News Detail

Faith Songok December 14, 2020

YARA MILA PROGRAM OFFERS YIELD PRODUCE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS TO FARMER COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN NANDI.

The cooperative model is best known for its versatile approach in supporting the broad spectrum of a farming enterprise. It is in its collaborative nurture that it continues to be the only effective vehicle of development that can fully support an individual farmer in all the phases of his farming venture. The department recognizes this and is in a continuous dedicated pursuit to equip its cooperative societies with effective knowledge and resources in a bid to have its farmers be among the top leading players in the market.

On Monday the County Government of Nandi through the department of Agriculture and Cooperative Development in partnership with YARA Mila fertilizer program held a workshop constituting officials of farmer cooperative societies across all value chains and YARA Mila fertilizer. The workshop agenda was geared towards informing the societies on YARA products and the niche it closes when it comes to solving low farm output problems as a result of unsuited nutrient application, poor fertilizer composition and wrong quantity use per acreage.

The value chains represented was tea, coffee, and avocado, potato, maize and dairy.

Farmer societies representative officials

YARA Mila is a high quality standard fertilizer which brings quality and high productivity to the yielding phase of a crop. The uniqueness of YARA Mila fertilizer is that it is formulated with an analysis assurance specifically tailored with nutrients rightly configured to suit the different needs of each crop, type of soil and the acreage capacity.

Display of YARA Mila fertilizers

YARA Mila products provide all nutrients intended for higher yields, are less acidifying and friendly to soil and are an affordable solution to higher farmer profitability.

YARA Mila representatives took the meeting through a detailed explanation of YARA products, their product composition, benefits, recommended usage, and the specific types for different crops.

According to Mr. Sengwer YARA territory manager, Cooperative societies and YARA program share an interest in improving farmer lives and it is in this intrigue that the organization seeks to form a partnership with cooperative societies in an aim of doing business with these farmer institutions.

YARA Mila Territory Manager, Mr.Sengwer.

He emphasized on the tailor effect YARA products have specific to the needs of each value chain and its unique benefits of providing all nutrients intended for higher yields, its properties are less acidifying and friendly to soil and it provides affordable solution for higher farmer profitability through inputting less and yielding more.

Speaking during the event, CEC Agriculture and Cooperative Development, Dr. Kiplimo Arap Lagat appreciated the role of the partnership in providing knowledge for the growth of the farmer.

CECM Agriculture and Cooperative Development, Dr.Kiplimo Arap Lagat

Key among is the need to restore back our soil properties which according to KALRO has been extremely acidified through the common use of Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer in the area. DAP is not favorable to soils due to its high acidifying effect that in turn results in poor yields.

He also informed on models the county government is working on to strengthen the structure and equip the leadership of cooperative societies so as to enhance good governance among farmer institutions.

‘’Good governance is of importance to drive proactive measures needed for a farmer to benefit from the collaborative nature of a farmer society. I urge the cooperators present to use their positions to effect change in the mode and way of doing farming in Nandi. Nandi has a very big potential of being a top leading player in the sector owing to the fact that its farmers practice diversified farming.”

He urged the officials to look into systems that will negotiate better prices of inputs and resources to their farmers and those which would provide a platform for all value chains to coexist and share support.

He assured of the County Government support to see a forward movement of all farming activities in the interest and benefit of a farmer.

Also in attendance was Chief Officer Agriculture who recognized the role the partnership provides in securing food certainty in our county and its position to make farming a high profitable venture for farmers.

Chief Officer Agriculture, Mr. Wilson Lelei

The Managing Director YARA East Africa praised the mark of quality of YARA products stating that it is the leading fertilizer according to the measure of ISO standards. He also stated that apart from its interest in impacting farmer lives, the partnership goes a long way in creating systems to aid cooperatives better track their farmers’ productivity levels and thus provide opportunities to improve and stabilize their yield return.

Managing Director YARA Mila East Africa.

Also among the partners of YARA program was Co-operative Bank represented by Mr. Kipchumba. Co-operative Bank has a Memorandum of Understanding with YARA to support farmers’ access farm inputs. Within the program, the bank will help finance purchase of the fertilizer through a credit system. The MOU targets farmers, farmer societies, agro vet companies and SACCOs.

Cooperative Bank Relationship Manager, Mr. Kipchumba

“The credit system used does not incur interests and the only charge to be incurred will be a 2% service fee.”

YARA products are available at Jubilee, Tiryo, Chai Farmers and Wareng Agro Vets.

 

Mrs Leah Saina a farmer and treasurer Cebo Kaptich cooperative society giving a testimonial on the results of using YARA fertilizer on her tea farm.

Planning Officer Cooperative Development, Ms Charity Jepkosgei giving a vote of thanks in representation of the office.

 

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