Nandi Governor Encourages Investment in Agriculture for Enhanced Food Security

Kapsabet, Nandi County – Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has called on locals to invest more in agriculture to bolster food security in the region. His remarks came during the Nandi County Agricultural Field Day and exhibitions held at the Kapsabet showground. The event, themed ‘Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture and Trade Initiatives for Sustainable Economic Growth,’ focused on the critical role of agriculture in the county’s economy and its potential to create job opportunities.

According to Kenya News Agency, Governor Sang emphasized that agriculture is not only the county’s economic backbone but also key to reclaiming its status as a national breadbasket. He expressed the county’s ambition to contribute to Kenya’s economic stability by reducing imports and increasing exports, thereby stabilizing the Kenyan shilling.

The governor highlighted the importance of agriculture as a cornerstone for economic growth and urged farmers to adopt modern farming technologies. This, he believes, will increase food and milk production. He noted that initiatives like field days and exhibitions are essential for bridging the gap between traditional practices and innovative technologies. Sang assured that his administration would support farmers in learning new farming techniques to maximize profits from their produce.

Governor Sang also mentioned several flagship projects nearing completion, including the Milk processing plant in Kabiyet, Coffee mill factory in Tinderet, Avocado pack house, and a modern chicken slaughterhouse. These projects aim to move the county from primary production to value addition. The Nandi Dairy Cooperative Factory, one of the largest in the North Rift region, is expected to process over 200,000 liters of milk per day, while the chicken slaughterhouse in Kapsabet town has a capacity of processing 500 birds per hour.

However, Sang expressed concern about the current milk production levels. He stated that it would be regrettable if the new plant had to source milk from other counties or countries due to insufficient local production. He called upon stakeholders to ensure that dairy farmers adopt new farming techniques, like Artificial Insemination (AI), to get quality breeds and increase milk production from the current average of 5 liters per cow to around 15 liters.

Stakeholders at the event urged farmers to intensify their efforts and increase food production. This is crucial not only to protect the governor’s legacy but also to ensure that the newly established factories have adequate raw materials for their operations.