Vihiga County Government is forging partnership with MasterCard Foundation and the World Vegetable Centre in order to expand and achieve high agricultural production in the area.
Senior representatives from MasterCard and World Vegetable Centre who paid courtesy call on Vihiga Governor, Wilber Ottichilo, held discussions on various important areas of collaboration concerning agricultural production between the county government and the two private organizations
During the courtesy call, the delegation explored possible collaborations aimed at enhancing food security, youth empowerment, and agribusiness development within the county.
Central to the discussions was support for the implementation of Vihiga’s Agro-ecology Policy, with a focus on promoting African Leafy Vegetables (ALVs)—a traditional crop noted for its nutritional and income-generating value.
Dr. Ottichilo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustainable farming.
“Our administration has prioritized agro-ecology as a means to not only protect the environment but also to create livelihoods. Partnerships such as this are critical to reducing poverty and improving nutrition,” he said.
The partners expressed interest in operationalizing the Manyatta ALV cold storage facility, to be managed by youth groups to reduce post-harvest losses.
Plans are also underway to train young people as off-takers to market surplus vegetables across counties and potentially to diaspora markets.
Also on the agenda was the establishment of a county seed bank to preserve and distribute quality indigenous seeds as well as ensuring access to smallholder farmers.
The proposed partnership is expected to improve agricultural value chains, support youth-led agribusinesses, and promote indigenous crop conservation, aligning with Kenya’s broader food security and economic development goals.
By Welter Tiema
