Kilifi governor Amason Kingi in a recent event. (Photo-Baraka fm)
Kilifi county has launched an ambitious agricultural mechanisation plan to boost food production ahead of the planting season in a county that is crippling with food scarcity and drought menace.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya has partnered with the county government to assist thousands of residents cultivate their lands in order to improve food security in the constituent.
He said the constituency has a potential to produce enough food and assist some parts of the county such as Ganze and Magarini constituency which are affected by prolonged drought and hunger.
Speaking at Matsangoni where he was accompanied by County Agriculture Executive Luciana Jumwa to give out the tractors for farming, he said although agriculture is a function for the county, he will ensure he uses all his means to support agriculture.
“Our aim is to ensure that each resident ploughs about three acres of land for crop production during the onset of rain,” he said.
“we need to utilise our land to obtain food and improve food security.” he added.
This comes days after some parts of the county begun receiving rains after a prolonged long drought that dried up vegetation and sources of water.
The legislator urged residents not to leave their lands idle without utilising it in agriculture even though issues of title deeds is bedevilling them.
“Land is capable of producing food and bring money to educate our children and paid medical bills for our families whenever they fell sick,” he said.
At the same time, he urged families to dialogue before carrying out farming to avoid confusion that might lead to violence.On her part, Ms Jumwa urged residents with large tracts of lands to lend out their lands for cultivation to avoid idle lands.
“The county government is determined to ensure residents utilize their lands for agriculture,” she said.
He added that currently they have about 54 tractors to assist in mechanisation.
However, she said they aim at increasing the Sh600 million budget for agriculture to about Sh1 billion in the next financial year to ensure self-reliability and improve food security.