Makueni green gram farmers are set to benefit from the national government initiative launched last week to promote green grams as a model crop in the county by enabling the farmers acquire best production skills, grain processing services and market to ensure full returns.
Last year July, over 314,00 farmers in Ukambani counties of which Makueni is one experienced green grams market glut due to increased production but depressed local and foreign markets demand forcing the prices to drop from Sh100 to Sh40 per kilo.
“The ministry would promote the crop through farmer capacity building, marketing and other value chain linkages to ensure maximum profitability,” said Hamadi Boga, Principal Secretary for Agriculture.
The government will also equip Mukuyuni grain value addition and processing facility.
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Already, the Indian government through the intervention by its Kenyan counterpart, last year promised that it will buy 100,000 tonnes of the crop every year from the farmers.
Following this, the government will specifically fund 24 seed bulking multiplication sites which will see the target area under green gram production increase from 80,000 ha to 115,000 ha.
The programme is geared towards increasing production and commercialisation of green grams as the main focus among grains.
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Governor Kivutha Kibwana, who hosted the PS, said out of the county government’s support and that of its partners, the acreage under pulses increased to a tune of about Sh8bn.
“We are now focusing on grain processing with plans underway to construct the Makindu Integrated Grain Processing Facility to add value to pulses and enable farmers access both local and export markets,” said Kibwana.
According to 2014-2016 economic review on agriculture sector, Kenya produces over 103,234 metric tonnes of green grams annually with over 6,000 metric tonnes coming from the neighbouring countries in case of a deficit.
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Makueni farmers who grow among other pulses beans, cowpeas, green grams and dolichos under 255,432 hectares under the guardianship of the Agriculture Executive Committee Member Lawrence Nzunga on Thursday last week singled out green grams as their preferred model crop.
The decision was made during a county farmers’ field day at Kwa Kathoka KALRO farm, an event which was presided over by Boga who said that following their preferred choice, the farmers will benefit from agronomical trainings on the crop among other offers.
The event was organised by Makueni County government in collaboration with Kenya Plant Health Inspection services (KEPHIS).