Farmers in Kiambu have been asked to adopt new farming methods to increase food production.
The principal of Waruhiu Agricultural Training Centre in Githunguri subcounty Joseph Mureithi said the centre has been calling on farmers to go for training but few seem interested.
Mureithi said farmers who have been trained have recorded better production, which gives them more money.
“Farmers here in Kiambu are still using old methods and we keep on telling them to come here at the training centre to learn new ways of farming using minimal water and spaces but they refuse. Only a few come and the trainings are for free,” Mureithi said.
The principal said there was a challenge of not having extension officers to support those farmers who are unable to go to the centre for training. But this will soon change as the Kiambu county government has began training farmers in their farms.
Kiambu deputy governor James Nyoro said the government's objective is to have demonstration farms where farmers can learn new technologies.
“There are so many technologies out there and farmers are in need of those technologies but they are not getting them. That is why we need demonstration farms. We need to create awareness and from there we link farmers to the seed companies,” Nyoro said.
Samuel Githinji, a farmer in Githunguri, said farmers have problems with quality seeds as some dubious retailers sell uncertified seeds.
“I bought maize seeds at an agrovet and they did not yield anything. I came to learn that the seeds were painted with food colour to dupe farmers that the seeds were treated,” Githinji said.
