Uasin Gishu County, touted as one of the country’s food baskets, is projecting to harvest 6.6 million bags of maize, courtesy of the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (FSP) by the national government.
Governor Jonathan Chelilim, in his Jamhuri Day remarks read by his Deputy Eng. John Barorot, indicated that his administration had also increased food sustainability efforts guided by the county’s Nguzo Kumi blueprint, whose guidelines have shaped efforts in every sector.
Chelilim noted that agriculture, which is the administration’s first pillar, has undergone a remarkable transformation since independence, shifting from mere sustenance cultivation to structured mechanisation while embracing climate-smart agriculture for increased yields.
“This year, our projected maize harvest as a county stands at 6.6 million bags and has been made possible by the provision of subsidised farm inputs. The impressive yields have been recorded in all wards,” he said.
The governor added that the county, in conjunction with the national government, is providing mobile dryers, costing Sh70 per 90-kilogramme bag, in a bid to cushion local farmers from post-harvest losses.
Chelilim urged farmers not only to dry maize for sale but also for personal consumption in order to counter aflatoxin and aggregate their produce, hence cushoning them for selling to exploitative middlemen at lower prices.
The governor also said that following a successful farmers’ registration two months ago, they had identified 21,000 acres for sunflower seed planting.
He therefore encouraged farmers to capitalise on the ongoing El Nino rains for short-term crops, especially sunflower seeds, which provide oil and animal feeds at lucrative market prices.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
