As one way of curbing hunger among residents and stabilize the agriculture sector in the County, Bungoma County Government has begun distributing subsidized top dressing fertilizer to needy farmers across the County. While addressing farmers while issuing the fertilizer, Bungoma County Governor Kenneth Lusaka said that his government is ready to fight hunger by increasing food surplus.
He said that maize production in Bungoma is expected to increase significantly this year following the distribution of free planting and top dressing fertilizers to farmers by his government.
Governor Lusaka said his dream is to make Bungoma food secure and even produce a surplus that would be sold to other Counties. “We have put up measures to ensure that Bungoma is free from hunger, that is why we are giving free fertilizer to farmers so that they have a good harvest,” he said.
He again warned those farmers who are fond of selling the given fertilizer and end up having no yields thus leading to hunger and volatile maize prices due to a shortage of food.
“As you are all experiencing maize price hike, it is because of our own making, as most farmers are given this fertilizer they go and sell instead of using it on their farms,” added Lusaka.
“Please use this fertilizer as expected and you will realize that food will never be a problem in your home since you will have good yields and you will avoid the problem of increase in maize prices that has hit the country now,” he reiterated.
According to Governor Lusaka, the exercise began in 2013 by giving fertilizer to 200 farmers then rose to 400 and now 700. He said that his dream is to see the number rise to 1,000.
“It is a dream that will come true to see more farmers benefit from this exercise, we are hoping to increase farmers to 1000 per ward in the next year’s exercise,” said Lusaka.
He also used that platform to urge voters to consider him on the ballot box in August and told them to make an analysis of his development record since 2013.
“What I have done since I became the first governor of this county is seen and felt, therefore when I tell you that on 8/8/2017 you give me support, will it be wrong?” he posed.
This exercise comes after the County government also supplied planting fertilizer at the start of the year. During the whole exercise, 700 farmers from each ward in 45 wards will benefit.