Agriculture

𝐖𝐨𝐭𝐞, 𝟑𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔- The County Government of Makueni is seeking new market opportunities for farmers engaged in organic mango production, with efforts underway to link them to markets in the United States.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Japheth Mang’oka, said the County is engaging the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) to map farmers already practising organic farming and establish a structured system that brings farmers, processors and offtakers together.

The discussions also aim to encourage more farmers to transition from conventional to organic mango production while ensuring compliance with the required organic management standards and certification requirements.

EPZA, led by General Manager for Operations and Investor Support Alice Atogo, has identified Freeze Dry as a potential offtaker. The company is willing to support farmers in meeting the requirements for organic certification, opening the way for Makueni’s organic mangoes to access higher-value export markets.

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟎𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ~ The use of locally available foods is emerging as a practical way for communities to improve nutrition, diversify diets and strengthen household food security.

This initiative was highlighted during a two-day community sensitization forums held under the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project by IDE Kenya in collaboration with the County Agriculture Department, Farmer Business Advisors (FBAs), farmers and private-sector actors.

Farmers and community in Ukia and Mbitini Wards explored the nutritional value of locally grown crops and learned practical ways of preparing a variety of nutritious meals before sampling the prepared delicacies.

The Monday and Tuesday sessions also promoted dietary diversity and encouraged households to make better use of affordable foods readily available within their communities.

The engagement further connected farmers with seed and agrochemical suppliers to improve access to quality farm inputs.

By combining nutrition education with stronger agricultural linkages, the initiative is helping communities translate locally available resources into healthier meals, improved food security and more resilient households.

𝐌𝐁𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐈, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ~ Preserving indigenous farming practices is paramount to safeguarding food, culture and knowledge for future generations. Farmers in Mbumbuni, Mbooni East have renewed efforts to conserve indigenous seeds and promote climate-resilient agroecological practices ahead of the coming rains.

Brought together under the Drylands Natural Resources Centre, the farmers on Friday showcased a rich variety of indigenous seeds alongside traditional foods prepared from them, highlighting their nutritional, cultural and environmental value. The initiative also seeks to preserve cultural foods and ancestral farming knowledge as an important part of Makueni’s identity and heritage.

County Director for Culture, Music and the Arts, Mutua Mulonzya, encouraged farmers to embrace indigenous seeds and sustainable farming practices suited to the county’s climatic conditions, while strengthening cohesion and food security among communities.

𝑾𝑶𝑻𝑬, 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 25𝒕𝒉, 2026 ~ Makueni is set to strengthen access to nutritious foods and improve household livelihoods as iDE Kenya, an organisation that develops practical, market-driven solutions to improve the lives of smallholder farmers, advances the third year of its Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project.

On Thursday, iDE Kenya convened 37 Farm Business Advisors (FBAs), alongside Sub-County and Ward Agricultural Officers, the Agri-Nutrition Officer and consortium partner Helen Keller International (HKI), for an inception and planning meeting.

The training focused on nutrition-sensitive agriculture, dietary diversity, food production and utilisation, social and behaviour change communication, access to inputs and services, post-harvest handling, market linkages and aggregation.

The initiative seeks to bring practical knowledge, services and markets closer to farming households, while strengthening collaboration among government, partners and local entrepreneurs.

Through the FBA network, iDE Kenya and the County Agriculture Directorate aims to build sustainable community-level systems that continue delivering nutrition and agricultural solutions beyond the project period.

𝐖𝐎𝐓𝐄, 𝑺𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 23𝒓𝒅, 2026 ~ iDE Kenya, an international development organisation working with communities, farmers and local partners to advance practical solutions for improved livelihoods and economic opportunities, is strengthening nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart agriculture in Makueni County through the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) Project.

On Wednesday, iDE Kenya concluded a two-day planning forum that brought together Ward Agricultural Officers (WAOs) and Sub-County Agricultural Officers (SCAOs) to review progress, strengthen coordination and chart the next phase of the project.

The TLTN Project seeks to improve access to nutritious diets while equipping farmers and local agricultural actors with knowledge, skills and market opportunities to promote sustainable food production and resilient livelihoods.

During the forum, it was revealed that the project has so far recruited 34 Farmer Business Advisors (FBAs), who have reached 3,217 farmers through training, linked 1,567 farmers to agricultural inputs and services, and conducted 63 cooking demonstrations reaching 1,206 participants.

The review further established that 4,780 agricultural inputs have been distributed, reaching 2,237 farmers, while nine entrepreneurs successfully completed the Support Her Enterprise (SHE) training.

The forum provided an opportunity to consolidate these gains and strengthen the next phase of implementation, with greater focus on nutritious food production, value addition, enterprise development and stronger market linkages across Makueni.

𝑀𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑖, 18𝑡ℎ 𝑆𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 2026 – Thousands of Makueni households are set for a stronger planting season as the County Government rolls out certified maize seeds under Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.’s household empowerment agenda.

Through the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, 8,372 farmers across four subcounties will receive 16.744 tonnes of certified maize seed, funded at KSh10 million.

Launched on Friday at Kithumani Market in Mbitini Ward by Agriculture CECM Damaris Kavoi, the initiative responds to priorities identified by residents during public participation and aims to strengthen food security, farm incomes and the grain value chain.

Each farmer will receive a 2kg packet, supporting maize production across an estimated 670 hectares and potentially yielding about 1,500 tonnes of maize.

The launch brought together Devolution CECM Nicholas Nzioka, Mbitini MCA Benard Mutua, Thange MCA Eric Katumo and Nzioki King’ola among other County officials.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. has announced plans to restore the county’s lost mango export market in the Middle East after concerns over chemical residues and seed bugs in exported mangoes disrupted access to the market during the previous mango season.

Speaking on Tuesday when Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Kipronoh Ronoh paid him a courtesy call at his office, Governor Mutula said the county was working with the national government to address export challenges and reopen lucrative markets, particularly in Oman.

PS Ronoh said the Ministry of Agriculture was committed to partnering with Makueni County to ensure farmers benefit from improved market access, compliance with export requirements, and enhanced value for their produce.

The leaders also discussed plans to expand commercial agriculture in the county through the distribution of coffee seedlings to farmers in Makueni’s highlands, alongside sunflower and cotton seeds to promote crop diversification.

The initiatives are aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, creating new income opportunities for farmers, and strengthening Makueni’s agricultural economy.