Elgeyo Marakwet: Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich has made an appeal to dairy farmers in the county, urging them to support the government’s initiative to revitalize the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) by resuming their milk deliveries to the company.
According to Kenya News Agency, the delivery stoppage by farmers was primarily due to financial issues faced by the KCC, which resulted in delayed payments. However, Governor Rotich reassured farmers at an Agricultural Field Day held at Chebara Agricultural Training College in Marakwet West sub-County that the company has resolved these issues and is now ensuring prompt payment for milk deliveries. He pledged that payments for October deliveries would be completed by the following week.
The government has intervened by allocating Sh2 billion for modernizing KCC’s equipment and guaranteeing timely payments to farmers. Governor Rotich emphasized the importance of this initiative as part of a broader strategy to enhance wealth creation and encourage each
farmer to invest in agricultural activities, thereby boosting food security and income.
In his address, Rotich also announced plans for each ward to hold a field day to honor the leading farmer in wealth creation. He urged agricultural companies to collaborate in these events, tailored to the successful agricultural activities in each ward, to ensure that all farmers adopt modern farming techniques.
Furthermore, Rotich stated that the Chebara Field Day would become an annual event, marking the culmination of the ward field days. He encouraged farmers to transition from traditional methods to modern agribusiness practices. The County Government, he assured, would complete the construction of the Chebara ATC, which began last year, and ensure the facility includes hostels to accommodate farmers seeking training.
CEC Agriculture Edwin Seronei highlighted the importance of embracing technology in farming to reduce expenses and maximize yields. This year’s exhibition, themed ‘Promote Smart Climate Technology an
d Innovation for Wealth Creation,’ was well-received by farmers, who expressed appreciation for the valuable knowledge gained to enhance their production.