Category: Agriculture and Cooperative Development

23 Sep
By: Peter Koima 0

MAKUENI’S AGRICULTURAL TEAM END THEIR 3 DAY BENCH MARKING TOUR OF NANDI

A group of farmers from Makueni County have concluded a three day Agricultural Education Tour of Nandi County. The group of 20 farmers visited various farmers cooperatives, farms and county projects across the county during their bench marking visit.

According to the team leader retired Major Mwania, the trip which was organized and sponsored by the County Government of Makueni in partnership with KENAFF was aimed at helping farmers gain a better understanding of agricultural production and to learn from the best how Farmers’ Cooperatives Societies (FCS) are managed and organized under one umbrella body such as the Nandi Dairy Farmers Cooperative Union, NDFCU.

“We felt that this tour was important for two reasons; the need to have a deeper understanding on Agricultural production and secondly how Farmers’ Cooperatives can be well organized and strengthened.” said Mjr. Mwania.

The team was received to Nandi County by Chief Officer for Agriculture Mr. Wilson K. Lelei who appreciated the team for choosing to come and bench-mark in Nandi. He challenged the visiting farmers to maximize the opportunity presented to them and ensure they go back home more knowledgeable than they came.

The team lauded efforts by the County Government of Nandi of supporting farmers especially through extension services, capacity building and for well thought out projects/programmes such as Nandi Cooperative Creameries (NCC) and AI Subsidy Programme promising to send more farmers from Makueni to learn and Benefit. #TransformingNandi

Read More
05 Aug
By: Peter Koima 3

PHASE I CONSTRUCTION OF NANDI COOPERATIVE CREAMERIES (NCC) NOW AT 60%, SAYS JSC.

In efforts to revive the dairy sector in Nandi County, the County Government is constructing a Milk Processing Plant in Kabieyet ward, Mosop Sub County to encourage value addition and job creation.

The Government identifed Kabiyet due to its close proximity to major milk producing primary cooperative societies of the county.

To ensure this is achieved, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) spearheading the implementation of this flagship project and constituting of the Nandi Dairy Cooperative Union (NDCU) officials, Government officials and the contractor held a meeting today to follow up on the progress of construction and equipping of the plant.

Among the issues discussed included the completion of the structure, supply & installation of equipment, aquisition of an additional parcel of land, electricity connection, water suppy and marketing strategy.

Earlier on, the committee inspected the construction works at Kabiyet whose construction is estimated at 60% and it’s expected to be complete September 2019. The JSC alluded that it intents to deliver Nandi Milk to the market on time.

Installation of milk coolers are underway across all the 30 wards in the county. And to increase milk production, the government through the department of Agriculture and Cooperative continue to offer quality AI semen at a subsidized price.

In line with Governor Sang’s manifesto, the Government through the plant intents to also supply pupils under the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) in the entire county once the project complete.

Among the JSC members present at today’s meeting included CECM Agriculture Dr Kiplimo Araap Lagat, CECM for Trade Mr. Jacob Tanui and Tourism Wilson Taiy. Others included commitee Co-chair Mr. Rugut, COs Dr. Benerdate Tiony (Cooperatives) and Wilson Lelei (Agriculture).

#TransformingNandi

Read More
18 Apr
By: Peter Koima 1

AI Service Providers Undergo Refresher Workshop

After Governor Sang’s administration subsidized the Artificial Insemination (AI) service fee to improve the genetic potential and the breeds of dairy animals in Nandi County, many farmers across the county can now afford the recommended AI service and the demand for the semen has greatly increased. In order to meet this huge demand, the County department of Agriculture & Co-operative Development through the directorate of veterinary services is determined to ensure that Artificial Insemination (AI) service providers across the county are well equipped, trained and facilitate to ensure all farmers taste and enjoy this transformation.

AI Service providers keenly following during the workshop

While addressing the workshop on Thursday, Chief Officer Agriculture Wilson Lelei noted that his department is keen in transforming the dairy sector and therefore the refresher course for the inseminators was not only timely but also very necessary. Mr. Lelei urged the participants to leverage on the opportunity presented to them and sharpen their skills in order to improve on service deliver.

Chief Officer Agriculture Wilson Lelei addressing the session

According to the directorate of livestock services, over 12,000 cows have been served with the government subsidized AI semen across the county since July 2018. This has been made possible by the recruitment of 45 new service providers who double as Animal Health Assistants and acquisition of 45 new motorcycle for each one of them.

Motorcycles for the AI Service providers.

Dr. Samson Bitok, the director Livestock services, said that the training is aimed at ensuring 99% conception rates. “We want to ensure that we have quality AI service that will result in high conception rate and that will eventually give us good population of the next generation of good quality, high performance heifer/dairy herd in Nandi County.” said Dr. Bitok.

Dr. Samson Bitok, Director Livestock.

This, he adds, will ensure that milk supply meet the demand not only for Nandi Cooperative Creameries (NCC) set to be established but also for the external demands.

The subsidized Artificial Insemination semen are readily available for Ksh 2200 sexed semen and Ksh 600 local conventional semen.

AI Service providers pose for a photo with the CECM Agriculture Dr. Kiplimo Araap Lagat.

Among the topics covered include semen production, semen handling and quality control, insemination technique and calf rearing among others. The main objective of the workshop was to build capacity of the AI service providers in order to enhance conception rates which will result to improved breeds and ultimately increased production of milk.

#TransformingNandi

Read More
21 Mar
By: Peter Koima 0

Addressing Rampant Fragmentation and Wanton Sale of Agricultural Land.

