The Busia government has unveiled an elaborate plan to address food security challenges by developing an action plan for increased production.
The county organised a participatory integrated community development process that brought together MCAs and farmers to discuss ways to improve food production.
Kennedy Otieno, the agribusiness officer in charge of the National Agriculture Value Chain Development project in the county, said a majority of farmers in Busia are subsistence growers, producing food for home use.
“Currently, most of our farmers are operating at subsistence level. What they are producing is majorly for household consumption, but with this programme, we aspire to have farmers who can access the market and make money from their farm produce,” he said.
Otieno said the programme targets rice, cotton, banana, poultry and dairy farmers. He said involving the community will enable the project to last longer.
“The priority value chain for this project is rice, cotton, banana, poultry and dairy farming. Without bringing the community on board, whatever interventions we come up with, may not be sustainable,” he said.
Otieno, who was addressing farmers from Nang’ina ward, said most families in Busia cannot afford three meals a day due to poor farming habits, leading to importation of food from Uganda.
“As it is now, not many households can afford three meals in a day probably they are having at most two meals. This is an indication our food as a county is not enough forcing us to import more food from Uganda to meet the deficit," he said.
"That is why we are here to develop strategies that will help us increase food production and productivity.”
Otieno revealed the project once implemented will have a component of irrigation.
“This irrigation component will help farmers be a little more resilient when it comes to weather variation. I believe that if we get this right, Busia county will have enough food for consumption and have a surplus for selling,” he said.
Nang’ina MCA Johnston Makabwa urged the county government to have enough agricultural extension officers to train farmers on appropriate farming methods.
“Our farmers lack the skills to carry out effective agricultural activities on their farms. All they require is agricultural extension officers to train them in proper farming practices and the best crop varieties that are favourable in this region,” he said.
Farmer Willy Wafula from Luchululo village in Nang’ina ward, Samia subcounty, said if the government directs more resources to farming, a lot of people in the county will have enough food to eat and sell.
“If the government supports farmers, it will create employment for the many Kenyans,” he said.
Farmers Gereshom Wandera and Kenneth Okumu from Nambale appealed to the county government to help them increase food production.
The exercise took place in all 35 wards in the county, a move that will see Busia residents commercialise their farming activities once the project is implemented.
