County Government of Laikipia

One of the key areas of focus for H.E. Governor Joshua Irungu is Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security. The Governor highlighted that his government will strive to achieve household and individual food security at the village level being an expert in Agriculture.

To achieve this, the Governor, accompanied by a team from the Agriculture department visited three maize storage facilities(Mutanga, Sipili, and Kinamba) to check the status of the warehouses and come up with a strategy to ensure that farmers in Laikipia West will store their maize in the facilities.

Harvesting of the crop begins in a month's time. The County department of Agriculture has put in efforts to ensure that these three warehouses are fully operational in line with a pledge made by the Governor to farmers in Laikipia West.

Additionally, through the implementation of a warehouse receipt system, the farmers will be able to store the grains in the stores and use them as collateral for getting credit.

This will also ensure that the prices of the cereals are stabilized by adjusting the demand and supply. More youths will be employed to work in the warehouses as farmers increase their income.

The Governor later hosted a team from the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union(KPCU) in Tandare, Laikipia West with an aim of reviving and promoting Coffee production in Laikipia West. The farmers will be trained and a 10-acre demo farm established in Gatirima. A coffee seedlings nursery has also been set up at Lariak Forest.

The Department was led by the Ag. Chief Officer Ms. Elizabeth Wangari, Ag. Director of Agriculture Mr. Peter Gachugia, ASDSP County Coordinator Mr. Nyapola, Laikipia West Agricultural Officers among other officers from the department.

In her remarks, Ms. Elizabeth Wangari mentioned that she will lead the team of officers from the department in ensuring that farmers are well equipped with the knowledge and skills to enable them to practice agriculture as a business.