- Nyoro, who is seeking a second term in office, has urged farmers to vote for leaders who are mindful of their welfare.
- He says farmers can only salvage themselves from years of economic turmoil by having visionary leaders who can champion their interests while in office.
Image: JOHN KAMAU
At least 10,000 coffee farmers are set to benefit from 100 tonnes of fertiliser from Kiambu county.
The free farm inputs, according to Governor James Nyoro, are aimed at boosting coffee production and quality.
Speaking while distributing the fertiliser, Nyoro said each farmer will receive 10kg, adding that farmers from the 22 coffee cooperatives in the region will benefit with the special blended fertiliser.
“Our aim is to increase the county’s coffee production while adhering to high quality of the cherries to enable them fetch better prices in the market," he said.
"This is why we are distributing essential farm inputs to our farmers so that they can increase production and get high returns from their farming.”
The county chief said the high cost of farm inputs like fertiliser, infiltration of the sector by cartels and lack of proper markets are some of the key reasons most farmers in the region were abandoning coffee farming.
He said that despite coffee being one of Kenya’s top foreign income earners, most farmers have been languishing in poverty while toiling hard in their coffee farms only to reap low returns in a year.
Nyoro, an agricultural economist, said his administration is determined to revive the coffee sector and make it lucrative for farmers in Kiambu.
The governor, who is seeking a second term, said the county purchased lesser tonnes for farmers as compared to previous years due to procurement issues and lack of enough budgetary allocation.
Nyoro, who is seeking a second term in office, urged farmers to vote for leaders who are mindful of their welfare.
He said farmers can only salvage themselves from years of economic turmoil by having visionary leaders who can champion their interests while in office.
Nyoro said his government will ensure farmers get the right farming information, inputs and market for their produce.
Kiambu Agriculture executive Joseph Kamau revealed plans by the county to enhance processing of coffee produce and seek better markets to ensure farmers get maximum returns.
Kamau also said the county has rolled out a programme that will see farmers have access to agricultural experts such as agronomists to facilitate them with crucial agricultural information dissemination that is key to increased production.
“We will be giving our farmers extensional services to ensure that they get knowledge on better farming practices. We have organised a pool of experts that will walk farmers the entire farming journey to ensure their land produces maximally for more earnings,” the executive said.
Farmers lauded Kiambu county for the initiative, saying the farm inputs will go a long way in boosting their production.
“Our coffee will now fetch better prices due to availability of farm inputs as well as extension services from agriculture officers in the county. We are optimistic that our production will increase,” Margaret Muthoni, a farmer, said.
(edited by Amol Awuor)