Counties to sell potatoes in 50kg bags

By JAMES MUNYEKI

Nyandarua, Kenya: Twelve potato growing counties have agreed to start selling their produce in 50kg bags from June.

The counties have also agreed on a common Bill to be passed by their respective assemblies by the end of the month.

According to Nyandarua County Executive Member in charge of Agriculture Agatha Thuo who is spearheading the programme, the move will help to ease the marketing of the produce as well as reduce exploitation by middlemen.

The 50kg marketing system is the one recognised by the international law.

Currently, the Kenyan law requires that the produce be sold in 110kg bags, but it has not been implemented leading to farmers being exploited by middlemen who buy it in extended bags. According to Thuo, farmers in the 12 counties lose at least one billion shillings as a result.

STANDARDISED BAGS

“We have come up together to formulate a law that will ensure that the produce is sold in standardised bags. We have given ourselves up to the end of June so that the county assemblies can pass this law,” she said.

Speaking during a farmers training workshop in Ol Jororok, Nyandarua County yesterday, Thuo said the law will be implemented by the county governments unlike the Potato Act which was under the Provincial Administration.

“We have set out strict rules of implementation and harsh fines for those who fail to adhere to it,” she said.

She said each of the counties will have branded bags showing where the produce has originated.

She regretted that former governments have not been keen on implementing the law which has led to farmers incurring heavy losses.

Ndaragwa law maker Waweru Ndiritu hailed the initiative, terming it as long overdue.

He urged the various county government to implement the law to the letter once it is passed.

“We have been making these promises but we never implement them. We want the relevant authorities to do their work and end the exploitation by middlemen,” he said.

Small enterprises

Meanwhile, an initiative to empower women through table banking has been launched in Ol Kalou constituency, Nyandarua County.

The drive targets over 100 women groups and will help them raise funds to engage in small enterprises.

Dubbed Ol Kalou Witeithie Women Empowerment Network programme, each member of the group will be required to raise at least  Sh100 per month and take a loan afterwards to start a local business within a month.

The project is being spearheaded by the wife of Ol Kalou MP David Kiaraho, Jackie Kiaraho.

The programme was launched yesterday at Ol Kalou Stadium and graced by Governor Daniel Waithaka and four other MPs from the area among them Waweru Ndiritu (Ndaragwa), John Waiganjo (Ol Jororok), Samuel Gichigi (Kipipiri) and David Kiaraho(Ol Kalou).

GIVE LOANS

Speaking during the event,  Mrs Kiaraho said the aim of the initiative was to encourage all women to take part in development.

“This programme will help raise the living standards of women from this region. We will be raising money to give it as loans for our women so that they can start small business,” she said.

 She said the programme will be run by a board, managers and field officers.

Mrs Kiaraho added that a third of the membership will also comprise men since the initiative is targeting the whole family.

“The first step will be to build capacity of our women through training on entrepreneurship and we are urging the county government to chip in,” she said.

She said the women will be in groups of between 10 and 20.