Co-operatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Cabinet Secretary, Wycliffe Oparanya, visited Uasin Gishu County on Friday for consultation on issues impacting farmers and cooperatives in the County.
The CS was accompanied by Patrick Kilemi, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Cooperatives, and Samuel Ichura, Ag. Managing Director (MD) for the new Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC).
The discussions by the CS and Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii centred on critical issues affecting the agricultural sector, including the high cost of animal feed, value addition, and the implementation of modern farming practices.
CS Oparanya commended Governor Bii for his focus on strengthening the cooperative movement in Uasin Gishu. He assured that the current milk prices would be maintained to continue supporting farmers.
Addressing the Moi Soy project, the CS acknowledged the governor’s request and pledged to give it serious consideration. He also promised to take steps towards reviving the Moi University Sacco (MUSCO), recognising its importance to the local community and economy.
Governor Bii called on the national government to expedite the completion of the Moi Soy project, which is aimed at enhancing value addition for farmers. He also urged farmers to embrace crop diversification to maximise returns, highlighting the increasing demand for coffee.
The governor lauded the government’s recent decision to raise milk prices to Sh50 per litre, a significant boost for local dairy farmers. He further appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to provide more coffee seedlings, noting the farmers’ growing interest in crop diversification.
He added that the farmers’ main challenge is the cost of production of animal feeds.
Bii underscored that as a government, they want to add value to the products coming from the farmers, especially the maize, coffee, and milk.
“We believe as a county that the heartbeat of our economy is going through the cooperatives, and we are here to look at the different value chains on how farmers’ cooperative movement can help us,” noted the Governor.
The Moi Soi cooperative milling plant was started with the county government and partnered with the national government to factor in the budget and to help complete the project.
The governor added that the County government has channelled some money to the milling plant, around 30 million shillings.
He further emphasized the county’s commitment to support the new KCC through the ongoing school milk programme, where approximately 40,000 learners are provided with milk twice a week, hence showing the county government’s readiness to support the national creameries in terms of procuring their milk as a way of giving back to the farmers in the community.
By Ekuwam Sylvester and Myles Ndeda