Nyamira residents have been encouraged to utilize their lands for better livelihoods to boost food security and the economy and avoid lifestyle diseases.
Addressing farmers at the Kenya industrial estates grounds during the launch of 20 vegetable sun drying machines technology, the Nyamira County Commissioner Josephine Onunga urged them to maximize the use of their land and produce more agricultural products for export as this will be a good source of self employment and building the county and country’s economy.
She called on all the youths to embrace agriculture as it will commit them positively and fetch income than being duped and later joining illegal sects like Al shabaab that later ruins their lives.
She also articulated on the lifestyle diseases like obesity, cancers blood pressures and ulcers to lack of eating green vegetables and copying of the western culture.
“Why are we experiencing these lifestyle diseases? It’s because we have adopted the western lifestyles and we have avoided taking greens a while ago, our fathers ate a lot of greens n their diet and you could not hear them complain of any health complications, vegetables are a good source of vitamins and I encourage you all that you embrace smart farming and this technology to a void stress in life,” she said.
The sun drier technology which was initiated by the Kisii University students dries fresh vegetables using solar technology and the products can go for more than 6 months.
Speaking at the same venue, Kisii University Vice Chancellor, Prof John Solana Akama pledged support to the farmers where he said the institution was ready to carry out research on more yielding varieties of vegetables that will be of great benefit to them. He also said that apart from teaching, taking innovation ideas to the communities was one of their mandates and responsibilities.
He urged people with ideas to share with others instead of hiding them to bring more innovations to the locals and boost their livelihood as 5 per cent of the university budget is allocated to research.
“I am proud of this project as a Vice chancellor and community development is one of the agendas of the all universities across the globe, we should assist our communities,” said Akama.
He donated 20 drying machines to groups of farmers who promised to utilize them wisely to change their lives.
The machines if purchased will cost a farmer approximately Sh80,000.