Agriculture is county’s lifeline, says Oparanya
Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya. The circular was issued a day after the Kakamega Governor clashed with members of the county’s assembly over construction of offices for county headquarters. PHOTO FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The agenda was developed after county-wide tours during which the governor and county executives got first-hand experience of the problems the residents are grappling with.
- Mr Oparanya launched the construction and maintenance of 30 key roads in the town, including Canon Awori and Sudi roads and the Kakamega-Shinyalu road which leads to Kakamega airstrip.
- Although sugarcane has for years been the region’s main cash crop, overdependence on it and the unending problems bedevilling the industry, have left many farmers groping in the dark, not sure about where next to invest.
Improving agriculture, viewed as Kakamega county’s economic mainstay, is the top target Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has set for his government.
But he also gives priority to expansion of education, boosting healthcare and rebuilding the region’s battered roads and other infrastructure in order to attract investment.
The agenda was developed after county-wide tours during which the governor and county executives got first-hand experience of the problems the residents are grappling with.
What stood out was rampant poverty compounded by high level of youth unemployment.
The governor intends to reverse this through revival of farming to boost food production.
“We have enormous potential for agricultural production in Kakamega. If we plan properly and get our priorities right, we can turn around the fortunes of many families in the county,” said Mr Oparanya.
The county government intends to construct a maize mill in the region’s grain basket which covers Lugari and Likuyani. The mail mill, according to Mr Oparanya, will protect farmers from exploitative middlemen who purchase maize from them at throw-away prices.
The county government will buy maize from farmers at prevailing market prices to cushion them from unnecessary losses orchestrated by the middlemen, he said.
Last month, Mr Oparanya launched the construction and maintenance of 30 key roads in the town, including Canon Awori and Sudi roads and the Kakamega-Shinyalu road which leads to Kakamega airstrip. The maintenance and repair of the key roads will cost Sh285 million.
The airstrip has been re-opened for daily passenger flights after Kenya Airports Authority expanded and rehabilitated the runway.
This encouraged Fly540 airline to introduce flights.
Although sugarcane has for years been the region’s main cash crop, overdependence on it and the unending problems bedevilling the industry, have left many farmers groping in the dark, not sure about where next to invest.
Mr Oparanya has set up a task force to come up with recommendations on how to address the problems threatening to cripple the sugar industry.
“What we are focused on is to diversify agriculture to give farmers an opportunity to have alternative sources of income instead of relying solely on sugarcane,” said Mr Oparanya.
The county government also plans to construct a tea factory in Shinyalu, Kakamega East and promote dairy farming and horticultural production.
The huge workload notwithstanding, the indefatigable county boss says his team will burn the midnight oil to deliver services that befit the people of Kakamega county.
