Baringo residents have been called upon to embrace cash crop farming to benefit from the government’s initiative to transform agriculture in the country.
Led by Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui and Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi, the leaders made the call at KSG Baringo during the dissemination of MTP IV.
Chelugui emphasised the importance of shifting from subsistence food crops to cash crops in the county as a means of increasing wealth, saying they will tap into government investment in the sector, especially in the new MTP IV circle.
He said the National Government will work together with the County Governments to ensure smooth implementation of development programmes in the county.
“We are going to support the County Government of Baringo in terms of development, especially in value chain creation in coffee and cotton,” promised Chelugui.
“We have always been focusing on food crops instead of cash crops, we must balance what we eat with what is in our pockets. Baringo could be one of the largest producers of coffee in the country,” stated Chelugui.
He stressed that most wealthy individuals in Kenya rely heavily on cash crops. He urged the residents to seek solutions by investing in and generating more cash crops such as coffee and cotton.
“As I lead the campaign to raise the coffee production from 51 metric tonnes to 200 metric tonnes, I want Baringo to be part of the plans so that they can get income from crop farming,” added Chelugui.
Chelugui confirmed that Baringo is among the counties that will benefit from the Sh100 million revitalization of the cotton industry with the improvement of the ginning process.
“There is a programme for planting cotton, and Baringo is one of the beneficiaries; we should dwell on coffee and cotton, and since cotton doesn’t require a lot of water and rain, it’s convenient in our county.”
Baringo Governor Cheboi outlined the county’s strategic plan to diversify its agricultural portfolio.
“As a county, we are putting into consideration the cultivation of cash crops like coffee, sisal, macadamia, and mangoes,” stated Cheboi.
The governor highlighted the county’s efforts to create a conducive environment for farmers, including improving infrastructure and providing technical support to farmers.
He called on the government to facilitate market creation for the farmers’ products to ensure they reap maximum benefits for their efforts.
On his part, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum said the government is creating sector support where farmers will no longer worry about where to sell their products as they will find ready markets.
He termed sessional papers, national development agendas, and cabinet resolutions alongside the MTP as tools to actualize development in the country.
His health counterpart, Harry Kimtai, took the participants, who included government officials at both levels of government, members of the public, and special interest groups, on the key areas the government will concentrate on in the next five years of the budgeting circle.
Kimtai revealed that a new livestock training institute will be established in Mogotio Baringo, having been budgeted for in the coming budget to a tune of Sh150 million.
The forum highlighted a clear pathway for Baringo to invest in cash crops, which will represent a strategic move towards bolstering the county’s economic stability and enhancing its presence on the global agricultural market.
By Jacinta Kipruto and Christopher Kiprop
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