New digital platform to boost farming in Migori

Farming in Migori County is expected to improve drastically after the County Government in partnership with Safaricom Company launched portal number which will allow farmers learn modern farming methods.
County Executive Member in charge of Agriculture Valentine Ogongo said the link code number*283# is a digital platform that allows interaction after registration through their phones.
Through the portal, one is guided on practicing good farming methods and would also be free to request for suitable fertilizers which will be availed immediately.
Ogongo said Migori County is moving out of traditional farming where farmers use trial and error method, a situation he said has for long ruined their output.
He said questions regarding all types of farming in Migori County are answered through the digital platform.
The county executive noted that Migori farmers have been using wrong type of fertilizers for their soils and now wants them to exploit digital platform to get expert advice on their type of soil and the best type of fertilizer.
Ogongo called on farmers to use weather updates featured in local FM stations and digital platforms to study the rain patterns.
The county executive was speaking Thursday, during the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Sweet Potatoes Plant at Getonganya in Kuria West Sub County.
Meanwhile, Migori County currently produces up to 94000 tonnes of potatoes per year. With the set up of the potatoes processing plant, over 100 tonnes of sweet potatoes will be processed daily.
The plant is expected to employ more than 300 residents according to the county Governor Zachary Obado who attended the ceremony.
The governor however instructed the contractor to begin his work immediately as the European Union and the County Government had already made funds available.
By Geoffrey Satia/Lincoln Manono