Farmers in Elgeyo Marakwet County have been urged to diversify into horticulture as a way of boosting their income.
Speaking to KNA Nephat Maritim, a government relations and policy analyst at one acre fund, has urged farmers to embrace diversification of crop production in the county saying the move will help boost farming in the region.
One acre fund is a nonprofit organization which supplies agricultural services to more than 400,000 farmers in 23 counties in Kenya.
Maritim said relying on maize and potato growing alone will deny farmers the opportunity to fully exploit the production capacity of their farms.
“Let farmers diversify into horticulture, dairy farming, among other agricultural produce so that there is a continuous source of income instead of relying and focusing on one crop,” he said.
Observing that there is untapped potential in various agricultural enterprises in Elgeyo Marakwet, he noted that farmers could also venture into high value crops such as vegetables, passion fruits even fish farming which takes short periods of time but are high on returns.
He advised farmers to seek advice from field staff from one acre fund as well as agricultural extension staff on how to commercialize their farming.
By Rennish Okong’o
