Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago and his Elgeiyo Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos on Monday led a North Rift leaders and farmers’ consultative meeting in Eldoret town, in a bid to tackle farmers’ predicaments in the region.
Governor Mandago used the platform to urge the Central Government to completely surrender all the functions in the agricultural sector, noting the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) as one of the agricultural function that needs to be handed over to the counties
Mandago explained to farmers the need and importance of joining hands as North Rift farmers, so that they can have a better bargain unit in marketing of their farm produce and acquisition farm inputs.
He told farmers to learn skills and technology from fellow farmers by benchmarking on the farms of prosperous individuals, to boost productivity and earnings from agriculture.
Elgeiyo Marakwet County Governor Alex Tolgos told farmers to try as much as possible to embrace modern farming so as to easily diversify to other types of farming such as fishery, poultry, horticulture and others as opposed to the traditional wheat and maize.
Nandi Senator Stephen Sang said that there is need for the region to have an economical conference that will bring together Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeiyo Marakwet, Tranz Nzoia and West Pokot Counties so that farmers are empowered with information.
Sang asked the National Government to have a proper plan on agriculture so that farmers are not subjected to waiting for supplementary budgets for their farm produce to be bought.
The meeting was attended by farmers and leaders from Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Elgeiyo Marakwet, who unanimously agreed to forge a united front amongst the five North Rift Counties.