The Kilifi county government through the department of agriculture has urged farmers to embrace agribusiness to increase their harvest and boost their income.
Speaking in Kaloleni during farmer’s field day, area Chief Officer for Agriculture Teddy Yawa emphasized that agriculture has great economic opportunities and urged residents to commercialize farming activities.
The County government in partnership with other stakeholders has been reaching out to farmers to educate them on how to do modern farming for better harvest.
He advised farmers to merge and form groups to strengthen their unity in production and claim better share of the market.
“We are urging farmers who work alone to join group farming as we know unity is strength, and when you work together as a group you spread the risk and also earn more profit unlike working alone,” he noted.
Yawa commended agribusiness saying farming can be the easiest means to earn a living and address the unemployment problem in the county, since agricultural produce are always on demand both locally and internationally.
To support agricultural activities, the county government has given water pumps to those farmers who use dams and rivers for irrigation.
Cassava farmers from Kaloleni sub county led by Daniel Yaa described agribusiness as a backbone of development saying they have secured market in Nakuru County and have extended their market to China, where they export the commodity as raw materials.
Yaa disclosed that they are educating and enrolling more farmers to join cassava production to meet the demand of the market.
“Our initiative is registering more farmers in order to increase the production of cassava for our business to prosper,” he added.
Khasim Nyundo echoed the benefits of agribusiness saying he has earned high income and has greatly improved the living standards of his family.
“The moringa farming business has helped me to educate my children and met the needs of my family, since now I have a better income,” he said.
By Tawheda Ali and Jackson Msanzu
