Farm groups and producer organisations in Kisii County have benefitted from a total of Ksh. 55 million under the National Agricultural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP).
The money disbursed by Kisii County Governor James Ongwae was distributed to farmers drawn from 20 wards.
Nine selected producer organisations from every sub county also got a share of Ksh. 9 million during the function that took place at the Kisii Agriculture Training Center.
“I am happy that our farmer groups from all the NARIGP wards are receiving funding to a tune of Kshs 46 million being the second tranche for a total of 378 groups across the 20 implementing wards. Further we are giving Ksh. 9 million to selected producer organisation to the sub counties,” said Ongwae.
The Governor indicated that the aim of the programme is to promote food production and income generation through enhanced horticulture development, dairy farming and other small holder activities.
He urged the beneficiaries to diligently utilise the funds so as to attract further funding to the county.
“The project uses value chain approach and in Kisii, four value chains including banana, dairy cow (milk), chicken, and local vegetables are being supported by the project,” he said.
“Ongwae thanked NARIGP for investing small scale holder farmers as agricultural activities in the county are based on small scale farming due to diminishing land sizes owing to demarcation.
The County Programme coordinator Samwel Okumu said the project targets productivity and profitability of rural targeted communities in selected counties and in the event of eligible crisis provide effective response.
Okumu observed that the project is being funded by the being implemented in 21 counties and thanked the development partner for choosing Kisii Count.
In August last year, the County disbursed the first tranche of Ksh. 22 million across the 20 implementing wards.
The County Executive Committee (CEC) member in charge of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development Esman Onsarigo noted that NARIGP links rural smallholder farmers Common Interest Groups and Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups organized along selected priority value chains to markets.
He appealed to youths to take advantage of the programme to form common interest groups along the four value chains in order to benefit from the NARIGP fund given that they are given special consideration under the window of vulnerable and marginalised groups.
