Farmers in Kilifi and Tana River counties are expected to be directly involved in the multi-billion Galana/Kulalu food project following the ongoing discussion between national and Kilifi and Tana River county governments. – By Ramadhan Kambi
The two devolved governments have been pushing for their farmers to take part in farming at the multi-billion project which is being implemented by the national government.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi told farmers who had come to receive seeds in his office on Wednesday that he held talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta together with his Tana River counterpart Dhadho Godhana in Nairobi where the issue of the Galana/Kulalu food project will be handled by both the national and county governments.
“On Monday together with Mr Godhana we had a meeting with the President about the Galana/Kulalu project. We talked a lot and it was agreed that time has come for the locals to be directly involved in the project,” he said.
Mr Kingi said both parties agreed at plan on how the farmers will be included, but added that there is going to be sensitization and public meetings on how the communities will be involved.
“In that project, there is Galana and Kulalu. The program which we came up with after the discussion with the President, it was agreed that we shall start with the Galana side of the project.
The issues at hand will be how a Kilifi farmer will own land inside the project, how the government will assist them in commercialization of their farming like established farmers,” he said.
Governor Kingi announced that soon, farmers in the county will be brought together and sensitized on how they can fully benefit from the project.
“In near future we want to have a situation that whenever farmers sell their produce to the government from the project, our farmers must also form part of the sellers. It is an issue which we have really taken it seriously and soon we shall come to the grassroots and keep it clear so that once we start it, everyone will be player. We want to shift from subsistence to commercial farming,” the Governor said.
He said that farming is a venture that does not need high education but anyone regardless of their education status can make good money out of farming.
“We want Kilifi farmers to be known like farmers in Trans-Nzoia, Uasini Gishu and among other counties growing a lot of maize,” he said.
The 30 metric tonnes of seeds worth Sh8 million was donated by Bayer East Africa Limited and the farmers will be trained on how to plant by Cereal Growers Association.
