Kilifi county government will soon employ 80 Irrigation Extension Service Officers to boost food crop production in the region, Sacco review has reliably established.
The Ministry of Agriculture needs huge budget to enable it to fight food insecurity in the region.
The budget allocation for 2023 was Ksh 130 million which was not enough to implement all county development projects.
The 80 new Irrigation Extension Service Officers will replace those who have retired and those who are about to retire next year.
Speaking during Cassava field Day celebrations held at Malanga sub location Assistant’s office, in Malindi sub county recently, Kilifi County Director of Agriculture, Mr. Safari Ziro attributed food insecurity in the county to persistent drought.
He added the only reliable means of getting bumper harvest throughout the year is by carrying out irrigation activities, further noting that Irrigation Extension Service officers will advise farmers how to diversify modern farming methods.
The County director of Agriculture, however disclosed that Agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s Economy, providing employment for 70 percent of the workforce and accounting for 30 percent of Gross Domestic Product.
“Agriculture is also the major source of materials for growing Agro – Industrial sector and remains by far the largest source of foreign exchange earnings”, Mr. Ziro explained.
He stated that Cassava is a vegetative propagated crop with low multiplication ratios, further adding that multiplication ratio refers to the increase in planting.
However, Mr. Ziro urged county residents to grow Cassava alongside green grams, Cow peas and maize.
YOU MAY ALSO READ:
Lamu County welcomes six new cooperative societies to boost economic development
This, the county Director of Agriculture said that Cassava is among the major crops grown for subsistence purposes in the county.
There was a significant increase in cassava crop production from the year 2019 – 2020, and decrease of the same Cassava crop production in 2021.
He attributed this to persistent drought, especially in the hinterlands and Covid-19 pandemic disease of 2020, which reduced farming activities.
Mr. Ziro, further added that there was an increase of cassava crop production in the subsequent year 2022, which later reduced in 2023 due to inadequate planting materials.
Cassava is the third largest source of carbohydrates for humans and animals in the tropics, after maize and rice.
It is also a major food crop in Africa and it can survive even in poor soils.
The County Director of Agriculture urged farmers in the county to cooperate fully and maximise food crop production to eradicate poverty amongst themselves.
While addressing the same gathering, a representative of Italian Agency for Development Corporation, Mr. Caryelo Siglluzzo said his Agency has constructed a modern Cassava Flour processing plant at a cost of shillings 1 million at Mali Shambani Community Based Organisation (CBO ) in Malanga sub location in Malindi sub county.
He disclosed that his Agency will partner with Kenya to support farming activities in the country.
He also lauded county residents for their efforts towards maximizing cassava crop production.
By Tsozungu Kombe.
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
