The Kakamega administration has launched an agricultural information management system to help its efforts in achieving food security.
Deputy Governor Philip Kutima said the system will help the county know the amount of land under agriculture and the crops under cultivation.
"We'll then be able to know what to expect and where interventions are needed to ensure adequate food production," Kutima told the Star in his office.
Kutima said the system had helped achieve a seamless supply of subsidies to farmers this year.
The government has supplied 2,500 tonnes of fertilisers in 25kgs bags to farmers across the county.
A similar amount of top dressing fertiliser will be delivered in three weeks.
The planting season kicked off in the Western region three weeks ago. The county government has spent Sh200m on the subsidy programme.
The programme has stabilised the prices of farm inputs and increased production by farmers.
However, cases of fertiliser diversion to be sold in neighbouring counties have been reported.
Kutima said that the county was adequately prepared to tackle the desert locusts should they land in the county.
"We have the right equipment and well-equipped personnel for this purpose," he said.
Last week, the county government launched a World Bank-funded Climate Smart Agriculture programme to boost fisheries, poultry and maize production.
The World Bank has set aside Sh100m to improve fish farming in Shinyalu, Murenga and Inaya dams in Likuyani and Butere respectively.
“Agriculture, more so food security, is the backbone of our nation and that is why devolved units have embraced and prioritised hunger eradication," Kutima said.
(edited by o. owino)
