More than 9,000 households in Machakos have received Sh81.5 million worth of farm inputs, benefiting from the distribution led by Governor Wavinya Ndeti. The beneficiaries are members of 367 farmers’ groups representing various wards, including Kola, Kalama, Masii, Muthetheni, Katangi, and Ikombe.
During the launch of the distribution at her Whitehouse office on July 29, 2023, Governor Ndeti emphasized the importance of the initiative as part of her administration’s ‘Chakula mezani, pesa mfukoni’ program. She expressed her commitment to transforming agricultural production in the region, recognizing that agriculture contributes significantly to around 70% of households’ income in Machakos.
The distribution aimed to prepare farmers for the upcoming season, especially after a period of drought in the last two years. Governor Ndeti assured the farmers that her administration was mobilizing available resources to support their recovery and improve their livelihoods.
To boost agricultural production further, the government initiated projects like the ‘Maziwa na Mali’ initiative, which focuses on increasing dairy milk production among farmers. Additionally, the administration collaborated with various institutions and organizations, including the World Bank, which funded three agricultural projects in the county: Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture, Emergency Locust Response, and National Agriculture Value Chain Development Project.
Governor Ndeti highlighted the community-driven approach in implementing these projects, where communities identify their needs and develop action plans to address them. She encouraged farmers to make the most of the provided inputs to increase crop and livestock productivity, ultimately helping to alleviate hunger, poverty, and improve incomes for households in the county and beyond.