The Government has been urged to invest more in irrigation projects in the country so as to boost food security.
Latia Resource Centre Foundation Director, David Bett, noted that with the current erratic weather patterns occasioned by the effects of climate change, it was no longer viable to rely on rain-fed agriculture.
Speaking in Isinya while distributing start-up kits to over 30 youth at the Latia Agripreneuship Institute, Bett said agriculture was the backbone of country’s economy and construction of mega dams and drilling of high yielding boreholes to facilitate irrigation farming will help solve the persistent food crisis.
The Director noted that irrigation schemes will provide a reliable source of income and livelihoods for small-scale farmers who usually rely on unpredictable rain-fed agriculture.
‘The prolonged drought has made us realize that we can no longer rely on rain-fed agriculture. I want to urge both national and county governments to invest in provision of water through dams and boreholes for irrigation,’ he said.
Bett revealed that sinking boreholes and constructing dams was costly and the government must chip in and assist the farmers so that they concentrate on food production without any worries of water shortages.
The Director further called on the government to link farmers with markets for their produce to ensure that they do not incur losses.
‘Linking farmers with ready markets will enable them to sell their produce without any hindrance, thus ensuring that their produce does not rot in the farms.
Antony Chege, Ajira Digital Program Regional Coordinator, urged farmers to embrace the use of technology in marketing their produce.
Chege said the use of social media and other agricultural Apps to market their produce online will connect farmers to local and international markets, thereby enabling them to reap more profits.
‘Marketing agricultural produce online will enable farmers to access a wider and ready markets both locally and internationally as the reach is wide,’ he said.
Source: Kenya News Agency