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Agriculture

USAID PARTNERS WITH MAKUENI COUNTY TO BOOST REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Local Food Systems program, has joined hands with the County Government of Makueni to promote regenerative and conservation-based agricultural practices in the county.

The initiative, targeting 5,000 households, aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase profitability, and uplift household incomes.

One of the program’s success stories is Georgina Musyoki, an early adopter who earned Ksh 350,000 from her 5-acre farm in 2023. Her achievements highlight the potential of regenerative agriculture to transform livelihoods in Makueni.

To celebrate the program’s success and its transformative impact, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Wednesday hosted visiting USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, Mia Beers at Muvau ward. Beers is visiting from Washington DC.

The visit underscores the shared commitment to advancing sustainable farming practices for long-term food security and resilience.

USAID ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD SECURITY BOSS VISITS MAKUENI FOR A TOUR OF JOINT WATER PROJECTS

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. hosts USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Resilience, Environment and Food Security Mia Beers for a development tour of Makueni.

The envoy is touring water projects developed by USAID through STAWI in partnership with the Makueni County Government to appreciate their community impact.

The projects include Kaiti 2 water project set to provide water to residents of Sarova area near Wote for domestic use and micro- irrigation. Others are solarizarization of Mwaani borehole and construction of a 300 cubic meters treatment sump at Kamunyolo.

The projects are meant to increase access to clean potable water for Wote town and water for climate smart farming to enhance food security.

EU TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPORT SUPPLY HUB FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN MAKUENI COUNTY

The European Union, in partnership with two entities, Trademark Africa and Rootooba, and Makueni County Government hosted a stakeholder meeting on Thursday to plan for the creation of an export supply hub for fruits and vegetables in Makueni County.

The proposed export hub in Makueni is part of a nationwide initiative to establish three hubs.

It is intended to serve as a central facility for processing, packaging and exporting fresh produce from neighboring counties, including Kitui, Machakos, Taita Taveta and Kajiado.

Speaking during the consultative forum, Makueni’s Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development CECM Joyce Mutua noted that the hub will help local farmers by improving access to larger markets, offering better prices and boosting their income through increased export opportunities.

Mutua says the initiative aims at streamlining the agricultural supply chain by ensuring that the produce meets international market standards while facilitating efficient distribution to global markets.

Trademark Africa Director for Standards Dr. Andrew Edewa praised Makueni County for its collaboration in establishing the hub, emphasizing that the facility will be a transformative asset for local farmers.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders including representatives from KEPHIS, TradeMark Africa, Farmer Producer Company, JKUAT, Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, exporters and farmers to discuss challenges in current agricultural practices, ways to improve market compliance and explore collaboration opportunities.

The forum was also attended by Kajiado CECM for Trade and Investment, Leah Marias and Taita Taveta Chief officer for Trade, Nashon Nyali among other representatives.

GOVERNOR MUTULA FLAGS OFF COFFEE SEEDLINGS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO FARMERS IN MAKUENI COUNTY.

Makueni County has released 8,000 coffee seedlings to be distributed to farmers for planting this rainy season. Another 16,000 seedlings will be released to farmers from next week.

Flagging off the consignment to be distributed to co-operative societies in Kikima, Mbooni Sub -County, Kithangathini in Kaiti, Masokani and Kithumani in Makueni Sub County, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. urged more farmers to consider planting coffee as prices world were going up. Makueni is one of the 33 counties that produce coffee.

He said the County planned to support farmers by training them on all aspects of coffee production including milling to increase its coffee production by 2.5 metric tonnes in the next two years.

Governor Kilonzo also directed the Department of Agriculture to establish demonstration farms in areas where there are coffee factories to train farmers on modern ways of farming. Currently, there are 20,000 registered coffee farmers in the county.

He said the County was working closely with the National Cereals and Produce Board to ensure that coffee farmers are provided with subsidized fertilizer.

The event held at the County headquarters was attended by Deputy Governor, Lucy Mulili and Agriculture ECM, Joyce Mutua among others.

MAKUENI COUNTY RECEIVES LABORATORY EQUIPMENT TO BOOST FARM PRODUCE SAFETY

Makueni County has received a donation of advanced laboratory kits to enhance the testing of agricultural produce for safety and quality standards for consumption.

The donation made by Micro-Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT), a public organization that supports small and medium enterprises, is funded by the European Union in partnership with the Danish Embassy (DANIDA).

The equipment that will be used by the county’s agricultural laboratory technical officer includes a milk analyzer, an antibiotic test kit, aflatoxin test kit and computers.

These kits will help detect harmful contaminants in farm produce, which include aflatoxin in maize, pesticide residues in horticultural products, and excess lactose in dairy items.

The donation was officially received by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Joyce Mutua.

Mutua expressed appreciation for the support, noting that the new lab equipment will play a crucial role in safeguarding public health and improving the quality of agricultural products in the county.

The county collaboration with MESPT aims to strengthen agricultural value chains, providing agribusiness with the tools and resources needed to meet commercial standards and enhance the safety of food products.

