The Kenyan government on Sunday announced a raft of measures including reducing cost of production in a bid to increase maize production in the country.
Willy Bett, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, said government will lease its land to farmers keen on growing maize to help increase maize production as the East Africa nation already faces 10 million bag deficit.
“We had a productive meeting with stakeholders in the maize sector and we have agreed on a raft of issues which will come in handy in addressing productivity,” Bett said while closing a three-day stakeholders’ forum in Naviasha, about 90 km northwest of Kenya.
Bett said that the government was keen to reduce pressure on maize, which is the country’s staple food.
He added that the country’s production stood at about 40 million bags per year compared to 50 million bags in consumption which meant that there was a major deficit of 10 million bags.
The CS said that the government would introduce a new policy which would make it a requirement for millers to blend maize with millet, sorghum or cassava as part of efforts to increase food security.
“Through this initiative, we shall reduce the issue of malnutrition by two percent annually and also give farmers involved in millet, sorghum or cassava a chance to sell their produce,” he said.
Bett further said that the government was keen to introduce mechanized farming adding that a 100 million U.S. dollar security facility had been introduced for farmers keen to use the services.
The Kenyan official said the government would phase out all maize varieties that were ten years old and promote the improved ones.
“In a bid to improve maize production we have agreed with the stakeholders that we shall operationalize 40,000 acres for irrigation under the national irrigation board,” he said.
Bett noted that various research institutions were working on ways of dealing with emerging pests and diseases.
“The 90 kg maize subsidy program is coming to an end and we are glad that it achieved its intervention plans and we now have crops ready for harvesting,” he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
