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SIX DAIRY COOPERATIVES RECEIVE OVER KSH 7.9 MILLION TO CUSHION FARMERS AGAINST DROUGHT

Six dairy farmers’ cooperative societies in Makueni have received a cumulative KSh. 7,975,000 under the Drought Mitigation Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) of the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) to strengthen livestock farmers’ resilience during the ongoing dry spell.

The grants, issued on different days throughout the week, are intended at improving farmers’ access to quality livestock feeds and veterinary inputs following the failed October–November–December rains.

Through the intervention, cooperatives will procure and resell essential inputs such as hay bales, mineral licks, dairy and range cubes, cotton hulls and dewormers to sustain milk production and protect farmer incomes.

Speaking during a cheque issuance to Kibwezi Dairy Farmers Cooperative on Wednesday, Agriculture CECM Elizabeth Muli said the initiative will help stabilize dairy productivity and ensure livestock remain well nourished as farmers await the next rainy season. She urged the cooperatives to adhere strictly to grant guidelines and ensure prudent use of the funds.

Other beneficiary cooperatives include Kitise Farmers Cooperative, Makiou Farmers Dairy Cooperative, Twakima Farmers Cooperative, Kibwezi East Farmers Cooperative and Kalawa Dairy Farmers Cooperative.

HUDUMA MASHINANI CONTINUES IN MUVAU/KIKUMINI WARD SERVING MORE THAN 1,000 RESIDENTS

More than 1,000 residents benefited as the Huduma Mashinani Outreach Programme continued in Muvau/Kikumini Ward, bringing essential government services closer to the residents at Kwa Kathoka ATC grounds. The initiative by the County Government of Makueni in partnership with Huduma Kenya enabled residents to access key services including ID applications, birth and death certificates, SHA registration, HELB services, police abstracts and other government services at the grassroots. A total of 1,062 residents were served during the outreach.

Speaking during the exercise, Chief Officer for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services Nicholis Mutua urged residents to fully utilize such opportunities whenever they are brought closer to the community, noting that the programme is designed to ensure they access government services conveniently without travelling long distances.

Area MCA Kawembe Mutinda who was present during the outreach lauded the initiative, saying it has eased access to vital services.

ACTIONAID KENYA OFFICIALS PAY COURTESY CALL ON GOVERNOR MUTULA KILONZO JR. TO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

ActionAid Kenya officials, led by Resilient Livelihoods and Emergencies Programme Manager Kitasi Wanga, on Thursday paid a courtesy call on Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. to explore collaboration areas with the Makueni County Government. The meeting focused on strengthening partnerships to sustain projects and jointly implement development initiatives.

Governor Kilonzo thanked ActionAid for its continued support to communities in Makueni County. Also present was Hon. Ken Mutuku, Clerk of the Makueni County Assembly.

GOVERNOR MUTULA CONDOLES FAMILY OF DROWNING VICTIM IN THANGE

Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Wednesday evening condoled with the family of 27-year-old Felix Kimweli Muinde, who drowned at Kimanga Stream in Thange Ward, Kibwezi East.

The governor visited the bereaved family at Muthungue Village, describing the incident as a painful loss to the community. Muinde will be buried on Friday, March 6.

During the visit, Mutula urged young people to unite, support their parents and take advantage of the county’s 30 per cent procurement budget reserved for youth, women and persons with disabilities.

He challenged them to be industrious and creative in order to generate their own employment opportunities.

The governor was accompanied by County Executive Committee Member for Finance Damaris Kavoi and Thange MCA Erick Katumo.

MAKUENI TO ROLL OUT NEW DIGITAL SYSTEM TO CURB MEDICINE THEFT

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. has announced that Makueni County will roll out a new system to monitor the administration of medicine in public health facilities, in a move aimed at sealing corruption loopholes and enhancing transparency in the health sector.

The governor said the system, which will track the distribution and use of drugs across county facilities, is designed to weed out theft and misuse of medical supplies.

On healthcare infrastructure, he outlined ongoing investments, including the construction of a Sh34 million hospital in Kambu and a Sh70 million facility in Kibwezi, with another project in Kinyambu in the pipeline. He said the county’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program is intended to ease the financial burden of healthcare, which continues to disproportionately affect low-income households.

The governor spoke in Nzayo, Ivingoni/Nzambani Ward, during the burial of Onesmus Kyalo Maitha, who was eulogized as a hardworking and community-conscious individual. Governor Mutula also pledged support for the education of the late Kyalo’s children.

Late Kyalo lost his life through a tragic accident.

HUDUMA MASHINANI PROGRAMME RESUMES IN TULIMANI WARD

The County Government of Makueni on Wednesday resumed the Huduma Mashinani Outreach Programme following a short break to allow for public participation engagement.

The programme kicked off in Tulimani Ward at Kalawani CTTI Grounds, bringing together national and county government services closer to residents. The outreach, organized in collaboration with Huduma Kenya, aims to enhance access to essential government services at the grassroots level.