Nandi Gaa Kaburwa council of elders on Thursday engaged in talks with the County Government of Nandi on how to leverage on long standing Nandi culture to attain Food Security as envisioned in the President’s Big Four Agenda and Governor Sang’s manifesto.

In an action plan reached in the consultative meeting, the County Government will be exploring how to codify and mainstream the Nandi culture to stream the wanton sale and rampant sub-divisions of land which fragmentation has a negative impact on Agricultural Productivity.

CECM for Agriculture and Co-operative Development Dr. Kiplimo Araap Lagat while addressing the council said that the official position of the Government is to keep control of the food producing land by leveraging on Nandi long standing cultures to maintain and/or attain food security in the county and country at large.

The council also welcomed the strides the County Government is making in pursuit to have investigative hearings into historical land injustices.

Read More
03 Mar
By: Luiz Kipkoech Patrick 1

COUNTY HOLDS A THREE DAY AGRICULTURAL FIELD DAY FOR FARMERS

The County Government of Nandi through its department of Agriculture & Cooperative Development is holding a three day Agricultural Exhibition Field Day at Ndubusat Centre in Chepkunyuk ward, Nandi Hills Sub-County.

While officially opening the Field Day on Thursday, the CECM Agriculture & Cooperative Development Dr. Kiplimo Araap Lagat launched a Free Livestock Deworming program in collaboration with Sidai Africa Limited; a fully vertically-integrated company supplying quality livestock and crop inputs to farmers.

In his address, Dr Lagat said that the program which compliments the government’s plan of disease control forms part of a bigger picture of ensuring healthy dairy animals in the county.

He added that the objective of the exhibition is to promote new & best agricultural practices to farmers in the ward while demonstrating and training farmers on disease control among other sustainable agripractices.

The area MCA Dr. Paul Sanga appreciated the department of Agriculture for supporting the field and their day to day extension services.

Also present was the director veterinary services Dr. Samson Bitok who urged farmers to make use of the subsidized AI program by the county government to get quality breeds for their animals.

Partners present in the exhibition included Meru Greens, Lelbren Dairies, Sidai, Herbex and Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC).

Agricultural exhibitions are very important and rewarding experience to many farmers as it help them learn and acquire more knowledge and skills in modern agricultural practices.

Read More
19 Nov
By: Peter Koima 1

Nandi County Tea Farmers Rural-Sacco’s Consultative Meeting

Today, an association of tea farmers and other stakeholders in the industry held a consultative meeting with senior officials from the Cooperative Development department in an effort to find solutions to the challenges ailing the tea sector.

Tea farmers had an opportunity to engage and air their grievances bedevilling them to the CECM Agriculture & Cooperative Development Dr Kiplimo Araap Lagat, CO Cooperative Development Dr. Benedette Tiony, CO Agriculture Mr. Wilson Lelei and Director Cooperative Development Mr. Stalin Koech.

Some of the challenges highlighted by the farmers include high cost of production, poor governance among cooperatives, tea hawking where brokers continue to use information asymmetry to farmers disadvantage among others.

CECM Agriculture and Cooperative Development Dr, Kiplimo Lagat giving his remarks. {PHOTO COURTESY}

Dr Lagat reaffirmed his commitment to address and fix the problems in the industry once and for all in the interest of the tea farmers.

“We want to work with Sacco(s), cooperatives and societies hand in hand to fix the challenges faced by members”.

CO for Cooperatives Dr. Tiony agreed with Dr Lagat saying that societies need to fix the gaps of governance in their respective cooperative if they want to prosper.”

Chief Officer Cooperative Development Dr. Benedette Tiony

Mr. Lelei who is the CO in charge of Agriculture said that one of the solutions to the problems being faced by the sector can be addressed through introduction of a subsidy program that would see farmers get inputs at affordable prices.

Tea farming in Nandi is an important sector of the economy hence the need to support the sector that employs thousands of our residents and generates a lot of revenue to our county.#TransformingNandi

Read More
23 Aug
By: Evans Sirma 0

SANG ON ROUND TABLE WITH DAIRY FARMERS TO CHART WAY ON MILK PROCCESING.

By Cornelius Kipkoech Chebwaai.

Plans to establish the first ever milk processing factory in Nandi has kicked off after the County Government of Nandi begun to hold a series of consultative meetings with dairy stakeholders in the county to lay down all the necessary strategies.

In a consultative meeting held in Kapsabet with all the Dairy Cooperative Societies in Nandi on Tuesday, Nandi Governor Stephen Sang said the County government has allocated 115 Million shillings in the 2018/2019 financial year towards the establishment of the milk processing plant and the process of building the factory and acquisition of machines will begin before the end of this year.

However, Governor sang lamented that low volumes of milk being produced currently could adversely affect the 200,000 Capacity factory once it is operational.

Sang said the current capacity of milk produced stands at 51,000 Litres only and there were need for the farmers to improve the productivity to meet the capacity of the processing plant.

The county boss said the his administration will  continue to work tirelessly  to ensure that the daily milk production targets are met as the construction of the milk factory gets underway citing the already running Artificial Insemination program as one of the ambitious interventions by his government to ensure that high quality livestock breeds are sired for the dairy farmers.

On the other hand, Dairy farmers lauded governor Sang’s efforts to transform the County’s Agriculture sector pledging to put together their efforts to ensure the success of the Value Addition Strategies laid down by his government.

It is estimated that nearly 17,000 households in Nandi practice small scale dairy farming with an Avarage milk production standing at a paltry 3Litres per household.

Read More