Coffee farmers ask for subsidized fertilizers
County government of Bungoma has been asked to assist in reviving coffee farming which provides jobs for many of the youths across the county.
Kabuchai, Chwele Member of County Assembly James Barasa Mukhongo said despite high demand for coffee in the world markets, local farmers are not producing enough for export.
Mr. Barasa said there should be plans to introduce the new species of coffee that can be well managed by the local farmers in the county. He said due to low productivity most farmers who rely on the crop have failed to support their children academically prompting them to engage into unethical vices.
“Consumption of coffee globally has increased steadily but production has not been coping with the high demand, a scenario that is likely to spur good prices for the crop, “This is why the county government have to come up with away to encourage farmers to plant coffee in all arable areas considering that the county has favorable climate to the crop.” said Mr. Barasa.
At the same time, he urged hoteliers to drink more coffee beverage to boost the productivity of the crop in the county.
According to him agriculture is the number one employment sector in the county. He says due to low production, coffee has not been managed to contribute highly to the economy.
Barasa believes that coffee farming has the potential to not only grow the economy, but also create a large number of jobs than any other sector. With more young people participating in the agricultural sector, the county can have more food making life more affordable for millions of Kenyans.
He asked the cabinet secretary for agriculture in the county government of Bungoma The government has also promised to make it easy for Kenyans to lease agricultural land and provide extension services and create and encourage Agricultural stake holders through tax incentives to direct private investment into the agricultural sector.
“The coffee industry in the county seems to be going through tough times as the farmers continue experiencing great losses. It has shown that if the Production of the crop continues declining at the current rate, then coffee will at some point stop being a significant crop to many farming”, he added.
He added seems to be so many ways that can be used in coming up with solutions for the problems facing the industry, and this may only come up within the farmers and all other stakeholders in the sector. He suggested for the ministry of agriculture to allocate funds that will provide subsidized fertilizers to coffee farmers.
The member of county assembly also accused the middlemen, who have been benefiting from the farmers sweat and robbing them of their benefits leaving them with nothing.
However he challenged the ministry to provide enough guards to factories to evade the costs that the farmers have been accruing during the theft periods.