Nandi County has received 10 mobile grain dryers from the National Government to assist farmers in mitigating post-harvest losses.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said the equipment is significant in realising the government’s vision of improving grain value chains and achieving 100 percent food security
‘Our main mission is to curb post-harvest losses mainly caused by poor storage, inadequate drying facilities and poor weather conditions during harvesting time,’ he said at Mosoriot NCPB during the launch.
The CS noted that each dryer has a capacity to dry 14 tons of maize in two hours adding that it will only cost a farmer Sh 70 to dry a 90kg bag of maize.
Linturi who was accompanied by area governor Stephen Sang and other leaders said despite the crucial role agriculture sector plays in our Country, post-harvest loss management has been a major challenge with an estimated loss of 30 percent of harvested crops
He stated that the government has also put up a Wareh
ouse Receipt System which allows farmers to hold their produce in certified 17 NCPB Deport warehouses across the Country.
The CS said this will ensure accountability and efficiency as the produce can be tested, cleaned, graded and stored with the owners of the commodity receiving a receipt of proof of ownership before sale
‘The Warehouse Receipt System will help our farmers to store their maize safely as they wait for the maize purchase price to be in their favour before selling the same hence avoiding middle men,’ he said
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi (center) accompanied by Nandi Governor Stephen Sang at Mosoriot NCPB during the launch of mobile grain dryers.
Governor Sang thanked the Government for the urgent intervention saying the fertiliser subsidies increased agricultural production thus the grain dryers will go a long way in helping farmers reduce post-harvest losses
‘Farmers should take advantage of the favourable drying prices to dry their maize both fo
r consumption and commercial purposes. The grain dryers are mobile just a phone call away. In 3 hours it can remove moisture from 26 percent to 13 percent,’ he said
The second term governor urged farmers to capitalise on the Warehouse receipt system to secure storage of their maize as they wait for appropriate time to sell when the prices are favourable.
The leaders also inspected the multimillion Milk processing plant located in Kabiyet centre, Mosop Sub County where the CS said the government will deliver coolers and milk dryers to the plant.
Linturi revealed that the government has given New KCC Sh 1 billion to help stabilise milk prices which had dropped to less than Sh 35 per liter. He said the minimum milk price will now be Sh 45 per liter.
The Agriculture CS said the government has stepped in to assist farmers in all sectors so that they can produce more.
Farmers and stakeholder’s present thanked the government for the grain dryers and commitment to support the dairy sector saying it will go a lon
g way to boost food security and make Nandi the country’s bread basket once again
The Nandi Dairy Cooperative factory, one of the largest in the North rift region is expected to process over 200,000 liters of milk per day.
Source: Kenya News Agency
Turkana County Department of Water Services has embarked on an assessment of boreholes and water points to protect the water supply infrastructure from the ongoing El Niño rains.
The water Chief Officer David Maraka on Wednesday led the technical team to Nakukulas, Turkana East sub county for assessment of hand pump that serves 3500 residents and about 10,000 livestock units.
Maraka said the exercise aims to collect data that would inform repair works.
The chief officer said the assessment was also informed by concerns raised by the members of the public on the bad condition of the slab that holds the pump. The recent rains washed off part of the borehole area.
He added the assessment will extend to the nearby Lokicheda and the two boreholes at Kodekode. The boreholes serve 10,000 people. The team assured the local users of uninterrupted water supply.
According to Turkana County proposed El-nino contingency plan, the water infrastructure across the County is facing imminent threat of destruction from th
e ongoing rains. This is the reason the government is carrying out assessment to undertake necessary repairs to guarantee uninterrupted water supply system.
The County has so far completed five additional water projects at Kakiteitei, Lokori, Lomelo, Kapedo and Ngamia One Secondary school in the last financial year 2022/2023.
The assessment is happening at the time the public sensitisation is also going on across the County to inform the public on the restructuring of the water management system.
Source: Kenya News Agency
