Farmers brightened their faces as they received the cheques
The Mountain Journal
Murang’a coffee farmers will celebrate the Christmas and New Year in a style after they got Sh80 million to improve farming.
In the joint pact between the World Bank and Murang’a County Government seven coffee societies will each receive Sh7.5 million to support improvement of the lucrative sector.
The pact under the National Agriculture and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) of Sh300 million where the County government gave Sh100 million to partner with the Sh200 Million from the World Bank.
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Photo/ Coffee farmers receiving cheque from Governor Irungu Kang’ata
Presiding over the disbursement of cheques to the leaders of the cooperatives, Governor Irungu Kang’ata said his administration will concentrate on coffee farming.
“ Am interested in increased production of coffee per tree, as the majority are producing less than three kilogrammes annually,” said Kang’ata who was accompanied by his Agriculture and Livestock CEC Prof Kamau Kiringai.
Photo/ Governor Irungu Kang’ata displaying a Sh80 million cheque to members of a coffee cooperative society.
The allocation will be utilised in the procuring of eco pulping equipment, renovating the factories, titling of the factory floors, installation of security lights , subsidized fertilizer among other needs.
Eco pulping equipment uses little water in the processing of coffee unlike the old machine.
The societies that benefited are Ruchu-Gacharage, Kangunu, Kamacharia, Thangaini, Karurumo, Kangiri and Kaganda.
Other projects that benefited from the kitty on agribusiness programme are Ititu-Ikundu irrigation members got Sh15 million , Saba Saba Banana farmers.
The agriculture extension officers got 29 motor cycles bought to support the food security programme to enable them to visit the farmers.
Phot/ Governor Irungu Kang’ata addressing coffee farmers at the Murang’a County Chambers.
Present in the function were speaker of the assembly Johnson Mukuha, Majority leader Kibe Wa Sarry, MCAs Moses Mirara( Kangari), Liz Mbugua (Kinyona) Morris Thuku ( Kiru), Chefman Isaac Njoroge ( Kahumbu) among others.
The MCAs from tea growing areas called the county administration to consider formulating a tea policy that will allow allocation of a subsidy to the tea growers.
They said the tea farmers are required to be assisted to access low cost fertilizer to support increased production.
“Tea farmers are looking for cheap fertilizer and thus need a guideline from the county government on subsidy,” said Mirara.
Kahumbu MCA said the coffee enhancement programme should be supported as it will help many of the youth.
“Kahumbu should be included in the World Bank programme as we have started rehabilitating the youth involving them in coffee farming,” said Chefman.
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