national government.European Union and Kenya’s Equity bank are also partners to the ambitious programme. It is worth noting IFAD has also pitched tent in the same sub counties with another ambitious programme, the Smallholder Dairy Commercialization Programme (SDCP), which focus on increasing livelihoods and improving living standards through commercialised dairy farming in rural parts of the country.
The twin programmes came at a time when the region, known for maize and livestock farming, had begun to witness a steady shift to sugarcane plantation, with agricultural officials making frantic efforts to avert the same.
The shift was motivated by the installation of West Sugar and Butali Sugar companies in Malava, alongside the traditional ones, Mumias Sugar and Nzoia Sugar companies.
While addressing farmers in Munyuki sub location in Lugari Sub County, Kakamega County Director for Veterinary Services, Dr. Jared Mulala lauded the national government, donor agencies and private sectors for swiftly stepping in and helping line departments to change mind sets farmers in the area.
“Since IFAD rolled out SDCP and now KCEP, the mad rush for sugarcane farming has subsided, with most small scale farmers instead embracing the agribusiness concept and especially dairy farming,” noted Mulala.
Malala observed Lugari and Likuyani, which form the northern hemisphere of Kakamega County, were identified due to their suitability for production of cereals, especially maize, beans, pigeon peas, sorghum, and millet and associated pulses, besides livestock
production.
“Lugari and Likuyani are the only sub counties where KCEP is operating presently,” noted Mulala, adding research conducted by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute indicated suitability of the region for the KCEP project.
KCEP, which was launched in the two sub counties in 2016, targets small households where it helps the beneficiaries to identify and adopt appropriate, productive and climate resilient agricultural practices in order to increase production of the cereals and related
crops.
“The new programme, which is operating in eight counties, will help reduce rural poverty and food insecurity, which has remained a major challenge in our country,” observed Mulala.
He said the overall objective was the graduation of vulnerable farmers from food insecurity to market-oriented farming, while putting in place sustainable natural resource management systems.
“The programme uses an integrated approach where beneficiary farmers access farm inputs through the e-voucher system, financial and extension support services, market access interventions such as warehouse receipt system and post-harvest management,” said Mr. Eliud Wepukhulu who is the Lugari Sub County Agricultural Officer.
Already 1000 small scale farmers from both Lugari and Likuyani sub counties have been enrolled to the programme and were provided with farm inputs during planting season early in the year.
Each farmer was given an e-voucher of Shs.21,000 by Equity bank that
used to purchase the inputs.
“A total of 4000 farmers in the two sub counties would benefit by end of the 3 year programme,” added Wepukhulu, adding most of the farmers opted for maize and beans production.
On its part, the county government of Kakamega has also put in place several measures in support of cereals and livestock production.
The government rolled out an ambitious Mavuno fertilizer subsidy programme, making the commodity affordable and accessible to small scale maize farmers.
The fertilizer sells at the rate of Shs.900 and Shs.1,800 per 25Kg and 50Kg bags respectively.
It should be noted the county recorded an increase in maize production by more than 1 million bags in 2015, an achievement agricultural officers attribute to the Mavuno fertilizer.
Soil experts highly recommended the fertilizer due to its lime content, which has helped to neutralize soil acidity of the region.
Apart from the subsidized fertilizer, the county government has also subsidized maize seeds.
The livestock sector received a boost when the government launched the One Cow Initiative in which 600 high quality in-calf grade cows were distributed to selected farmers.
“An additional 700 dairy cows will be distributed to another set of farmers this financial year,” disclosed Mulala, further revealing the country treasury has allocated Shs.500,000 for the agriculture sector.
With both the national and county governments in partnership with donor agencies allocating more cash for agricultural projects in Lugari and Likuyani, residents are optimistic of a more food secure future.
