Agriculture has been identified as one of the key sectors that will reduce poverty in Busia County according to Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma.
He was speaking while addressing farmers and agricultural stakeholders during the launching of a livestock vaccination program in Busia. The governor noted that his leadership is to make Busia great by ensuring that there is sustainable food production, surplus for value addition, and manufacturing and market access.
“Agriculture has been identified as one of the key sectors to reduce poverty. This will be achieved through transforming small-scale agriculture from subsistence to innovative, commercially oriented, and modern agriculture. We believe in an economy that supports and guarantees not only food security, but also ensures enhanced income for rural households,” said the Governor.
Otuoma said that as a county there were plans to make Busia one of the biggest rice producers in the country. Phase one with almost 8,000 acres of rice has been achieved with a target of a similar acreage in Budalangi.
Through the Kenya Livestock Commercialization Project (KeLCoP) funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) dairy goats, poultry, and apiculture programs have been introduced to farmers in the county as a way of improving their lives.
“The issue of dairy goats is not the first time we are talking about it. You are all aware of the challenges that we have faced before with similar projects and that is why we are talking of technology to change the way we do things this time so that we don’t give farmers goats which will die after a few years,” said the Governor.
To support food production in the wards the Otuoma said the County procured 28.5 tons of certified maize seed to support 7,125 farming households as a seed grant, 4,585 Kgs of BT cotton seeds, and 2,500 Kgs of sunflower which were issued to farmers across the county.
On mechanization, the county government has plans to expand it to support all farming households in Busia by procuring and deploying a total of 35 tractors (1 for each ward) to lower the cost of land preparation and increase profits for farmers.
“We want at least a minimum of 35 tractors so that we can have tractors in every ward. I believe through the Members of the county Assembly of Busia we are going to see something substantial to support agriculture in the county,” opined Otuoma.
The CECM in charge of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Blue Economy, and Smart Agriculture Dr. George Mukok, said the support of the governor and members of the County Assembly of Busia will play a big role in promoting agriculture in the county. He listed one achievement as that of enabling farmers to get fertilizer in their sub-county. Initially, farmers were forced to go to Malaba to collect fertilizer. They are also working closely with the Department of Trade to form a cooperative society in every ward to enable farmers to access the market for their farm produce easily.
