Posted on April, 5, 2016 at 10:30 am
Song and dance characterized the opening of Kapcherop community cereals store yesterday, 50 years after it was approved. The cereals store with a capacity of 50,000 bags was officially opened by Marakwet West Mp William Kisang before handing it over to North Rift National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Regional Manager Samuel Yego.
The project was funded by the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to a tune of Sh9 million. Residents, who attended the ceremony, blamed successive leaders for using construction of the store as a campaign tool each election year, but once they were in power failed to fulfill the pledge.
They said lack of an NCPB depot created room for exploitation by middlemen who buy their produce at throwaway prices. Middlemen have also been exploiting farmers by selling fertilisers at exorbitant prices. Geoffery Kibet, a resident, said the stories a godsend since they have been grappling with transport challenges and difficulties in accessing subsidized farm inputs from the Government.
“This is historic for us because we have been relying on store, which are in faraway centres, forcing us to dig deeper into our pockets,” he said. Kibet noted that middlemen have been having a field day by selling fertiliser for them at between Sh3,500 and Sh4,000 per 50kg bag. He added the situation is bound to change because NCPB will stock the depot with the farm inputs.
Kipkemoi Chemelil said the opening of the store will alleviate and increase their income through savings from what they would have used to transport their produce. Lilian Kering said the store will alleviate fertiliser shortage thus improving yields. Most farmers have been planting without the crucial inputs.
The MP said residents used to transport cereals to far-away NCPB stores including Moi’s Bridge in Tras Nzoia County or Eldoret in Uasin Gishu, making them incur costly expenses. “This project was one of my campaign pledges after I realized the hardships residents undergo here. The store will be used as a buying centre as well as a distribution store for subsidized government inputs,” said Kisang.
The NCPB managersaid previously, they have been buying cereals from a private store that was poorly ventilated, exposing the cereals to contamination. He added the new store will enable them meet safety standards. Elgeyo Marakwet Depuy Governor Gabriel Lagat hailed the CDF committee for constructing the store.
Source: The Standard Newspaper/ Tuesday, April 5, 2016 /Rift Valley News/ Page 26 – www.standardmedia.co.ke