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Agriculture

Ghana Bench Marks on Mango Value Addition, Lauds the Kalamba Processing Plant.

Makueni Agriculture and Irrigation Chief Officer Daniel Ndolo on Monday hosted a high powered delegation from Ghana who are in Makueni for a bench marking tour on Mango value addition.
The team which comprises Mango producers, processors and Exporters is seeking for trading opportunities with the County government through the Makueni County Fruit Development and Marketing Authority.
They visited some Mango farmers around Mwaani area and the Makueni Fruit processing plant at Kalamba.
The team was thrilled by the factory and lauded the County government for the efforts it has put in place towards reduction of post harvest losses in mango production.
According to the Makueni Fruit Development and Marketing Authority Acting Chief Executive Officer Agnes Kitili, the county government spent over Sh18 Million to pay local mango farmers for supply to the plant during this year’s mango season.

Governor’s development tour.

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, accompanied by County Commissioner, several MCAs commissions Winzeni micro-Irrigation project at the River bed of River Athi in Kitise/Kithuki ward.
The project once complete will irrigate 30 acres of land. This is one among 11 micro Irrigation projects scattered in dry wards of mavindini, kitise/Kithuki, Kikumbulyu South, kikumbulyu North, mbitini and kalawa.
The Governor also led a food distribution drive to several families from the area.
 
 
 
 
 

Agriculture Fair attracts hundreds of local farmers to learn best agriculture practices.

Hundreds of local farmers on Thursday flocked to ATC Kwa-kathoka for a Farmers exchange and exhibition, an event that created a platform for farmers to learn on best agriculture practices as well as buy products from various exhibitors.
The agriculture fair brought together exhibitors from 8 counties, private companies, government institutions and local farmers who displayed various agricultural products and technologies.
The theme of the Farmers exhibition is, “Producing safe and nutritious food for a healthy population.”
Agriculture Executive Joyce Mutua flagged by her Devolution counterpart Japheth Mang’oka officially opened the 2-day fair.
She urged the local farmers to take advantage of the fair and learn different technologies and methods that they can use to grow food and feed the masses amidst adverse effects of climate change.

Makueni to hold agriculture fair to expose farmers to new technologies

Makueni to hold agriculture fair to expose farmers to new technologies

Makueni County through the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives Development is set to host the first-ever Famers Exchange and Expo at ATC Kwa-Kathoka from 2nd to 3rd March, 2023

The exhibition will provide a platform for farmers to learn from each other, especially on new technologies, and display their produce, equipment and technologies to potential clients who will be attending the agriculture fair.

 

Makueni to Roll out Countywide Mass Livestock Vaccination program

The County Government of Makueni through the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development is set to roll out a mass vaccination program in March, targeting at least 200,000 livestock across the county.
The livestock diseases targeted for vaccination include foot and mouth disease, Lumpy skin disease in cattle while sheep and goats will be vaccinated for contagious pneumonia and goat plague
Currently, the department has prioritized vaccination of dairy cows due to their vulnerability ahead of the mass vaccination.
According to Agriculture CEC Joyce Mutua, the exercise is being implemented in partnership with Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society Limited and aims at increasing household incomes of dairy farmers in Makueni through reduction of livestock disease outbreaks.
The Cooperative is facilitating the aggregation of animals at a central point for vaccination as well link the vaccinators to farmers who prefer vaccination of the animals in their own crushes and homes.
On its part, the county government is conducting farmer sensitization on livestock disease control and other veterinary matters, and coordinating the procurement, collection, storage and delivery of livestock vaccines
Mutua, however, adds that the services will be accessed at a subsidized fee of Sh. 50. Per animal.

500 households benefit from emergency livestock feeds

At least 500 selected households from Kilome Sub-County will benefit from emergency livestock feeds program, courtesy of a partnership between the County Government of Makueni and the European Union (EU) through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).

The feeds will address the crisis of reduced quantity of pasture and fodder for livestock due to the little rainfall experienced in the area during the October-December rain season.

The distribution exercise was launched yesterday (Thursday) by Agriculture CEC Joyce Mutua and officials from NDMA in Kiima-kiu/Kalanzoni ward, and is ongoing in various locations within the sub-county.

Previously, the department of agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperatives Development has implemented various contingency activities in the livestock sector. Some of them are treatment and deworming of animals, vaccination of goats against Contagious Caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP 3), one of the most severe diseases of goats, and capacity building of officers on Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards.

Makueni County Farmer Seed Multiplication Program

Ms Joyce Mutua , CECM Agriculture, irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development joined members of Ngamiteka CBO in Kibwezi West, Nguumo ward for the 1st  inspection of green gram community seed production.The certified green gram seed requirement for Makueni county stand at 903,352 kg against a supply of 361,340.8kg, by among others KALRO Katumani, Simlaw seeds ltd and dryland seeds. The low access to certified seeds causes farmers to plant own seed (uncertified) totaling to 542,011.2kg P.A hence poor production and increased grain market deficits.

To address the gap, ASDSP II funded an innovation proposal by Ngamiteka CBO to produce green gram community seed.  Makueni County with support from ASDSP II program partnered with Egerton University to provide technical support to Ngamiteka CBO to produce KS20 green gram seed variety. A total of 50 farmers each with 5 acres (a total 250acres) were identified in 16 ward and were supported with ripping services, training on seed production, provided with basic seeds, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, jute bags and inspection services.  Seed inspector from Egerton University visiting Ngamiteka CBO members for the 1st inspection of crop establishment. The 2nd inspection scheduled at mid-January 2023, followed by harvesting and storage of planting seeds in jute bags. The farmers are expected to produce 100 metric tons of KS20 green gram seed variety by February 2023.

 

Dr. Tuiyot, Seed Inspector conducting 1st crop inspection

Distribution of Pesticides to counter African Army worm outbreak

The CECM Agriculture, irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development Ms Joyce Mutua led a team of extension officers in fighting the African army worm in Kaiti and Kilome sub counties.The African Army Worm (AAW) Spodoptera exempta is the larva of a  migratory night flying moth hich is a pests of cereal crops and pastures. The economic importance of this pest is due to its rapid development, high reproductive capacity, and migration mobility.  Outbreaks are commonly preceded by extended drought and follow the onset of wet seasons when dry grasslands produce new growth and cereal crops are planted.The first incident of AAW outbreak was reported in Makueni County in Ivingoni Nzambani andMasongaleni wards in Kibwezi East Sub-County by end of November, 2022.  By mid-December 2022, the outbreak had spread in all sub counties. Following the outbreak, the county government in partnership with the National government, moved quickly to combat the pest and avert further damage to crops. A total of 650 litres of assorted chemicals, sprayers and Personal Protective Equipment have been issued to farmers in control the infestation and sensitize to farmers on mitigation measures. The support was distributed to the sub counties based the levels of infestation reported.

 

Joyce Mutua, ECM Agricuture led county extnsion officers in some parst of Kaiti and Kilome subcounties to provide technical support and supply farmers with pestcides in a move to contain the pest.

 

Building Development Partnerships

On Monday, Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili hosted a high powered delegation from Micro-Enterprise Support Programme (MESPT) led by Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Amukhoye who paid the DG a courtesy call in Wote.
Discussions centered on enhancing partnerships between Makueni and MESPT in several Agricultural value chains and enhancing food safety competitiveness of the county.
Some of the key partnership areas include:
Support to agriculture policy development; support to establish a veterinary and food safety mini laboratory; Development of the Agricultural Training Centre-Kwakathoka as an Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET) Facility.
MESPT supports Green Employment in Agriculture and AgriFI Food Safety programmes in Makueni.