Rice farmers in Kisumu have been paid Sh 11.2 million compensation for the crop destroyed by hailstorm two months ago.
The county government gave the money to the more than 400 farmers last week through the National Irrigations Board.
Agriculture Executive Gilchrist Okuom told the growers that the amount had been disbursed from the emergency fund.
Okuom asked them to use the funds to purchase seed and reserve some for weeding among other activities.
“You must ensure that every coin spent is accounted for and the records must be clear,” he said.
Western Kenya NIB senior scheme manager Joel Tanui said the damage was in blocks A, F and L which cover 681 acres. At least 20,000 bags of rice were destroyed.
The 365-acre Block A was the hardest hit, losing Sh35.8 million of the crop. In Block F, the storm destroyed 157 acres worth Sh13.2 million.
Block G and L had 103 and 56 acres with grain worth Sh8.4 million and Sh4.6 million respectively.
