Stakeholders in Kisii county are concerned about a predicted decline in agricultural production despite the area being a high potential region.
Maize, the staple food, and milk production were cited as some of the sub-sectors whose yields were wanting.
According to the statistics released by Cytonn Investments, a financial advisor production in maize rich areas in the country was expected to drop from 37 million bags in 2016 to 28 million bags last year.
Kisii county agriculture and livestock dockets, seem to confirm the decline although it recorded a total of 221 million liters of milk in 2017, an insignificant improvement from the previous year’s 208 million liters.
Measures to reverse the situation, however, are on course including mounting of farmers and stakeholders annual field days and routine pieces of training on groups, youths and individuals.
This year’s field day at Agricultural Training Centre, Kisii, saw farmers exposed to the latest farming methods on food self-sufficiency in food security and for agri-business through showcasing by stakeholders.
One of the stakeholders, Joel Bania from Western Kenya Seed Company expressed his organization’s efforts to collaborate with the farmers in order to reverse the worrying trend.
He disclosed introduction of early maturing maize seed and installation of tamperproof mechanisms to deter manufacturing of fake seed.
Doris Ombuna, Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy services (ATC) Principal, said, “I would love to assure the farmers that they stand to benefit if they enrolled for regular pieces of training at the centre aimed at improving food security for self-sufficiency and sale.”
Agricultural Finance Corporation Kisii branch manager, Isabella Kemunto explained the urgent need for the farmers to go in for agri-business.
She disclosed the corporate was offering credit facilities to farmers engaged in crop production for commercial purposes urging them to apply for consideration.