Farmers urged to plant drought resistant and early maturing crops

Nanyuki,

Thursday, March 30, 2023

K.N.A

By Muturi Mwangi

Farmers in Laikipia have been urged to plant drought resistant and early maturing crops to avert hunger due to the prevailing poor rainy season.

Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said diversifying to crops like cassava and early maturing vegetables would cushion residents from hunger in future and lower the cost of food produce.

“We urged farmers to plant crops not only maize but crops that are easy to mature, it will cushion them from hunger in future and also save them money,” said the county commissioner.

Kanyiri said farmers had started benefiting from the government subsidized fertilizer programme.

“We have already received a consignment of fertilizer in Nyahururu. At first, we received 2400 bags of fertilizer and now we have got 2,220 bags that are being distributed to farmers by the National Cereals and Produce Board,” Kanyiri said.

In Laikipia East, farmers had also started receiving fertilizer at the Nanyuki National Cereals and Produce Board depot. A bag of 50-kilogram fertilizer retailed at Sh 3500 as directed by the government.

Laikipia county, there are about 51, 371 registered farmers, with Nyahururu having 20,631 farmers, Laikipia West 15,449 farmers, Laikipia East, North and Laikipia Central have 6,812, 326 and 8,153 farmers respectively. Kanyiri said, farmers registration was still ongoing

At the same time, Kanyiri asked residents to take advantage of the ongoing rainy season to plant trees.

“We asked residents to help us fulfil the president's directive of planting trees. All types of trees including fruit trees because we are experiencing rainfall and this will increase their survival rate,” Kanyiri urged.

Courtesy K.N.A