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| Mwanaisha Chidzuga |
The Deputy government spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga has urged Coastal residents to revive cashew nut and coconut farming which was once a lucrative and source livelihood in the region.
Chidzuga said that with the modern technology in farming, growing of the coastal cash crops has become easier since the introduction of grafted seedlings which only take three years for farmers to start harvesting.
Coconut trees and cashew nuts are famously known to grow in coastal areas and in the coastal region, the plant thrives well and has tremendous benefits if well cultivated.
She said that as part of food crops production in the area that will boost agriculture as aligned with Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), in a bid to eradicate poverty and empower locals, farming of the two major cash crops will not only generate income to them but also to the country since the nuts can be exported if grown in large scale.
“I want my people to start believing in farming, farming pays and we have seen it work for our colleagues in upcountry. Just like the way coffee does well in the central region and sugarcane Nyanza, cashew nuts and coconuts grow well in the Coast but we need to do modern and large scale farming of the crops,’’ she said.
She noted that once the coastal people start practicing serious farming on cashew nuts and coconut the government will consider having industries in the area for processing and value addition of the two products after harvesting.
“We need to practice commercial farming for the two products so that the government sees the need to have industries in the area. At the moment, if factories are created, they will need adequate raw materials to process which we do not have.,’’ she added.
In an interview with the media, the deputy government spokesperson said that she is aware of the fact that earlier when the coastal people were practicing coconut and cashew nut farming, they were demoralized by previous governments which did not consider having industries in the area for the farmers to supply their farm produce hence forced to travel to Thika for value addition and market.
‘’It is the previous governments that demoralized our people at the coast from continuing with cashew nut farming, because they used to have major challenge of travelling for a long distance seeking for market of their produce but with this government the President is dedicated once he sees the seriousness that our people will put in farming,’’ she said.
Kenyan coconut farmers have been grappling with various challenges including pests and diseases affecting both trees and nuts, poor agricultural practices and use of poor quality planting materials.
Despite the challenges in farming, both cashew nuts and coconuts fetch good prices globally.
She noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration has the interest of every citizen at heart that is why the government formed the Ministry of Blue economy and maritime that will benefit the locals in Coast region and the country at large.
She said that millions of shillings have been set aside for the blue economy and maritime sector in the Coast region since there is a huge economic potential in the ocean.
“The main economic activity for the locals in Coast region is known to be from the Ocean that is why President William Ruto saw the need to have a sector that will assist in creating more opportunities which will improve livelihood of the people through the Ocean and created the Blue economy sector,” she insisted.
By Chari Suche