Kisumu County Woman Rep Ruth Odinga wants farmers to diversify into aggressive fruits and vegetable growing to improve household food and nutrition security.
She said that fruit and vegetable farming, if well exploited, can contribute to increased income for farmers.
This will provide direct access to food that can be harvested, cooked, and served to family members daily. “If we increase vegetable and fruits farming, will create economic opportunities for smallholder farmers,” said women rep.
To grow the rural economy, farmers should choose to incorporate vegetables and fruits farming into existing cropping systems.
Now, fruits such as passion and vegetable crops generate more income for farmers compared to traditional staple crops such as maize, but are often ignored, despite high demand in markets.
This is why food security, vegetable and fruits farming is now one of the top key issues contained in women’s rep strategic development plan for the 2023-2027 period.
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Today, food insecurity continues to be a burden for thousands of households in Kisumu.
She spoke as her office donated several solar water pumps and tanks to women groups in Kisumu East Constituency.
The donations come barely a week, after her office launched KSh30 million various countywide community economic empowerment projects.
The solar water pumps were handed over to Kaskas women groups in Kisumu East by the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), acting coordinator Kisumu Timothy Nyandusi.
Nyandusi was flanked by the woman Rep office Manager Sam Olweru, his assistant Maurice Onono and NGAAF chairperson Jackquline India.
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Nyandusi and India said the beneficiaries had requested for the solar water pumps to help them harvest rain water and also to supply clean water to the community.
Speaking at Chiga village, Nyandusi said the Government was keen on financing community empowerment projects.
He told the residents to submit proposals to the women rep office for consideration of possible financing on a project of their choice.
“We are working closely with the woman rep staff, to identify, review, approve and finance projects viable to the select communities’ organised groups,” Nyandusi said
Olweru told the press that 37 women groups will get at least one solar water pump. The solar water pumps according to Nyandusi cost KSh100,000.
They are also giving out tanks with 35 groups set benefit, while 8,000 groups will get hatcheries.
They promised to support serious groups. Currently, women rep office is carrying out civic education on financial literacy.
Those who have been trained are given between KSh50,000 to KSh100,000 to grow their businesses.
By Fredrick Odiero
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