The Kisumu County government will give 30 metric tonnes of sorghum seeds and 2,000 bags of cassava stems and sweet potato vines to farmers in six sub-counties to boost food security.
Seme, Kisumu West and East, Nyando, Nyakach and Muhoroni sub-counties will received seeds and fertilizers to plant the drought tolerant crops.
The seeds will be showcased by Governor Jack Ranguma at the annual ASK Show that will be launched on July 27.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries CeC Phillip Obade said the county was keen to strengthen food security and encourage farmers to go for the seeds.
“We are urging farmers to buy the subsidized seeds and fertilizer,” he said.
“We are capable of feeding ourselves, we just need to change our mindset on agriculture.”
He said in an interview with this writer that plans were in the pipeline to introduce irrigation across the seven sub-counties to drive agriculture.
“We plan to introduce micro-irrigation that has been used to turn Israel into a food basket on our farms,” he said.
The ministry got Sh270 million in the approved budget. The Agriculture directorate plans to use Sh8 million to test the viability of horticulture and drip irrigation.
Rice growing in Nyando will receive 22 metric tonnes of rice seeds.
Two sub counties, Muhoroni, Nyakach and Kisumu East will get a share of the rice seeds.