Farmers in Kirinyaga county have been empowered by Governor Ann Waiguru who disbursed Sh117 million to farmers group to undertake various projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity in the County.
Waiguru launched the second phase of Wezesha Kirinyaga National Agricultural Rural Inclusive Growth (NARIG) projects which is under the Kirinyaga Rising vision.
“The project is aimed at making agricultural activities translate to better incomes and improve the livelihoods of the County residents,” she said while disbursing the cheques to the various groups.
She said that the projects will economically empower residents and enable them diversify their agricultural activities to reduce overdependence on traditional cash crops whose prices are unreliable.
The funds will go into implementation of the second phase of NARIG projects which include poultry, dairy, avocado, tomato and pig production among others.
The projects are being implemented by 314 community groups comprised of about 8,000 households.
The 314 groups comprises of 45 poultry groups, 60 tomato groups, 30 avocado groups, 60 dairy groups and 20 other groups that have pig farmers, bee keepers, incubators, fish farmers, vulnerable and marginalized groups and 19 nutrition groups.
The poultry farmers groups have been funded to the tune Sh22.5 million to undertake mass egg production projects. The Governor said that the County will provide each of the groups with 1,250 improved Kienyenji chicks adding that the project will complement the ongoing phase 1 project in which 32 groups are already producing eggs.
The County will also provide chicken feeds for the farmers for the first six months of the project while marketing of the eggs is done through Kirinyaga Investment Development Authority (KIDA).
The tomato growing groups will receive Sh30 million for construction of green houses and drip irrigation systems to enable them grow tomato varieties suitable for processing.
The project is tied to the proposed tomato processing factory that will add value and address post-harvest tomato loses.
Ksh15 million will purchase avocado seedlings to support avocado farming and increase production while Sh30 million goes to the dairy sector towards improvement of cow breeds through improved Artificial Insemination (AI) program.
The twenty pig farmers groups will be supported with Sh4 million which will go towards getting each of the groups a mother sow and 20 piglets. The county also plans to construct a pig abattoir.
Bee keepers will be supported with Sh4 million which will go towards acquiring 25 beehives and honey harvesting kits for each of the group.
Twenty groups will be supported with Sh4 million towards installation of incubators each with a capacity of hatching 1000 chicks which will be sold to the poultry production groups.
To boost fish farming in the county, fish farmers will be get Sh4 million worth of fish pond liners and fingerings while Sh2 million will be given to vulnerable and marginalized groups to enable them undertake income generating activities of their choice such as soup making.
Nineteen groups will be supported with Sh950,000 to enable them produce and process local vegetables with an aim of boosting the nutrition status of the county.
“Kirinyaga being an agricultural county, my administration remains committed to ensuring that farmers get value for money from their produce,” she concluded.
