18 April 2023
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Kenyan organisation makes call to federal government.
POTATOES should be listed in Kenya's list of products getting financial support from the federal government, according to governors from 10 of Central Kenya's counties.
The Governors, via the Central Economic Region Block (CEREB), have announced plans to engage the state so that the crop can be added to the list. The block contributes more than 28% to the national GDP.
Agriculture is Kenya's main economic activity and the government recently identified nine value chains including leather, livestock, tea, rice, edible oils, textile, construction, mining and blue economy that will be prioritised for financing.
According to Nyeri governor and Chair of the block Mutahi Kahiga, failure by the government to list the main crops from the region could affect growers and traders. He identified potato as one of those missing crops, along with coffee, avocado, pyrethrum, macadamia, bananas, maize and wheat.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njoki said there was little support from the national government for agriculture, stating that more support from the relevant authorities could push higher production.
He accused the budget controller and auditor general of failing to support the block in its economic engagement.
“We are keen on value addition for our key products which seems to have been forgotten by the government in its plans to support farming in the country,” he said.
Source: The Star Photo: Farmers Review Africa
