Trans Mara residents have been urged to take advantage of government fertilizer subsidy to better production.
Speaking to the press in Lolgorian, Trans Mara South Deputy County Commissioner George Onyango pointed out that if food production was to improve, the public has to support and fully embrace government agricultural programmes meant to safeguard food security, including fertilizer subsidy.
“The government clearly understands the burden a Kenyan farmer is facing during these tough economic times. It is on that basis that fertilizer subsidy programme was introduced to cushion them at the same time ensure increased agricultural productivity. Therefore, I urge our people who enrolled for the programme to take advantage and turn out in large numbers and acquire the product in preparation for the planting season once the rains fully step in,” he said.
Onyango noted that the region which in the past had largely invested in livestock production has seen fortunes rapidly change in the recent past as crop production is embraced as an alternative income generating activity.
This, he added, has been helped by the availability of large and fertile land parcels.
“We are happy our people have seen the need to diversify their agricultural activities which has witnessed crop production being accommodated on a large scale. With time, we would want them to shift to agribusiness which is value based and will eventually help them fetch more from the market,” he said.
By Isaiah Nayika
