Farmers in Bungoma County have been urged to embrace coffee farming as an alternative cash crop to sugarcane farming. Coffee farming had been popular among farmers in the County but they’ve ended up with disappointments due to poor pay.
Bungoma County Deputy Governor Charles Kibanani Ngome launched the exercise of giving out of the seedlings in Bumula constituency that included the wards of South Bukusu and Khasoko.
Speaking during the launch, Ngome said as a County they have set links with international markets, especially in New York City in the USA, adding that coffee has been able to avail lots of money to people in other regions.
He cited Bumula constituency as one of the regions that have fertile land in the County and can be able to turn around the County’s economy if coffee farming is fully embraced.
His sentiments were echoed by Agriculture CEC Mathews Makanda who said other areas in the County like Mt Elgon and Kimilili have been able to reap big from the coffee proceeds saying the same can be achieved in Bumula.
He said the seedlings will be supplied to the farmers in due time saying they are targeting that after 18 months of maturity they will begin constructing cooperative societies to the farmers to help them have collection centers for the coffee to be transported later.
He further called upon the residents to also embrace planting of sorghum, saying they have also established a market link to Kenya Breweries Company and that they’ll be selling the sorghum to them at Kshs 80 per 2Kg tin (gorogoro).
John Wasike the chief officer in the ministry said as a ministry they are working hard to ensure the economy of the country is turned around through the vibrant agricultural programs they have put in place.