Adopt agribusiness to boost income, MP tells Lari farmers

Residents of Lari constituency in Kiambu county have been urged to put more efforts and explore agricultural activities to increase food production.

Area MP Mburu Kahangara said the area has good fertile soil and conducive weather to practice horticultural farming.

He said horticultural crops grown in the area feeds major cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa with vegetables such as kales, spinach and cabbages.

Kahangara said the current drought has hit so many regions in the country including Lari, even though some farmers were still selling the vegetables.

He said efforts were being made to ensure residents get relief food, adding that some families affected by drought were going to bed hungry.

The legislator also urged agricultural officers to reach out to farmers to enlighten them on how to practice agribusiness to boost production and make more profit.

"A lot of our farmers practice horticultural farming and earn a living. If they were adequately enlightened, they can boost production and reduce the number of families sleeping hungry," he said. 

"Even if we produce perishable food crops, it is important when many of our people are selling vegetables since they can be able to buy food stuff and reduce cases of hungry people within us." 

He spoke at Pyrethrum grounds in Kimende town in his constituency when he commissioned the sale of subsidised fertilisers to farmers.

He was accompanied by National and Cereals and Produce Board officer Thomas Seko.

Seko said the region had received 560 bags of fertilisers.

Osho Chemicals agronomist Jeremiah Thuku said they are partnering with the government to approach farmers and to enlighten them on the right practices to boost their farm production.

Thuku says even though the area produces a lot of vegetables, farmers face challenges such as lack of crop rotation, diseases, lack of soil testing, poor seed research and failure to use organic manure.

The agronomist added that if residents were taught adequately on agribusiness using new technology, they can produce vegetables that can be sold throughout the country and even be exported.

"This is about value addition. When we organise for a field day, very few farmers come. The others are busy in their farms, doing what we wanted them to improve," he said.

"It is sad to know that there were some farmers who are sleeping hungry because they failed to better their farming, yet they are in an area that has conducive farming environment," Thuku said.

At the same time, Kahangara applauded President William Ruto for keeping the promise to farmers on lowering the price of fertilisers and ensuring they access it.

"I'm sure our President will continue supporting farmers since he is aware that agriculture supports so many families directly and indirectly," he said.

A farmer Simon Ndung'u from Hato village in Kinale, says he harvests five bags of kale in his quarter acre land after every 14 days with one bag costing Sh1,000.

"The challenge we are currently facing is stunted growth which is a result of lack of rains, but we are still harvesting," he said.

Ndung'u said they are taking advantage of the cheap fertilisers to plant more vegetables for use and sale in the area.

Kahangara also said they have held talks with President Ruto over the Mau Mau road project that stalled.

He said Ruto has assured legislators from the region where the road was passing through that all started projects will be done to completion.

He added that some regions such as Kinale ward which produces a lot of vegetables and milk and which seem like they were left out in the Mau Mau road project, were being considered.

"Owing to its productivity, Kinale ward was being considered for upgrading of some roads to ease movement and accessibility."