Rift agriculturalists urged to adopt pyrethrum production
Government spokesperson Dr. Isaac Mwaura yesterday urged farmers in Njoro, Nakuru County, to embrace pyrethrum farming due to its huge economic potential that can improve their livelihoods.
Mwaura who was speaking at Njoro while visiting pyrethrum farms alongside his two deputies Mwanaisha Chidzuga and Gabriel Muthuma said pyrethrum farming is a vibrant engagement that can be used to contribute immensely to the Bottom up Economic Transformative Agenda (BETA) if the growers embrace it well.
“Because pyrethrum farming does well even with effects of climatic change unlike other crops, I think it would be best if farmers in Njoro can practice it in your farms for commercial purposes,” Mwaura said.
His sentiments were echoed by Mwanaisha Chidzuga who urged farmers to use pyrethrum farming as their source of income since it is harvested twice every month.
“If selling one kg of pyrethrum is sh. 300 at the factory and you say you harvest it twice a month then that is a good business because if you have your two acres of land with pyrethrum you can imagine how much you can earn in a month,” Chidzuga said.
Another official from the Government Spokesman’s office, Gabriel Muthuma also the Kenya Kwanza regime has placed a lot of emphasis on agriculture, as among the five pillars of BETA.
“The government has gone ahead to make sure that farmers are well taken care of hence we are encouraging many farmers to take up growing pyrethrum to improve on their livelihoods,” Muthuma said.
The farmers led by Geoffrey Gitau revealed that since he started pyrethrum farming last year in November, his lifestyle has tremendously improved.
“I do pyrethrum on a two acre piece of land and I harvest it twice each month. I supply it to the pyrethrum factory where they buy it at S 350 per kilogram,” Gitau said. He also revealed that the management of pyrethrum factories have been paying farmers upon delivery of their produce in accordance with the number of kilos they have supplied.
