AGRICULTURE CS ON PYRETHRUM .

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Peter Munya says the government has released Ksh 40 million to purchase pyre thrum seedlings for farmers in a bid to ramp up pyre thrum production in 18 high potential Counties. CS Munya says the money will be disbursed to the Counties immediately to facilitate the purchase of seedlings to enable farmers to begin planting the crop with the ongoing short rains. He said the seedlings will be sourced from available certified nurseries in the country in a move aimed at spurring production of the crop whose product-pyrethrin – is in high demand globally. The CS was speaking today in Molo during a consultative forum with farmers from Molo and Kuresoi Sub counties.

He issued seedlings to the pyrethrum farmers and 4 new pickup trucks to the Pyrethrum Processing Company ( PPCK) to enhance the distribution of pyrethrum seedlings and enhance extension services to farmers across the County. The CS said researchers at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock  Organization (KALRO) are in the process of developing high-yielding and disease-resistant seedlings to be distributed to farmers by April next year. Munya said the central government in collaboration with the county governments is committed to supporting farmers in the sub-sector to increase the acreage of the crop for both domestic and international. He said the initiative also seeks to encourage participation of the private sector in the growing and processing of pyrethrin to make the sub-sector competitive after a decade’s slump.

Mr. Munya encouraged farmers to collect seedlings from the County governments and promised prompt payment at competitive rates on delivered flowers. Currently, the Nakuru-based Pyrethrum Processing Company (PPCK )is paying Ksh.200 -250 for every kilogram of pyre-thrum flowers delivered at the processing plant. Delayed payments and lack of planting material led to the collapse of the sub-sector which economists say has the potential to provide gainful employment to at least 2 million people in the areas. CS Munya hopes deliberate public-private partnerships will scale up pyre-thrum acreage from the current 2,000 to 10,000.

The CS said he has tasked a board to help revamp the sub-sector by inspiring investment. Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui commended the move saying that a vibrant Pyrethrum sector will help shore up rural economies by providing on and off-farm jobs to women and youths. Kinyanjui said the County Government of Nakuru will sustain awareness campaigns in high potential areas in the effort to rebuild confidence among farmers after years of grower apathy. He urged farmers to venture into pyre-thrum growing saying his office is engaging players in the private sector to buy pyre-thrum flowers from farmers at competitive prices. Governor  Kinyanjui observed that as the world adopts organic farming practices, the demand for pyre-thrum products will continue growing making and this will create sustainable livelihoods for farmers of the crop.

The Governor appealed to the national government to fast-track modernization of the processing equipment at the Pyre-thrum Processing Company for a higher processing capacity. The company has a crushing capacity of 10 Metric tons a day up from 2 metric tons last year .He said that the devolved unit has also allocated Ksh.50 Million to the revival of the sub-sector in what he described as a spirited bid by his government to transform agriculture into a job and wealth creation pathway. Kinyajui said the money will be spent on seedlings certified by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) for farmers wishing to grow pyre-thrum. Farmers who spoke at the forum commended the initiative but demanded that some members of the board be picked from the 18 counties that grow pyre-thrum. Pyrethrum is processed to obtain pyrethrin which is a key ingredient in the manufacture of pesticides and insecticides.