FARMERS BENCHMARK AT YATTA CHRISTIAN IMPACT MISSION FARM ON SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES

A group of farmers and Agri-preneurs drawn from across the county, along with members of the Makueni County Assembly’s Agriculture Sectoral Committee visited the Yatta Christian Impact Mission (CIM) farm on Thursday for a one-day benchmarking tour.

The tour was aimed to learn about innovative and sustainable agricultural technologies, and explore sustainable farming practices that can help improve productivity.

Farmers were offered an opportunity to discuss modern farming methods and learnt ways of improving agricultural productivity in an eco-friendly way. Additionally, they explored various demonstration farms growing crops like onions, maize, sunflower, paw paws, bananas and kitchen garden setups.

Speaking during the tour, CIM Proprietor Bishop Masika encouraged farmers to make farming activity an all-round year activity by investing in storing water. Masika further stated, “endeavour in commercializing farming for economic empowerment.”

Leading the team, the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Joyce Mutua urged farmers to put the knowledge gained into practice and share it with others in the county. “The skills learned here have the potential to transform Makueni’s agriculture sector and improve the livelihoods of our farmers,” she said.

Mutua was flanked by Majority Leader Hon. Kisungi Katete, Hon. Francis Mutuku, Chairperson of the Agriculture Committee, other Committee members and Chief Officers Japheth Kiminza and Dr. Victoria Kyalo.

TRAINING FOR COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL AGRICULTURE

A total of 30 Community-Driven Development Committees (CDDCs) from across the county are currently undergoing a specialized administrative training program aimed at enhancing their understanding of institutional roles and responsibilities.

The committees, each formed by representatives from the agricultural value chain sectors of poultry, mango, tomato, apiculture and dairy farming are being prepared to serve as key links between the NAVCDP (National Agricultural Value Chain Development Program) and the local communities.

The training which began earlier this week is structured into six cohorts, with each cohort representing five wards. As of now, 20 wards have completed their sessions and the training is expected to wrap up by the third week of November for the remaining wards.

The goal of the CDDCs is to promote better governance and enhance community participation in agricultural value chain development, which is crucial for economic growth and improved livelihoods in the county.

During the training, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development Joyce Mutua emphasized the department’s commitment to supporting farmers. She further urged participants to focus on commercializing farming as a way to boost the county’s agricultural economy and improve market access for local produce.

The CECM was accompanied by Mary Muteti, the County Director for Agriculture, who also highlighted the importance of these committees in strengthening local agricultural initiatives and fostering sustainable development.

MAKUENI FARMERS EXPO 2024:EMPOWERING FARMERS FOR GROWTH.

Makueni County Government in partnership with Remington Africa and other key agricultural suppliers on Thursday hosted its first-ever Makueni Farmers Expo in 2024.

The event designed to promote modern farming practices brought together industry experts, farmers and suppliers for an insightful learning experience.

The expo which was attended by Deputy Governor Hon. Lucy Mulili featured live demonstrations, training sessions and exhibits showcasing the latest farming technologies and practices.

Farmers in attendance grabbed the opportunity to learn about innovative ways to improve their agricultural skills and boost productivity.

In her speech, Mulili encouraged farmers to adopt modern farming techniques and technologies to help commercialize farming in Makueni.

She emphasized that this would not only improve farm yields but also empower local farmers economically.

The expo also served as a platform for networking, allowing farmers to connect with businesses and explore potential partnerships for growth.

Mulili was joined by Chief Officers Japheth Kiminza, Daniel Ndolo and Felistus Mutune, responsible for Livestock, Devolution and the Office of the Governor, respectively.

MANGO FARMERS AND BUYERS MEET TO PLAN FOR MARKETING SEASON

Makueni mango farmers’ representatives and buyers came together on Thursday to prepare for the upcoming mango marketing season. The meeting, organized by the county agriculture department aimed to establish clear purchasing guidelines for mangoes from local farmers.

During the discussions, buyers shared their planned purchase quantities and price ranges, offering between Ksh. 12 and 25 per kilogram of mangoes. The prices will vary, with local markets receiving the lowest rates and exporters providing the highest.

Attending the meeting, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development CECM Joyce Mutua urged farmers to hold firm and avoid selling their mangoes at low prices. “Our department is dedicated to ensuring that farmers receive fair value for their hard work,” she emphasized.

She added, “This collaboration between farmers and buyers is expected to strengthen the mango industry in Makueni, benefiting all stakeholders involved.”

Ms. Mutua was accompanied by Chief Officers Japheth Kiminza and Dr. Victoria Kyalo.

CS MVURYA IGNITES COTTON REVIVAL WITH FLAG-OFF of 107 TONNES SEED.

Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Salim Mvurya and Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr have flagged off distribution of 107 metric tonnes of premium cotton seeds to Makueni farmers.

Mvurya termed Makueni County as part of the national government’s key priority areas for revitalizing the cotton sector for sustainable fabric production.

Governor Kilonzo on the other hand encouraged farmers to embrace cotton cultivation, highlighting the county’s ideal climate and the lucrative market opportunities presented by the ginnery’s proximity.

The event was attended by State Department of Trade Principal Secretary Abubakar Yussuf, Special Economic Zones Authority Chairperson Fred Muteti, and Kenya Development Corporation Ag. Director General Nora Ratemo.