Taita Taveta County has launched the Mkulima Mashinani initiative targeting farmers at the grassroots level and aimed at integrating conservation agriculture into existing farming practices.
While addressing farmers in the suburbs of Mwatate, Voi and Taveta, CECM for Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation and Blue Economy Erickson Kyongo noted that the county is keen to leverage existing gaps in the food production sector.
Coming at a time when the national government is urging farmers to register and utilize the subsidized fertilizer, Kyongo reiterated that a time has come for farmers to embrace conservation agriculture which promotes less soil disturbance.
“With the introduction of subsidized services, it’s upon us to embrace new cultures that will help us yield more produce despite the effects of climate change,” he said.
The CECM stated that part of the ongoing mission is to collect soil samples for tests to ascertain the best supplements needed for maximum food production.
Kyongo urged farmers to embrace and support the county government’s initiative to support banana and rice production stating that the ongoing plans are meant to transform the county’s economy through prioritized value chains.
“Plans to revive the stalled banana processing plant are underway. However, they will be of no value if we don’t produce enough to meet its daily demand. It’s for this reason that we have entered into a tripartite agreement with MESPT and Taita Taveta University to propagate enough tissue culture banana seedlings,” he noted.
In a 2021 survey by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Taita Taveta was ranked second after Meru County in the production of bananas in 2020 and recent engagements by farmers and the county government are poised to take the production even higher.
While encouraging citizens to embrace rice farming, Kyongo hinted that there are advanced plans to have a rice milling machine installed in Taveta for value addition of the commodity which is currently being produced on at least 11,000 acres of land.
The Mkulima Mashinani initiative also complements other programs being undertaken by development partners in the agricultural department with the ultimate goal of leveraging partnerships for enhanced food production in the county as per the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 which advocates for zero hunger.
By Michael Oduor
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