AGRICULTURE
Migori County has distributed seeds worth 28 million to assist farmers in the county to produce enough food in an attempt to realise Vision 2030 of food security in the country.
Migori Governor Dr Ochilo Ayacko who flagged the seed distribution at the Lichota area in Suna West Sub County said that Migori County has the potential to produce enough food if farmers were empowered economically through farm inputs.
The County will supply maize, beans, sorghum and rice seeds to 16,470 farmers with 12,925 acres under cultivation across the County. Ochilo however, urged the national government to ensure that all the agricultural functions and funds are devolved to boost the agricultural activities within counties.
220 rice farmers will also benefit from the seed distribution where 55 acres of land will be cultivated in the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme in Nyatike Sub County.
Migori has the potential to cultivate 19,000 acres of rice at Lower Kuja irrigation scheme but so far less than 5,000 acres of land at the irrigation scheme is being cultivated.
“We want the national government to realise all the funds associated with agriculture and fully devolve any remaining agricultural aspects to empower counties to increase food production in the country”, explained Ochilo.
Ochilo also disclosed that the county has decided to empower 9,600 sunflower farmers by giving them seeds to boost the edible oil production in the country. The County will also give out one sunflower pressing machine for each of the 40 wards for value addition in sunflower oil extraction.
20 agricultural and livestock extension officers have also been employed to help the county provide extension services to farmers at the grassroots level.
Last year, the national government in partnership with Migori County launched the Industrial Park and aggregation centre in Macalder-in Nyatike Constituency to improve the agricultural, livestock, blue economy and fisheries through value addition in the county.
The Industrial Park project which is expected to be completed later this year will help farmers add value addition on their products as well as link them with a broad market chain across the country and neighbouring Tanzania. Migori is among the top 10 counties producing agricultural products with the key notable crops being maize, rice, sweet potatoes and fish.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, Migori County allocated five million towards seed acquisition for farmers. Ochilo said that the budget for the seeds this financial year was meant to realise the full potential of the county’s ability to produce more food.