County Government to Support Dairy Farming in Bid to Meet Rising Demand
As promised during the Campaigns, the County Government of Meru led by Governor Kiraitu Murungi is putting all efforts to improve agriculture in the County in order to increase food and cash incomes for all households. Deputy Governor Hon Titus Ntuchiu, speaking today at Kianjai during this year’s Tigania West Dairy Field Day, said that the administration is putting in resources including finances, manpower and technical expertise, to sensitize and support farmers to increase commercial milk production.
He noted the rising demand for milk in the County, citing the large capacity of existing processors such as the Meru Dairy Co-operative Union and the recently established Lisha Milk Company, which have guaranteed farmers a ready Market, and hence the need to put their best efforts in increasing production.
The Deputy County boss said that the government is deliberately putting extra efforts in regions such as Tigania West which is the only Sub County which has no cash crop, to ensure that residents embrace and fully exploit the huge potential in dairy farming. He added the County Government is providing water through boreholes to ensure success of livestock farming which intensively requires the commodity. The DG thanked area MP Dr. Mutunga Kanyuithia whom he said is working very closely with the County Government to ensure these objectives are achieved, through measures such as sharing of projects to be implemented such as water, to avoid duplicity and misuse of resources.
“We shall ensure field days like this one become annual events so that our farmers can be trained on best practices in livestock production so that they can make the venture a profitable business. I also direct our credit company, the Meru Microfinance and wish to challenge other lenders in our County, to create financial products that are most suitable for our people to borrow money and invest viably in livestock farming,” — Deputy Governor Hon Titus Ntuchiu
Hon. Ntuchiu also announced that in order to modernize and support agribusiness in the area, on Tuesday next week the Kianjai Market Cabro project and installation of lighting in the town are set to commence. This is in addition to ongoing infrastructural projects to improve roads for ease in transportation of milk and quick market access. Area MP Dr. Kanyuithia, and MCA Hon. Bundi Ng’ala committed to cooperate and work closely with the County Government to ensure these objectives are achieved.
