Machakos governor Alfred Mutua has unveiled a food sustainability program to enhance production in the county.
Speaking at Vyulya Market in Mwala sub-county where he distributed seeds to farmers, Mutua said that Machakos County has suffered the shame of food relief for many years and it’s high time to end the same.
“Many leaders have campaigned by providing bags of donated food to their starving constituents and then complain about failed rains without offering any solutions,” he said.
The new program will see farmers distributed with free seeds, fertilizers and tractors to help them plough their land. He also said that his government was committed to widening the base of agriculture in the region and increasing of the yield realized by farmers annually.
During his tour in Mwala sub-county, the governor distrbuted 28, 000 kilograms of maize, 17, 394 Kgs of beans, 1, 878 Kgs of cowpeas and 8, 718 Kgs of green grams (ndengu) the farmers in this area.
He also noted that the program was not going to ignore poultry farmers. “Our program of providing free chicks to farmers is ongoing and a great success. Our 40 tractors have been ploughing farms free of charge especially those of lower income earners, so as to increase the amount of land under cultivation,” said Mutua.
He added: “The reality is that hunger and lack of food is a factor of poverty. We must fight poverty by being self sustaining in food production,” said Mutua.
The Maendeleo Chap Chap leader also pointed out that his government will continue to provide farmers with the planting seeds as they look forward to the planting season.
“These seeds will be distributed to persons identified in all villages in the county. I urge all the farmers to utilize them well so that they have a bumper harvest,” he posed.