World Bank boosts farmers training

Narok Agriculture CEC Evalyn Koiyan with Ernest Mwendo,Deputy Project Coordinator,National Agriculture and Rural Inclusivity Growth Project(NARIGP)addressing Journalists in a Narok Hotel. The local horticulture farmers get Sh60Million for training on modern farming techniques. [Photo:Robert Kiplagat/Standard]

The World Bank has offered Sh60 million to train farmers in 20 wards on how to increase production.

 The training will involve 40 farmers and will include soil testing, irrigation methods, as well as crop and livestock maintenance away from the traditional farming methods. According to Ernest Mwendo, the project's deputy coordinator, the first phase of the training will be undertaken in the next five years.

“We are mainly targeting maize and beans inter-cropping, tomatoes, potatoes and milk production," he said. The project will also help connect the farmers to markets. According to Mr Mwendo, the World Bank has already sunk Sh56 million in the project.

County Agriculture Executive Evalyn Koiyan described the project as a milestone. "It will ensure that our farmers reap maximum profits through proper and modern agricultural technology,” she said.

The county has large tracts of arable land. Besides livestock farming, its main cash crops are maize, wheat and barley. According to statistics from the agriculture department, maize and wheat production significantly dropped last year due to erratic rains, and is expected to rise this year.