Journalists based in Kitui County working for different media houses were praised for their packaging and disseminating educational information to local farmers.
Local leaders and their development partners commended members of the fourth estate for helping the development actors pass on much-needed information to local farmers, thus helping farmers adapt to Modern farming technology.
The county leaders, led by Kitui County Deputy Governor Augustus Wambua Kanani, Kitui County Commissioner Mr. Erastus Mbui, and development partners led by USAID and other implementing partners, appreciated the journalists for their participation in local community development and for uplifting their lives.
They were speaking during the inauguration of the Kitui County Knowledge Fair, held at Ithookwe Showgrounds, on the outskirts of Kitui town.
The event attracted 40 exhibitors drawn from USAID and non-USAID-supported programs on finance, education, health, agriculture, the environment, and business, among others.
Under the theme ‘Strengthening Community Learning to Increase Adaptive Capacity to Shocks and Stresses’, the county learning and knowledge fair provided an opportunity for the exhibitors to showcase their work in the county.
The platform funded by USAID, which is a key development partner in the county, also provided an opportunity for the county leadership to interact with all partners and understand their work.
The fair also gave businesses an opportunity to meet current and potential clients and enabled them to learn, network, and share knowledge on international, national, and local market needs and dynamics.
Speaking during the inauguration, Kitui County Commissioner Erastus Mbui advised local farmers to invest in massive livestock production, especially high-breed goats and camels, noting the high demand for the meat in the international market.
“This county has a favorable climate with a lot of pasture for goats and camels, but local farmers have never engaged in massive rearing of the animals,” the county commissioner said.
“Pastoralist communities from neighboring counties are the ones benefiting from the adequate pasture available in this county, and therefore farmers need to embark on the mass rearing of goats and camels to improve living standards and keep off the pastoralists from the neighboring counties,” the commissioner added.
The Deputy Governor Mr Kanani while officiating the inauguration disclosed that the county government will launch and implement a community livestock program aimed at mass livestock production.
He explained that the animal program set to be implemented will ensure that the county government works closely with farmers in the mass production of livestock.
“Farmers will be supplied with high-breed animals and educated on modern agribusiness technology in livestock production for better economic returns,” the deputy governor said.
During the inauguration ceremony, the deputy governor honored the 48 county-based Journalists by awarding them certificates for participating in the development of the local communities.
By Denson Mututo
