CHINA: Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga has sealed a deal with Chinese investors to provide farm machinery to counties.
Raila signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Overseas Agricultural Development Alliance (Coada) in a joint venture agreement that will see Chinese agricultural manufacturing companies provide Kenyan counties with farm machinery.
Apart from the machinery, the Chinese companies will also provide mechanised harvesters, processors, irrigation equipment, fish processing plants, after sales service outlets and modern agricultural technology training centres.
The deal was reached on the third day of a visit by the Opposition leader's delegation which comprises governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), John Nyagarama (Nyamira) and Cornell Rasanga (Siaya).
In the deal signed in Beijing early yesterday, the counties will in turn pool together resources and provide large farmlands ranging between 40-50,000 hectares each as their contribution to the joint venture while at the same time enjoying economies of scale.
"The national government must remove bureaucracy and unnecessary regulations that will hinder direct investment in our counties. We want the counties to grow and create employment," said Raila.
He appealed to the Kenyan government to facilitate sovereign guarantees for foreign financial capital inflow into the counties.
A separate group of Coada member companies are exploring the possibility of importing bamboo products from the Kenyan market, starting with Nyamira County.
The arrangement will also see farmers benefit from farm inputs and technological skills by the Chinese firms and a guaranteed access to Chinese market for the agricultural produce from the counties in the programme.
A pilot project will be implemented in 10 counties that lie within the Lake Victoria Basin.
Also present at the signing ceremony was the Second Counselor at the Kenyan Embassy in Beijing, Mr John Odipo.
A technical team from both the Chinese and Kenyans sides was constituted to draw an implementation road map, including a detailed work plan to actualise the MoU.
Coada team was led by their Secretary General who is also the President of Debont Agricultural Company Ltd, Liu Hanwu.
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