DRIVING MANGO EXCELLENCE: MAKUENI’S EXPORT PUSH

The County Government of Makueni is stepping up efforts to empower mango farmers and strengthen their access to export markets.

On Friday morning, a team of experts from KEPHIS and TradeMark Africa paid a courtesy call to CECM for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Elizabeth Muli, to review ongoing support programs for farmers.

Led by KEPHIS Plant Health Inspector Dorcas Mugambi and TMA’s Programmes Manager on Market Systems Elizabeth Gathogo, the meeting discussed the ongoing countywide programme on identifying and managing pests of concern, and training farmers on export market requirements.

The one-week exercise is being conducted across several wards, bringing training closer to farmers organized in groups.

While speaking to the team, CECM Muli reaffirmed the county’s strong commitment to equipping farmers with continuous training and support, enabling them to produce high-quality mangoes that meet the standards of competitive export markets.

As part of the exercise, KEPHIS officers working alongside county agriculture staff visited selected farms to assess zones mapped as area of low-pest-prevalence for mango production for export market.

During these field visits, farmers benefit from direct pest surveillance, tailored advisory services, and hands-on demonstrations on pest identification and management to improve the health and quality of their orchards.