With prices for maize still a challenge to North Rift farmers, the county government of Uasin Gishu has come up with plans that might help ease pressure on the existing market.
According to Governor Jackson Mandago, his administration is working on a possibility of setting up maize milling plants that will enable farmers to engage in value addition.
Currently, farmers rely on the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to purchase their products with those who miss out having to content with low prices that middlemen offer.
However, with the milling plants in place, farmers will have an option of selling maize to NCPB or taking to the plants for value addition.
“As a government of an area where maize growing is the economic activity, we are seriously considering helping these farmers to set up their own mills so they can run away from the problems experienced in growing this cereal,” said Mandago when he hosted Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs Adem Mohammed, his Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Ken Obura, and Principal Secretary Dr Susan Koech who had paid him a courtesy call, Monday.
The initial plan, according to Mandago is to set up at least three milling plants.
Funds for the milling plants will be provided by the county government through farmer’s cooperatives societies.
“Some cooperatives are very well established and we are talking to them on how we can jointly set up milling plants because value addition is the only way to go about this maize problem,” noted the county boss.
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