving quality and quantity within the shortest time possible,” the governor explained.
Governor Cheboi, accompanied by county commissioner Stephen Kutwa and his deputy, Eng Felix Kimaiyo, alongside other local leaders, challenged farmers to protect the patent of their respective products so that they do not get adulterated by individuals who want quick money at the expense of value.
Eng Kimaiyo advised the farmers to take advantage of extension officers, who will play a crucial role in training them on best farming practices that are geared towards increased productivity.
The deputy governor added that the extension officers were the ones tasked with collecting crucial information at the fields and reporting back to their respective departments for planning purposes and improving the welfare of farmers.
The county commissioner while lauding the noble initiative by the agriculture department of distributing the assorted equipment to benefiting groups said it will directly benefit the farmer up to the grassroots level.
Kutwa, who used the platform to inform farmers of some 80,000 bags of National government subsidised fertilisers and top dressing at the Kabarnet National Cereals and Produce Board, called for more farmers to register themselves in groups so that they can benefit from such life transforming programmes that are aimed at putting money in their pockets.
By Benson Kelio and Joshua Kibet
