President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday held talks with Dr Fisk Johnson, the Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson and Sons company.
The talks centred on partnership with Kenya in the fight against malaria.
Uhuru, who decried the sustained high malaria prevalence on the continent, isolated digitization and accountability and action scorecards —one of his four-point agenda against malaria—as an important tool in the campaign against the disease.
Speaking during the meeting, Dr Johnson shared his company’s intent to resume its purchasing of Kenya’s pyrethrum for the production of chemicals to boost the war against malaria.
Uhuru said that the partnership will not only provide a ready market for farmers and increase their income, but also boost Kenya’s fight against malaria.
The President, who is also the chairman of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), has been at the forefront of supporting initiatives geared toward the eradication of malaria in the continent.
Last year, the Government was been keen on reviving the production of pyrethrum in the country.
Pyrethrum is processed to obtain pyrethrin which is a key ingredient in the manufacture of pesticides and insecticides.
It released Sh40 million for the purchase of pyrethrum seedlings for farmers to step up production of the crop in 18 high potential counties which include Nakuru and Nyandarua.
Further, the Government has ensured that the Nakuru-based Pyrethrum Processing Company is back in operation.
The meeting was also attended by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe and officials of the End Malaria Council led by Chairman Christopher Getonga among others.
SC Johnson and Sons Company has been one of the biggest buyers of Kenya’s pyrethrum.
