Farmers in Kiambu have been urged to embrace the greenhouse technology in farming to be assured of food security during harsh weather seasons.
Speaking from his office on Wednesday, Kiambu Sub County agricultural officer Ndung’u Kariuki said greenhouse technology is a more reliable way for farmers to get value of their money and still maintain a consistent supply of farm produce to the market.
“We are urging farmers to venture into this modern technology because of its immense benefits. With the technology, farmers are able to regulate their crop production and predict the yield one is expecting at the beginning of the harvest season,” he said.
He pointed out that crops which are affected by slight weather changes like vegetables thrive well in regulated weather conditions unlike when they are just left to grow under natural weather conditions that have become very unpredictable.
Ndung’u revealed that their office has already dispatched experts to different locations within the sub county to empower farmers understand the greenhouse technology.
The officer said the claims that crops grown under the green house technology have lower nutritional value is false, saying that western countries that have fully embraced numerous technologies in farming have at no time complained of such allegation.
Ndung’u commended youth groups in the sub county who have decided to try out farming by use of the green house technology courtesy of Youth and Uwezo funds.
He called this a bold initiative that assures them of bumper harvest which will automatically result into good economic returns.
He further encouraged those youths who have not taken farming for business seriously to join others so that the area is assured of constant supply of farm produce to the market.