The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Vihiga County, Julius Maruja has advocated the use of the climate-smart agricultural practices by farmers in Vihiga County.
He was speaking on Thursday during an interview with Vihiga FM in a bid to mitigate effects of climate change and ensure food security in the county.
Maruja underscored that in the practice of Agroecology, they had put a policy in place that provided a footprint on the type of agricultural practice or the foods to be cultivated that are not disruptive to the environment hence affecting climate negatively.
“We intend to initiate a process of removing all eucalyptus trees that are planted near water sources, all in an effort not to dry up the water catchment areas and plant Bamboo trees instead,” stated Maruja.
He added that they planned on transforming the policy into an act where penalties would be introduced so that whoever is found doing agricultural activities that would otherwise prove harmful to the ongoing efforts to conserve the environment would face punishment.
He noted that they have sensitized the public on the climate-smart agricultural practices but acknowledged that information has not reached the public well as it should, and they would capitalize on using Radios and Barazas to help disseminate information to the public.
“The farmers have embraced the new farming methods, whereby some have substituted maize crop farming for African leafy vegetables in farms where maize is not doing too well,” said Maruja.
Maruja further said that both the National Government and the County Government have teamed up to bring projects such as the livestock vaccination program and the National Agricultural Value Chain Development (NAVCDP), that will entail construction of an Agricultural Training College to educate farmers on smart agriculture and farming.
The CEC added that they have foods that they are now encouraging farmers to cultivate such as coffee reiterating that they have an external market, tea and also the practice of poultry such as rearing of chicken and ducks that would be more profitable and beneficial to farmers.
He added that farmers ought to return to use of organic fertilizers such as the animal manure in order to revive the soil’s fertility noting that inorganic fertilizers are not bad, but the problem settles in when farmers become over-dependent on them.
On the NORAD ARNSA project, which supports fish farming in the county, Maruja stated that the project had benefitted 450 farmers, and they are in a process of building a factory in Mwitoko in Emuhaya within Vihiga County that will process fish food that will help reduce cost.
“The biggest challenge that we have in Agriculture is not even budgetary allocation but the unpredictable climate change that we have,” remarked Maruja.
He concluded by thanking the area Governor, Dr Wilber Ottichilo, for his remarkable support for the ongoing projects in the county and the residents for giving the county government an opportunity to serve them.
By Yvonne Misango & Maureen Imbayi
