Uasin Gishu County Executive in charge of Agriculture Samuel Yego has dismissed claims that governor Jackson Mandago has been asking farmers to abandon maize farming in favour of other crops.
There have been opinions from a section of social media users that Mandago should not sit in the maize crisis taskforce constituted by President Uhuru Kenyatta by the virtue of him advocating for farmers to plant other crops.
But according to Yego, Mandago’s aim was for farmers to diversify so that they can be empowered financially.
“I have read in social media that our governor is against farmers planting maize, this is not true since we want farmers to have alternative crops such as avocado, coffee, macadamia, and potatoes to earn them extra income,” said the County Executive in Eldoret town, Monday.
He said the agenda for food and nutrition cannot be achieved when farmers only plant either maize or wheat, therefore, need to diversify so as to have the ability to afford other crops.
“If a farmer plants maize on a one-acre piece of land, he/she can only get a maximum of Sh64,000 while a similar farm of avocado one can get Sh400,000. A farmer planting coffee on a half an acre piece of land can get Sh2.5 million, therefore we need to diversify,” Yego explained.
“Let’s not politicize the matter but instead diversify,” he added.
Speaking during Mashujaa day celebrations in Kakamega county, the President said the task force that would comprise of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and governors Mandago and Patrick Khaemba (Trans Nzoia) would be tasked to come up with a long-lasting solution to the perennial maize crisis.
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