Farmers urged not to abandon maize growing

By Kenan Miruka

Leaders in Kisii have warned farmers against abandoning maize farming following the setting up of a sugar factory in Trans-Mara.

The leaders expressed concern that farmers in Gucha and Trans-Mara had abandoned maize farming and embarked on planting sugarcane on large tracks of land previously devoted to maize farming.

The Trans-Mara Sugar Factory being built at Enoosaen in Trans-Mara West District will start operations in March next year, and is expected to ease congestion at Sony Sugar Company.

Trans-Mara is traditionally the breadbasket for Kisii and other parts of the country.

Agriculture experts in border districts of Nyamache, Kenyenya and Gucha South have also expressed similar sentiments.

"The devotion of land to sugarcane will definitely cause food insecurity as locals largely depend on Trans-Mara region for maize supply. The issue has been extensively discussed at the District Security Intelligence and District Agriculture Committees," said Kenyenya DC Kaburu Kaimba.

He urged farmers not to compromise food security, adding that an action plan was currently being worked on to address the situation.

Bomachoge MP Simon Ogari and his South Mugirango counterpart Manson Nyamweya have urged farmers to strike a balance between the two enterprises.

"While we encourage our farmers to plant more sugarcane, we should be wary not to destabilise the supply of maize, the staple food for locals," said Ogari at a baraza at Nyabiore in Kenyenya District.

He called for peaceful co-existence between the Kisii and Maasai communities in the area for faster development. He said three murram roads would be built to facilitate transport of cane to the factory.