By Boniface Mulu
The government will continue supporting the modernisation of agriculture and teaching farmers the importance of growing crops suitable for their agro-ecological zones using the right techniques.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri also said the government is focused on making agriculture attractive to the young people.
Kiunjuri made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by Agriculture Researches Director Harry Mwangi during Kitui County Farmers Field Day organised at the Kitui Agricultural Training Centre.
The event theme was, “Promoting the growth of orphan crops and sustainable farming technologies for nutrition and food security.”
The government through research institutions is focusing on crops which are suitable for the arid and semi-arid areas such as cowpeas, green grams, amaranthus, soya, maize, pigeon peas, sorghum, pearl and finger millet, according to Kiunjuri.
Kitui Deputy Governor Dr. Gideon Nzau said that the agriculture is a priority in the county adding they had increased budgetary allocation to the sector.
The agriculture is the backbone of our economy with 80 per cent of the population relying on agriculture directly and indirectly. It contributes about 40 per cent of the government revenue and more than 60 per cent of the total export revenue.
