Farmers in Nakuru County lost maize worth over Sh 1 billion in 2014 due to the maize necloris disease.
Nakuru County Governor, Kinuthia Mbugua cited that the disease remained a challenge to the farmers in the area despite efforts to fight it.
In a press release sent through his Director of Communication, Eddy Kimani, Kinuthia pointed out that the virus was still in the current soil.
“The maize disease has continued to cripple our farmers. We are calling on farmers to avoid planting maize and try alternative crops including beans, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes especially in areas that had earlier on been affected by it,” said Kinuthia
Nakuru Minister for Agriculture, Stanley Chepkwony vowed to take legal action against farmers who had planted maize especially in the affected areas
“They are the ones who are derailing our efforts to stem out the disease. We cannot control it if they keep on planting more of it,” he cited
In Bahati and Subukia farmers vowed to continue planting maize despite the stern warning
“We do not have any alternative to maize and this remains our cash crop. We have not yet been affected in this area by the disease and hence issuing a ban to curb its spread in our area is unrealistic,” said Njoroge Muchai