{"id":10367,"date":"2024-03-25T17:51:19","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T17:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmerstrend.co.ke\/?p=10367"},"modified":"2024-03-25T17:51:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T17:51:19","slug":"west-pokot-maize-farmers-receive-seeds-donations-as-planting-season-kicks-off-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmerstrend.co.ke\/trending\/west-pokot-maize-farmers-receive-seeds-donations-as-planting-season-kicks-off-2\/","title":{"rendered":"West Pokot Maize Farmers Receive Seeds Donations As Planting Season Kicks Off"},"content":{"rendered":"
Small scale maize farmers<\/a> in parts of West Pokot County have appealed to the county government to consider increasing maize seed donations owing to the increased number of households in need of free farm inputs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While receiving maize seeds donated by the county government at Cheptuya Market in West Pokot Sub County over the weekend, the farmers said that due to the population increase, the residents are finding it challenging to afford certified maize seeds thus affecting food production in the area.<\/p>\n They noted that despite the small farms, the maize produced by the small scale farmers greatly supplements food stocks thus making residents depend less on relief food.<\/p>\n \u201cOur major challenge in this location is that the human population has increased to an extent that those in need of seed donations are many. Majority cannot afford the cost of the certified seeds because it is a bit expensive,\u201d said Abraham Nameri.<\/p>\n Nameri explained that there were no maize seeds distribution agents within the location forcing farmers to spend fortunes in travel costs which he argued can buy one 2kg packet of maize seeds which is uneconomical to a farmer wanting only one.<\/p>\n He commended the county government under the leadership of Governor Simon Kachapin for coming up with the initiative of donating maize seeds to vulnerable families that have difficulties in acquiring essential farm inputs.<\/p>\n \u201cThis donation has come at the appropriate moment since the rains have started falling and we had prepared our farms in readiness for planting but some families had not purchased inputs because they lacked means.\u00a0 This donation is going to cushion many families,\u201d stated the farmer.<\/p>\n