Meru has partnered with the Kenya Red Cross Society to implement the Ndengu (green gram) Revolution project.
The project provides free green gram seed to farmers in a bid to make them food secure. The farmers also get help to plant and take care of the crop until it matures.
The county will then buy the harvest from the farmers. The county government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Red Cross last Thursday.
Governor Kiraitu Murungi said the farmers who will greatly benefit will be those on the border with Isiolo county. "Red Cross, in partnership with IFAD, have launched a very successful Ndengu Revolution in Kitui county," he said.
"I'm looking forward to launching a similar revolution in our arid and semi-arid areas of Buuri, Tigania West, Tigania East, Igembe Central and Igembe North. The Executive for Agriculture will start registering farmers for them to receive Ndengu seeds from Red Cross."
He told farmers they will have a ready market, as the Meru County Investment and Development Corporations will buy the green gram at a fixed price and store it.
"I do not want to take Meru people to Canaan but I must bring Canaan to Meru," Kiraitu said. He said Meru will no longer have to rely on relief food in the next four years.
Red Cross secretary general Abbas Gullet said food handouts are insufficient. He urged residents to be patient as the project gets underway.
Kiraitu said perennial disasters will be a thing of the past.
"This cooperation will help in provision of emergency medical services, enhancing accessibility to water, improved health and nutrition and improved food security. We are also going to work together and look for resources that will help us carry joint development projects in the county." Kiraitu added.
Last Tuesday Kiraitu visited Food and Agriculture Organization representative Gabriel Rugalema in Nairobi to seek assistance for residents to achieve food security and ward off malnutrition.
On Wednesday he held bilateral and political talks with EU Ambassador Stefano Dejak.