Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Mutahi Kagwe (left), presents an award to the Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Mr Wilfred Mwenda, during an agricultural event held in Mombasa. Photo/Courtesy.
By Lawrence Ongaro
Kiambu County emerged top at a major agricultural conference held last weekend in Mombasa County.
The conference brought together all 47 counties and focused on agricultural issues.
It was sponsored by the World Bank and officiated by Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Mr Mutahi Kagwe.
Key issues discussed included the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project.
Boosting agricultural production
Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Mr Wilfred Mwenda Kiara, said the county has, over the past three years, made deliberate efforts to significantly boost agricultural production.
He noted that farmers across all wards in the county have received free fertiliser, as well as maize, bean and pawpaw seeds.
“We are proud of the good harvest this season, but we cannot say that there is drought in our county,” the county minister explained.
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He added that a project to distribute piglets and chicks at the grassroots level, initiated by Governor Kimani Wamatangi, has borne fruit, with farmers benefiting greatly.
However, the growing challenge of hyenas invading human settlements and attacking livestock in areas such as Juja and Mwalimu Farm has become a major concern for residents.
He said residents in these areas have lost several sheep and goats to hyenas that have been encroaching on their homes.
Cooperatives and government agenda
Mr Kiara further revealed that Kiambu County has already disbursed Sh40 million to farmers who are members of cooperative societies.
“These funds have been distributed to groups in 60 wards across the county,” he said.
There are also plans to mobilise boda boda operators in the county’s 60 wards and encourage them to form cooperative groups in order to access Sh30 million in funding.
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Last weekend, heads of various government departments from different sectors convened in Ruiru town, led by the county commissioner, to discuss key government agendas and how they should be implemented.
Each representative presented a report on how their respective areas are being managed and the challenges they face.
The main agenda was the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation approach.
The meeting was a two-day event held on Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7, 2025.
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