Garissa CEC urges farmers to form Saccos to promote agribusiness

Garissa Agriculture executive Mohamed Shale has urged farmers to form vibrant Saccos to promote the agribusiness sector.

Shale said traders in beef, tomato, camel milk and meat sectors should save through the cooperatives to enhance productivity and access to market.

The CEC noted that Garissa county has lagged behind in promotion of Saccos compared to the rest of the country.

"Saccos in the agribusiness sector have been a successful engine of economic growth for both crop and livestock farmers in various parts of the country.

"It is high time we embrace the initiative and come up with Saccos that will be supported by both the county and national governments," Shale said.

He spoke in Garissa while opening a five-day training workshop on entrepreneurship skills for 30 frontline service providers.

The training is organised and funded by the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme II.

The official noted that at least 2,000 traders will benefit from the entrepreneurial skills development training programme in the county.

He said the service providers would acquire skills and knowledge on business planning, management, marketing, legal responsibilities and insurance, which will transform crop and livestock sectors into a commercial-oriented enterprises that sustain food and nutrition security.

Haret Hambe, County Director for Livestock development and coordinator for ASDSP II programme said value chain actors in tomato, camel milk and beef are expected to develop business plans for funding once the 2,000-target group was successfully trained.

The training attracted county directors from various departments and agricultural officers and livestock department officers from all the seven subcounties.

Shale also expressed concern over the perennial floods that often wreaked havoc in Garissa, and cost farmers huge losses.

He  told farmers that the county is gearing up for a grand stakeholders meeting to be chaired by Governor Ali Korane and bring together various donor agencies, national government and state corporations to find a lasting solution to the flood menace.

Last year, farmers' groups in Garissa received a Sh35 million grant from the Kenya Climate-Smart Agriculture project for agribusiness.

The project by the national and county governments and the World Bank aims to improve productivity and combat climate-related risks.

Governor Korane recently appealed to the community to adopt crop farming due to climate change that is threatening the pastoralist life.