The government has been urged to support farmers of green grams, a crop widely grown by farmers in the Eastern region.
University of Nairobi don John Musingi said while maize farmers, especially from the Rift Valley, have benefitted from government interventions since Independence, there was a need to look at other crops, especially green grams from Ukambani.
The farmers had been left at the mercy of market forces, Musingi said.
In a statement to the press on Wednesday, the lecturer said the crop popularly known as dengu had become the cash crop for the majority of farmers in the region.
There was a need for government subsidy, marketing support and regulation of prices. Coffee, miraa and tea farmers had in the past enjoyed support from the government.
Musingi observed that last season the prices of ndengu dropped from Sh100 per kilogramme to as low as Sh35 because of the bumper harvest experienced in the region.
"We shouldn't be solving problems of farmers growing only maize. We must consider all farmers equally whether they grow maize, coffee, tea or ndengu. Ukambani is now the biggest producer of green grams. Why is it that nobody talks about their woes?" he said.
Last week, the President gave a directive for the purchase of maize from farmers at Sh2,500 per bag among other measures aimed at alleviating the plight of farmers.
Edited by Henry Makori
