Kiraitu unveils board to run training centre

Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi addresses the media after he hosted British High Commissioner to KenyaJane Marriott on a tour of Flamingo Ibis flower farm in Timau, Meru county, February 3, 2021. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi (pictured) has appointed board members of the Kaguru Agricultural Training Centre following approval by the county assembly.

Among those appointed to the board, which will run the now autonomous centre, is Kaburu M’Ribu who was Agriculture Executive in former Governor Peter Munya’s (now Agriculture Cabinet Secretary) administration.

Others appointed to the board to manage the South Imenti-based farmers training facility are Elizabeth Kanini, Martin Kinoti and Nelson Kaumbali.

Yesterday, the Assembly’s Agriculture committee chairman Paul Bagine said Members of the County Assembly passed a law transforming the centre into an autonomous entity to give it a free-hand in provision of specialised and quality agricultural training, enhance accountability and enhance its management.

“We de-linked Kaguru from the Department of Agriculture, which previously ran its day-to-day operations. We made it an autonomous agency with its own board, secretariat and budget,” Bagine said.

He said the committee would vet the nominees on March 4.

Bagine said the functions of the centre will be to provide agricultural training, extension services, research, marketing and promotion of modern methods of farming.

He said Meru being an agricultural region, it was important to have a centre to promote modern technologies that are environmentally-friendly, and establishment of model commercial farms as demonstration farms.

Agriculture Executive Carol Mutiga said the major task was to educate farmers on best practices.