MAKUENI FARMERS TO BENEFIT FROM SUBSIDIZED SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Farmers in Makueni County are set to benefit from 6 metric tonnes of sunflower seed under the Edible Oil Crops Promotion Project (EOCPP) subsidy programme.

In a capacity building forum held on Wednesday by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development (DALFCD) in collaboration with the Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), the Sub-County and Ward Agricultural Officers were sensitized on plans to scale up sunflower farming across the county.

Through the initiative, AFA has allocated 6 tonnes of Kenya Fedha sunflower seeds, sourced from the Kenya Seed Company ltd, to be distributed to farmers at a subsidized rate. Under the model, farmers will buy one kilogram of seed at Ksh. 385 and get an additional kilogram free.

The programme aims to boost edible oil crop value chains, increase farmer incomes and promote local production of cooking oil in line with the county’s agricultural transformation agenda.