A community-based organisation in Kakamega county has embarked on an aggressive agri-business programme to enhance the capacity of local farmers to diversify crop production and improve nutrition.
United Kenya Rising is helping struggling families to rise above poverty and have a healthy home environment and earn higher income from agriculture.
The programme, which is sponsored by Rotary Club of America, has registered 62 families who are taught apiculture, aquaculture, horticulture, pig and goat rearing.
“We train farmers to produce different crops for better nutrition and access certified seeds for better yields in their demonstrations,” Programme coordinator Alfred Kitayi said.
Speaking in Kakamega town, Kitayi said the non-profit making organisation unites the farmers with other people in the society so that they can learn from them.
“We have also partnered with new people to acquire new knowledge to improve agriculture,” he added.
The programme has 23 clusters in every region where they have chosen leaders who help them to coordinate the farmers, he added.
“Furthermore, the organisation has a rotary forum that has 13 clusters which oversees the families and those doing well with the agricultural training are handed over to the agri-business trainers who teach them and help them to implement what they are taught,” Kitayi said.
"We also do empowerment programmes whereby we give grants and they begin projects that we monitor,” he said.
The programme has 23 clusters in five areas of Navakholo, Kakamega town, Shanderema, Musingu and Hamisi.
He said the programme has set aside Sh15,000 for each family and sponsored four families on aquaculture.
The United Kenya Rising is also working on guiding rising stars in families through education and scholarships, basic needs, health and livelihoods.
-Edited by SKanyara
