Nakuru County Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has said he is still committed to his pledge to revive the agriculture sector by helping farmers increase production.
The Nakuru boss said the county government had so far provided seeds and fertilisers to more than 11,000 farmers, who own an acre of land each.
“We intend to continue with this programme for the next three years. This is until we reach all the vulnerable farmers,” said Mbugua.
Speaking during this year’s Agribusiness Exhibition at Kabarak University grounds, the governor said the county government is keen to set up several initiatives aimed at re-awakening agriculture.
The former Administration Police commandant said his government will launch a project to sensitise farmers on the best farming inputs for the region’s diverse soil types.
On reviving of the pyrethrum farming, he said the county is working on ways of energising the struggling sub-sector.
“We are also in the process of reviving the sub-sector. The county government has bought two million pyrethrum seedlings worth Sh5 million for farmers in Naivasha, Gilgil, Molo, Kuresoi North and Kuresoi South,” said Mbugua.
He further said Naivasha farmers were the first to benefit after they received 165,000 seedlings. The county has set aside Sh11 million in the 2014/15 budget for the sector.
Mbugua also revealed that the ministry of agriculture had also started construction of slaughterhouses and cattle dips in the county and so far, 22 cattle dips had been rehabilitated.
At the exhibition organised by the East Africa Trade Council and the Farming Systems Kenya, Farm Engineering Limited emerged the best exhibitors with their farm spray equipment.