Posted on August, 6, 2019 at 09:26 am
By MAGATI OBEBO Correspondent, Kisii - The Star
Kisii residents are poised to reap benefits following a decision by the county government to increase investment in agriculture.
Three factories are being built on a public private partnership basis to process produce.
The processing plants are at advanced stages of completion.
Governor James Ongwae said the investments are part of efforts by his administration to ensure the farmer benefits from devolution.
He said most banana and avocado farmers in the county are at the mercy of brokers who are brutally exploitative.
"In fact, the farmers are currently losing up to 70 per cent of the gross value of their produce to these middlemen," Ongwae said.
Much of produce ends up in industries in Thika and Nairobi with brokers laughing all the way to the bank at the expense of the struggling farmer.
Ongwae said this will stop once the banana and avocado factories are completed
"More processing plants are in the pipeline but we want these first ones to play the vanguard role in giving hope to our farmers. We want an impregnable barrier created between them and these exploitative middlemen," the governor told the Star.
On Friday, Ongwae said Sombogo Tea Factory in Marani, Kitutu Chache North, which has been under construction for the last two years is nearing completion.
"This is not a public relations excercise as critics are bound to term it. The engineering works going on at the site are nearing completion. This project is a testimony that the propaganda that we are not doing anything is substantially hollow and unfounded," Ongwae said.
The factory is a joint venture between the county and the Kenya Tea Development Agency.
"Ideally, it is not the role of governments to conduct business . We are doing this to show the way for the investors trickling in that they can get value for their money if they set up enterprises here,"the county boss said.
The county has so far invested Sh30 million in the tea factory project, the governor said.
Agriculture executive Hezman Onsarigo separately told the Star the banana factory funded jointly by the European Union and the county is a testament to the growing list of initiatives to uplift the residents.
"The European Union are giving infrastructural support by drilling water which will be used in the factory and serve neighbouring institutions and residents. The factory will process bananas to produce flour, wine and animal feed from waste material,” he confirmed.
He said already the department has started reviving banana cooperatives which have been dormant.
The societies will be mandated to buy bananas from farmers and deliver to the factory.
The county has given Sh60 million while the European Union has given Sh160 million for the banana factory.
Governor Ongwae said the sugar factory planned at Nyangweta in South Mugirango has received a go ahead from the Senate.
"The matter was taken by the Senate committee on Agriculture who have since okayed the project. I am sure the investor is poised to start works upon the finalisation of the remaining few technical issues," he said.
Upon completion, more than 600 people will get direct employment while more than 10,000 others will indirectly benefit .
The plant will produce power which will be fed into the national grid.
Governor Ongwae told farmers especially in South Mugirango to plant more sugarcane for the new sugar plant.
The national government plans to set up a soapstone factory in South Mugirango.
" We have already held meetings and valuable discussions with them regarding this proposal which I am sure will come to pass," the county boss said.
On Saturday, South Mugurango MP Silvanus Osoro urged the county government to fast track the sugar factory.
Source: The Star