Banana farmers in Taita Taveta will now have easy access to clean and affordable banana seedlings after the county government established a tissue culture multiplication centre.
The rapid multiplication of the tissue culture banana plantlets is using modern technology to help farmers cut production costs.
The devolved unit is collaborating with the Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT) and the Taita Taveta University (TTU) to spearhead the seedlings multiplication project.
Research and multiplication will be done at the university's Ngerenyi campus.
The campus, which hosts the School of Agriculture Earth and Environmental Sciences, will play a key role in boosting banana production in the county.
Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo said the project will enable farmers to boost their yields and increase their income.
"The tissue culture multiplication project will help farmers cut the costs of acquiring seedlings from as far as Nairobi at a cost of Sh180 per seedling," Kilalo said during Banana Farmers' Field Day in Taveta on Saturday.
She said the tissue culture varieties are high-yielding and take a maximum of 12 months to mature, unlike traditional suckers which may take up to two years to produce.
Kilalo hinted that the county is closely working with other partners to position the region as a leader in banana production.
So far, she said, farmers in the county have increased acreage under banana from 2,080 to 4,604 hectares, producing more than 75,000 tonnes annually.
The county targets to improve banana production from the current 75,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes annually.
"We are working hand in hand with our farmers to enhance their market opportunities and ensure we lead in banana production and value addition that will result in job creation," the deputy governor added.
Currently, the county is the second largest banana producer in the country after Meru county according to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization.
Further, the region is the leading banana producer in the Coast region and serves as the region’s food basket, with farmers producing quality vegetables and fruits.
More than 7,500 farmers in Taveta alone are engaged in commercial production of bananas and vegetables.
Some of the tissue culture banana varieties planted in the region include Grand Nain, Fhia 17, William hybrid and giant cavendish, among others.
Agriculture executive Erickson Kyongo said the department is now shifting focus to value addition and linking farmers to the market.
He said the county is projecting to achieve a 40 per cent banana cover per acre and reap big from increased production of the crop through value addition.
"The department has intensified training of farmers on best farming practices in a bid to increase production and eradicate poverty through food production and job creation," the executive said.
Kyongo rallied farmers to register in cooperatives for ease of access to government services.
He further asked all farmers in the county to register with the national government in the ongoing phase two of farmers' registration drive.
Kyongo said 53 per cent of farmers have registered in the drive meant to lower the cost of living through subsidy services in the agriculture sector.
He said they are targeting to register at least 57,000 households before the end of the exercise in October.
Kyongo stressed on the need to integrate youths in the agriculture value chain, noting that only 5,000 youths have been registered.
