Cereals farmers who stored their maize and beans at Majengo Warehouse in Lugari Sub-County have a reason to smile after the World Food Program agreed to buy their entire stored maize at current competitive market price.
According to Protus Musoga, Lumakanda Ward Agriculture Extension Officer, the WFP will buy stocked 244 metric tons of maize at shs 3,000 for every 90 kg bag.
Musoga speaking at the Warehouse said they conducted WFP online and accepted to taste aflatoxin levels in their maize which after several analysis in their Mombasa lab won approvals as fit for consumption.
“We have entered a contract agreement with WFP and have agreed to buy each of the 90 kg of maize at shs 3 , 000,” he said
He said Majengo Cereals Warehouse is managed by a selected cooperative committee which ensures cereals brought by the farmers are stored safely until farmers get the right price for their produce.
“This committee does market research on prices for the stocked cereals and suggests competitive prices to the farmers,” Musoga said.
Musoga said the farmers have a right to decline offered prices and produce will be stored until the right price is offered.
The extension officer used the opportunity to urge cereal farmers in Lugari to utilize the Warehouse at Majengo which can stock up to 20,000 metric tons of their dried farm cereals.
He however regretted that farmers continue to stock their farm produce in poor state which mostly goes bad.
“We are ready to stock your maize until the time you want to sell or take it for home consumption,” he emphasized.
Musoga revealed that they are engaged with Kenya Cereals Enhancement Program, a partner ready to register Majengo Warehouse into Warehousing Receipting System.
He noted that the Warehousing Receipting System has multiple benefits including helping farmers who are registered to use their stocked produce agreement as a collateral to access funding from financial institutions.
Majengo Warehouse in Lugari was built by the National Government and later handed to the Agriculture Department, County Government of Kakamega. It was launched in October this year under the proposed tentative Majengo Warehouse Cooperative Society Limited.
Abdala Natembeya, Majengo Warehouse management committee member said the cereals stock system will empower many maize farmers and get them out of poverty.
Natembeya pleaded with farmers in Lugari to stock their maize and other cereals at the warehouse which was built for them.
