- Meru farmers urged to embrace organic farming.
- Safaricom launches Bundles ya Mkulima.
- Farmers gain easier access to markets and inputs.
Farmers in Meru have been urged to shun excessive use of chemicals in food crops and to instead embrace organic farming to reduce the risk of the increasing cancer cases in the region.
Meru Deputy Governor Linda Kiome said the food crops will minimise the risk of non-communicable diseases caused by use of excess chemicals in food crops.
She said many cancer cases have been proven by doctors to be caused by consumables.
Meru is among the counties with the highest rate of cancer infection in the country, with many people losing life while others are hospitalised with huge unpaid hospital bills.
“Nowadays researchers and scientists are recommending the use of organic farming to reduce the risk of contracting cancer,” Kiome said.
Kiome said farmers should also receive more training on how they can safely use or reduce chemicals.
Safaricom launches farmer-focused bundle
The Deputy Governor was speaking when the telecommunications giant Safaricom PLC launched Bundles ya Mkulima, a new bundle aimed for the farmers across the country to enable them research and get assistance in matters of farming.
During the function, farmers received training and narrated their experience.
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The event was attended by Safaricom PLC Chief Consumer Business Officer Fawzia Ali Kimanthi, who said they decided to focus on farmers as agriculture contributes greatly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She said they decided to launch Bundle ya Wakulima, where farmers can make calls and access the internet at affordable rates.
She said farmers will also receive discounts if they register with the initiative.
“We have been trying to understand our customers’ needs and decided to look into farmers’ requirements. We are holding such forums to get to connect with them and know their needs. First they told us they must make numerous calls to agronomists and extension officers,” said the Deputy Governor.
Investment in Meru health and education
Kiome lauded the telco company for initiating many projects in Meru that include Mituntu Hospital, where they have invested Ksh 20 million, Timau maternity theatre together with an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and High Dependency Unit (HDU), and Uruku maternity theatre.
“They are also building several schools and doing other projects, and next year they have promised to upgrade schools, especially in rural areas where infrastructure is poor,” Kiome said.
County Executive in charge of Agriculture Janaro Gatangugi said agricultural extension officers’ jobs have been made easier because of the technology Safaricom is using to connect them with farmers and agrovets.
Farmers welcome the initiative
Benedictine Nkirote, a potato farmer from Ntumburi who attended the event, hailed Safaricom for the initiative.
Bernard Kinoti, a farmer from Central Imenti, said they have learnt how to get markets through connecting directly to buyers, eradicating brokers, and getting farm inputs that are less expensive.
By John Majau
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