Poor farming methods are a leading factor to persistent poor agricultural yields in Nyamira County.
Agricultural officials has attributed the challenge to the continued clinging onto outdated farming practices and asked locals to embrace modern farming methods.
According to Catherine Nyatichi, an agricultural officer in Nyamira south Sub-County, the county can only successfully extricate itself from being a perpetual recipient of relief food if locals changed the way they do farming.
Nyatichi advised local farmers to ensure they make good use of the anticipated long rains expected to start later on this month through prompt land preparation.
“This allows for timely planting which guarantees good yields unlike when farmers are caught unawares by the rains hence resulting in massive crop failure,” she added.
Speaking at a Nyamira hotel on Thursday, she said the trend must change for the agricultural sector in the area to make any meaningful impact in terms of the county becoming self-sufficient in food.
The official said no crop disease outbreaks were reported in the county during the last planting season, further asking farmers to strictly follow the technical advice offered to them under the extension service to improve their farming activities.