Over 3500 residents of Ndaragwa central ward in Ndaragwa sub county, have received improved maize seeds for planting during this rainy season.
Speaking in the area after giving the seeds, Nyandarua County Governor Kiarie Badilisha urged farmers in the area to diversify their farming methods to ensure they are not exposed to losses, whenever extreme weather conditions rock the area.
Ndaragwa Sub County borders Laikipia County to the west and Nyeri County to the east and is the driest region in Nyandarua County.
Residents of the area have not seen their maize and other crops reach maturity in the last three years due to drought and have been relying on relief food from the National and County government.
“We have developed climate-smart agriculture interventions aimed at creating a sustainable sector and improving food security.
The seeds we provide today are fast-maturing and are intended to take advantage of the ongoing rains; we shall escalate this to other sectors like poultry farming and other climate-resilient programs,” said Badilisha
The governor also stated that over Sh40 million has been set aside to address development needs of Ndaragwa Central Ward.
Badilisha noted that addressing the development concerns of residents and improving their livelihoods remains his greatest priority.
He promised to fund the cooperative societies, as well as ensure access to water through expansion of intakes and sinking boreholes in the area.
The governor at the same time asked the County Executive Committee member for Agriculture, Francis Miring’u who was present, to liaise with the area Member of County Assembly Mwangi Kagwe to provide the residents with improved bean seeds that mature very fast.
On youths and drug abuse, Badilisha challenged the youths to come together and practice farming promising to give them capital to initiate their farming practices.
He noted that alcoholism has destroyed many generations and said that he will always support initiatives aimed at rehabilitating the victims.
He also said he was ready to support youth groups in starting economically gainful activities.
Other programmes lined up in the area include livestock feed production, a livestock yard, irrigation projects, dairy improvement through subsidized A.I services among other public-oriented interventions.
By Antony Mwangi
