Nakuru County Deputy governor Joseph Ruto has said that the county government will spend Sh15M this financial year to buy farm inputs to be distributed in all the 11 sub-counties.
Speaking on behalf of the governor during the launch of the Nakuru Smallholders Farmers Association, Ruto said that the inputs will differ and will be given as per the need of farmers in the area.
He said the inputs, which includes phosphates fertilisers, are to aid farmers in improving food production in the county.
“Food security is very important and we must help and support our farmers in the yield enough food for our sustainability. If we feed our people they will be able to focus on development,” said Ruto.
Ruto added that every Ward will have 75 beneficiaries in every Ward saying that the county will do that through the area MCAs to identify the needy farmers.
He also said that pyrethrum farmers will benefit from free seedlings worth Sh10M that the county will give in an effort to revive pyrethrum sector which he says has been facing challenges in the recent past.
Ruto said the county government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries will work towards the implementation of the new potato packaging law saying that potato farmers have been exploited for a long time.
“We do not want our farmers to be exploited and we understand the big challenge is not the buyer but middle men. They are enemies we want to tirelessly fight,” said Ruto.
He noted that the county is willing to support farmers who come forward and declare their interest in value addition saying that it is only through this channel of adding value to produce that farmers will increase their produce and sales.
Ruto however cautioned farmers through their associations and other groups to be wary of briefcase NGOs which he said take advantage of farmers.
“Let us be on high alert of briefcase NGOs who come and promise us heaven. We should not allow such people to con us of our hard earned savings,” warned the Deputy Governor Ruto.
The Nakuru Smallholders’ Farmers Association (NASFA) is an umbrella with a membership of more than 12,000 farmers from all sub-counties in Nakuru County.
The Association Chairman Bernard Mwenja said the organisation was formed to provide a platform for smallholder farmers in various ways including implementation of the Nakuru County policies and development programmes geared towards sustainable natural resource management, food security, addressing climate change issues and access to reliable market.
Ruto further called on Nakuru residents to practice farming even in small pieces of land and to use any available space saying that this will contribute to food security.
He also called on the youth to join the association and involve themselves in farming as a way of reducing unemployment among them.