CASSAVA PRODUCTION IN BUSIA ENHANCED AS SHIFT FOCUSES ON VALUE ADDITION AND MARKETING
The County Government of Busia has expressed satisfaction with the amount of cassava being produced within the county as it now shifts focus to value addition and market linkages.
According to the County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Agribusiness, Dr Moses Osia, the high production which has been realized through partnerships and collaboration with stakeholders like Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
(KALRO) and World Bank through the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) among others, has greatly reduced food poverty among the residents.
“We have witnessed this cassava value chain actually putting food on the table and money in the pockets of farmers and thus insist on use of good variety and proper technologies” said Dr Osia as he called on more investors to help add value to the produce.
Dr Osia was speaking at the ground breaking of the construction of a cassava value addition cottage industry at Okilidu, Teso South Sub County for the Katamakis Self help group as he assured them that the County Government has plans in place to get market for their products.
Dr John Wambua, an expert researcher with KALRO said the organization is focused on technologies and thus encouraged farmers to adopt the new technologies right from the seed, management to value addition and market linkages on social media platforms.
Katamakis group which has fifty acres of land under cassava production received a donattion of chipping machine with Dr Wambua promising to bring more so that the group can maximize on their gains.
Led by their Chairperson, Grace Eling’it, Katamakis group appreciated the County Government for supporting them through KCSAP which has improved their lives economically.
Cassava is one of the value chain being supported through KCSAP and so far 44 groups or 1235 households have benefitted with an output of 720 tonnes expected annually.
Post Author
