Farmers relief as county government sets sh.20 million to buy "Ndengu"

Mr David Thuvi alias Muvingo, a green grams (ndengu) farmer (in yellow overall) with some of his workers at his 70 acre farm at Katoteni village in Kitui County. The county government is promoting Ndengu farming through an initiative dubbed Ndengu revolution for wealth creation. [Philip Muasya/Standard]

The county government has set aside Sh20 million to buy green grams from farmers following a bumper harvest in the area.

About 125 registered self-help groups and cooperatives will buy the grain from farmers.

The county will give them loans to buy the produce from farmers at Sh55.

The loaning will be effected through Tetheka Fund, a social fund managed by the county government that empowers women and the youth. The loans attract one per cent interest.

“The groups are supposed to sign a contract with farmers to buy the green grams at Sh55. The produce will then be stored at aggregation centres spread across the county until prices improve. If they sell at Sh100, they will pay back a certain amount to the farmer as per the signed agreement,” said Green Gram Value Chain Coordinator Charles Ndungu.

A spot check by The Standard in various towns at weekend found some farmers selling a kilogramme of green grams at between Sh35 and Sh45 to brokers.

Normally, one kilogramme of green grams, popularly known as “ndengu”, sells at Sh150 in other regions.

Mr Ndungu said the county government would give farmers better storage bags.

Coordinator's report

According to the coordinator's report, Makueni, Mbooni East, Kilome and Kibwezi East and West sub-counties produced over 40,000 tonnes of green grams.

Meanwhile, the county government has opened a sisal value-addition chain centre at Kee ward in Kaiti constituency.

The centre, which was renovated by the county government, has also been equipped with two sisal decorticators, two sisal twiners and two heavy-duty sewing machines to give quality finish to products.

Speaking during the function at Kee, Governor Kivutha Kibwana said the county government had refurbished two collection centres.

He said women groups have acquired advanced weaving design training.

“My government has capacity-built the 200 members of the small self-help group since 2014/15 financial year. We have fixed electricity and done environment impact assessment and social audit,” said Prof Kibwana.

He said the county has eight well-established sisal multiplication nurseries geared towards increasing acreage in the county.

“We have 18,000 acres under sisal, of which 7,200 acres of land are under small-scale cultivation. About 10,800 acres are under large-scale production by Rea Vipingo Estate in Kibwezi East sub-county,” said the governor.

He said the county government was also assisting small-scale farmers in Kibwezi East, among other arid sub-counties.

This has led to innovative ways of making carrier bags after Nema banned plastic bags in Kenya.