The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPD) Chairman, Mutea Iringo has launched an Agricultural Hub in Eldoret among the five others scheduled to be launched in the country.
The Agriculture Hub is expected to be a one stop shop which will bring together agro leaders and traders, financial and insurance services providers and cooperatives and other cultural and service providers.
The hub is meant to benefit farmers by providing avenues to sell their produce. The Hub is also beneficial to farmers as they can borrow easily using the warehouse receipts in time for next planting seasons.
Iringo said that they aspire to stabilize the market. He also added that NCPB will continue to ensure that the farmers benefit through empowerment by sharing knowledge and information for the purposes of making informed decisions.
“The purpose of purchasing strategic food reservation has been streamlined to ensure food security is achieved by ensuring farm inputs are available at affordable prices, it is our business to support farmers association by ensuring that the farm inputs are available and this will motivate farmers to produce more, “ Iringo said.
He said unfavourable fertilizer prices in the market is an issue which has affected not only Kenya but also other nations due to the impact of covid-19.
“We are working round the clock in ensuring we get a solution regarding high fertilizer prices which has affected the farmers widely.
He reiterated on the benefits of the Hub to the farmers, where he said that the Hub will help the farmers in accessing the inputs at an affordable price.
The opening of the Eldoret Hub was in fulfilment of the mandate bestowed upon them by NCPB which signifies the importance of supporting food and nutrition security.
NCPB Managing Director Josephe Kimento said that NCPB is a commercial enterprise which requires the accurate positioning of its management for the benefits of their loyal customers.
He said that they have identified six Hubs that they are going to install in the course of the year.
“The Hub brings together different service providers from both the public and private sector in one location from which the farmer’s especially small scale and middle scale farmers and large scale farmers can easily access all their farming requirements at minimal time and effort.
Some of the services available at the hub include seeds, soil analysis, different farm imputes and fertilizers including products both for human and animal consumption.”
Kipkorir Menjo who is the farmers’ association manager called upon the NCPB board to ensure that they subsidise the farm inputs.
He added that farmers are undergoing a lot of difficulties in getting farm input which makes it difficult for them to continue with farm production activities and in the long run derailing the food and nutrition security agenda.