Good tidings for farmers as Assembly passes Bill

By Renson Buluma

Busia, Kenya: Agriculture has received a boost in Busia after the County Assembly approved a Bill seeking to set aside funds to improve the sector.

The Agriculture Development Fund Bill 2013 which went through its third reading during a special assembly sitting last Friday will see the county government establish a fund to finance the sector by supporting strategic farming interventions.

The interventions targeted include enhancing farming productivity through value addition, quality improvement and marketing of agricultural products.

 Importing food

Busia is predominantly an agriculture-based economy but due to high poverty levels and failure to embrace modern farming methods, the county has not been able to produce enough to feed its own people and has had to import food from Uganda and Trans-Nzoia County.

Assembly Speaker Bernard Wamalwa said the Bill, once assented to by Governor Sospeter Ojaamong, will spur food production in the county through sustainable agriculture and this, he noted, will impact positively on the economy and reduce poverty.

“It is an important Bill that will go a long way in unlocking the potential the county has in agriculture. More money will be given to help farmers improve their farming and this will help create jobs and wealth among the people of Busia,” said Wamalwa. “As an assembly, our desire is to have laws that will help the county and the country as a whole to grow by reducing the poverty levels.”

 Local experts believe the Bill will bring a turnaround in the way agriculture is managed in the county because it will help farmers access the information they need to venture into farming as a profit-making business.

Agricultural production

“Besides providing credit to farmers at affordable interest rates, farmers will also be supported in marketing their produce, which is an important aspect of agricultural production,” said Moses Osia, the county Executive Committee Member for Agriculture and Animal production.

Agriculture Committee chairman Charles Wakhungu said the Bill will help the county reach the millennium goals and attain the vision 2030.

He said it will make the county produce enough food both for domestic consumption and export.