- ASK leadership praised the organisation and strong exhibitor turnout at the Kisumu National Show.
- Kisumu County reaffirmed its commitment to climate smart, commercial agriculture and food security.
- Deputy Governor Mathew Owili urged youth to embrace agribusiness and climate resilient farming.
The top leadership of the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) has praised the high level of organisation at this year’s Kisumu National Show.
ASK national Chairman John Kibira said the large number of first-time exhibitors reflected the organisers’ strong outreach efforts.
Speaking during a tour of the stands, alongside Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr Mathew Owili and branch Chairperson Mary Omondi, Kibira noted that a huge number of students had attended this year’s event.
He urged more schools to send students to the show, citing the many research innovations on display, and observed that more technical and vocational training colleges had also exhibited this year.
The Deputy Governor called for enhanced agricultural activity to boost food security both at county and national level, and urged young people to take up agriculture seriously.
County reaffirms commitment to climate-resilient agriculture
Kisumu County has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming agriculture into a modern, climate-resilient and commercially driven sector.
Dr Owili said strategic investments in farming, livestock development and agricultural training would position the county as a regional food production and trade hub, adding that the county government was implementing programmes to increase productivity, strengthen value chains and improve farmers’ incomes while protecting the environment.
“Agriculture remains central to our development agenda. It feeds our people, supports industry, creates employment and drives trade. More importantly, sustainable development can only be achieved when economic growth is pursued in harmony with nature,” said Dr Owili.
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He noted that devolution had enabled counties to tailor agricultural programmes to local needs, and that Kisumu continued to invest heavily in sectors directly impacting farmers and food production.
He highlighted the Kisumu Dairy Development Centre as one of the county’s flagship projects, saying it is expected to improve breeding services, animal health, farmer training and dairy value chains.
“When it operates at its full potential, our farmers will increase livestock productivity and improve household incomes,” Owili said.
Dr Owili also announced that the Pap Konam Agricultural Training Centre had been completed and was expected to be handed over to the Kenya School of Agriculture within the month for full operationalisation.
He said the institution would serve the wider Lake Region by training farmers, extension officers and young agripreneurs on modern farming technologies to enhance food security.
He added that partnerships with institutions of higher learning, including Maseno University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, would be critical in translating research into practical agricultural solutions. “Development must be driven by evidence, innovation and the productive application of knowledge,” he said.
Climate change and value addition
On climate change, Dr Owili warned that erratic rainfall, floods, prolonged droughts and emerging crop and livestock diseases continued to pose serious threats to agricultural production.
He urged farmers to adopt climate-smart farming practices, including improved seed varieties, efficient irrigation, mechanisation, renewable energy, soil conservation and better livestock breeds.
Dr Owili said Kisumu is among 14 counties benefiting from the TUNZA programme under the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), a six-year USD 50 million initiative implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, the Government of Denmark and the Government of Kenya.
“Thousands of farmers will be equipped with climate-smart farming technologies and modern agricultural practices that will increase productivity, strengthen food security and improve household incomes while restoring degraded landscapes,” he said.
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He further challenged stakeholders to look beyond production and strengthen the entire agricultural value chain through processing, storage, branding, logistics and market access, noting that Kisumu’s strategic location made it well positioned to become a centre for value addition and regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Our future depends not only on producing more, but on producing sustainably. Agriculture must increasingly be viewed as a complete economic value chain,” he said.
Addressing young people at the show, Dr Owili described agriculture as one of the country’s greatest frontiers for innovation, encouraging them to venture into agribusiness rather than wait for formal employment.
“Your future lies not simply in seeking jobs but in creating enterprises that generate employment and prosperity for others,” he said.
Dr Owili, who represented Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, congratulated ASK, exhibitors, sponsors and development partners for sustaining the annual exhibition, before officially declaring the Kisumu ASK Show open.
By Fredrick Odiero
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