A total of 2,101 residents were served during the Tulimani outreach, accessing a wide range of services including ID applications and replacements, birth and death certificates processing, KRA PIN registration and tax compliance, driving license renewal, SHA registration, NSSF services, HELB applications, police abstracts, Certificate of Good Conduct processing, voter registration, land rates payments, liquor licensing, and other critical public services.

CECM for Gender, Children, Youth, Sports and Social Services Eng. Sebastian Kyoni noted that since the start of the programme, more than 50,000 residents in 19 Wards have been served across the county. The exercise targets to reach over 80,000 residents.

EMPOWERING FARMERS THROUGH FIELD-LED LEARNING

A team of 38 Community Based Facilitators (CBFs) and 28 Agriculture Extension Officers supported through National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) are undergoing an intensive training on Farmer Field and Business Schools (FFBS) methodology; an approach for accelerating farmer adoption of Technology, Innovation and Management Practices (TIMPs).

The training equips CBFs—local farmers trained as peer educators—to lead FFBS sites within their wards, turning them into hubs for practical learning, innovation and shared problem-solving.

Speaking during a visit to the training on Wednesday, Agriculture CECM Elizabeth Muli said the programme focuses on establishing FFBS sites, training of trainers, value addition, market linkages through farmer producer organizations and regular field support to ensure impact at farm level.

Drawn from across the county, the participants will engage farmers in hands-on, participatory sessions that help boost productivity along key agricultural value chains while sharpening essential business and market skills.

The visit was also attended by Ag. Chief Officer Felistus Mutune and Directors Mary Muteti, Esther Kivindyo, and Dr. Musyoki—underscoring the county’s commitment to farmer-centered growth.

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HOSTS FORUM WITH TRADEMARK AFRICA TO INTEGRATE KILIMO MAKUENI INTERGRATED SYSTEM (KMIS) WITH iSOKO

The Department of Agriculture, led by CECM Elizabeth Muli, on Wednesday hosted a collaborative forum with Trademark Africa to strengthen digital solutions for farmers through the integration of the Kilimo Makueni Integrated System (KMIS) with iSOKO.

KMIS is Makueni County’s digital agriculture platform designed to link farmers directly with extension officers, agronomic advice and production data, supporting informed and timely farm decisions.

Whereas, iSOKO is an information and market-digital platform currently in seven African countries that seeks to create a unified digital trade ecosystem through linkages to market, trade information and business support services across borders .

The integration will enhance service delivery, improve market access, exploration of alternative markets through intra-africa trade and empower farmers with reliable, real-time information to grow productivity and incomes.

MAKUENI STRENGTHENS EXPORT TIES TO GROW FARMER INCOMES

The County Government of Makueni has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding horticultural exports after a high-level review meeting with TradeMark Africa partners on the progress of the Makueni Export Supply Hub (ESH) programme.

The meeting, hosted by Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili, brought together key development partners, including Rodrigo Romero Van Cutsem of the EU Delegation to Kenya, Amarins Gerlofsma from the Embassy of the Netherlands, Anne Nalo of the British High Commission, and Joan Karanja from the Embassy of Sweden.

Mulili noted that since the partnership was signed in May 2025, the programme has delivered tangible results—training thousands of farmers on Good Agricultural Practices, strengthening pest control through fruit fly traps, operationalising packhouses, and improving direct linkages between farmer groups and export markets.

The delegation toured Greenfields Demonstration Farm and Iviani Farm in Muvau/Kikumini Ward, before visiting the Kibwezi Packhouse, where they witnessed progress in certification readiness, aggregation, value addition, and youth-led agribusinesses.

Mango, which accounts for 75 percent of the county’s fruit production and supports more than 71,000 farm families, remains the anchor of the export strategy, with improved standards compliance helping reduce post-harvest losses and raise farmer earnings.

The visit—attended by TradeMark Africa Country Director Lillian Mwai, CECM for Agriculture Elizabeth Muli, and Acting Chief Officer Felistus Mutune—reaffirmed the county’s focus on expanding Areas of Low Pest Prevalence, strengthening certification systems, and diversifying export markets.

Through these strategic partnerships, Makueni continues to position itself as a competitive horticultural export hub, delivering jobs, higher incomes, and inclusive growth in line with the development agenda of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

KALAWA DAIRY FARMERS RECEIVE KSH 850,000 DROUGHT MITIGATION GRANT

Kalawa Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd on Monday received a KSh 850,000 Drought Mitigation Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), aimed at strengthening dairy farming resilience during the ongoing dry season.

Handed over by Livestock Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza, the grant is intended to support farmers in maintaining milk production amid anticipated feed shortages following the failed October–November–December (OND) rains.

Speaking during the event, Kiminza said the funds will be used to procure high-quality animal feeds to cushion farmers through the current dry spell and into the next rainy season.

He further said the intervention seeks to stabilize dairy productivity, secure livestock nutrition, and protect household incomes.

Beneficiary farmers were urged to strictly adhere to grant implementation guidelines to ensure prudent use of the funds and full accountability.