Farming in Kisumu County has received a major boost after the acquisition of 23 tractors.

The tractors will help more farmers embrace mechanized agriculture.

This was in response to concerns that lack of mechanization contributed to food insecurity in Nyanza region.

The ceremony was presided over by Governor Jack Ranguma of Kisumu at Kenyatta Sports Ground.

During the function, the governor disclosed that the county government will subsidise the cost of hiring the tractors to boost their uptake.

In this regard, farmers from the six constituencies of Kisumu County are expected to engage in large scale high value crop production for exports.

“We want more people to come forward and utilise farms that have been lying fallow because of their large sizes. Farmers will only pay Sh1,500 per acre to use the tractors,” said Mr Ranguma.

FOOD SECURITY

He further said that the launch was an actualization of the government’s commitment to food security and value addition for economic growth of the region.

“We have started a journey that will make farmers from Kisumu and neighbouring counties increase their productivity beyond subsistence farming through higher yields,” he said.

He said 8 tractors were purchased by the county with 15 others acquired through partnership with private investors.

More tractors for lease will be made available from CMC Motors, Farmtrac, and Ford.

“We are also in the process of acquiring machinery to equip more agriculture service stations all over Kisumu County,” said Mr Ranguma.

Pandi Fresh Foods Operations Manager Dennis Ndira said that the company will ensure complete utilisation of the crops harvested through the farming initiatives that the county has embraced.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES

Mr Ndira said that private investments will create opportunities for the markets that have been a discouragement to many people seeking to engage in agriculture.

“We have come to solve your market needs. The orders we have from outside the county for high value crops are,” said Mr Ndira.

Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga who was also present at the launch said job creation through agriculture as a business will be made possible.

“We urge you to embrace the initiative and benefit from quick land preparations and make agribusiness a source of income,” said Ms Odinga.

She expressed optimism that the region, that had been stereotyped to be non-productive, will be food secure by the end of the current county government’s 5-year term.

“The value addition and export processing will surely build us, but we must take it up wholly to ensure the supply chain to other counties and internationally is not broken,” said Dr Stephen Orot, County Executive Member for Agriculture.

The tractors will enable more people engage in agriculture by utilising large tracts of land in Ahero, Muhoroni, Nyando and Rabuor.