The Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, led by Principal Administrative Secretary Juliana Yiapan, conducted a tour in Siaya on Monday, 28 October 2024, to assess the impact of government investments in agriculture on local communities.
They were impressed by the County Government's dedication to developing edible oil crop value chains, like sunflower and cotton, through initiatives such as capacity building, subsidy programs for fertilizers and land preparation, and the free distribution of certified seeds in collaboration with the National Government via the Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA). These efforts have notably boosted farmers' production, fostered value addition initiatives, and increased acceptance of locally produced edible oils in the market.
Noteworthy is Andrew Odede's farm near Akala Market in South Gem, where his oil processing machine, with a capacity of 1.5 tons daily, earns him over KES 100,000 a day from selling 250 liters of purified sunflower oil. With significant investment in sunflower farming, Andrew harvested 150 bags of sunflower seeds from his 15-acre plot last season. Similarly, Peter Wambi, a leading farmer in West Sakwa Ward, harvested 485 kg of sunflower seeds from just half an acre.
The team emphasized the government's commitment to bridging the 80% gap between actual production and demand for edible oils in the country. Their focus will remain on supporting value addition, enhancing seed distribution, and collaborating with the County to intensify farmer advisory services. The ultimate objective is to achieve an optimal yield of 1000 kg of cotton per acre and no less than 800 kg of sunflower per acre.
The team also inspected ongoing works at the Ultra-Modern Market and the Affordable Housing Project. The County Government team that hosted the office of the OPCS included CECMs for Agriculture, Food Security, Livestock & Blue Economy (K'Okoth Sylvester), Governance & Administration (CS Agunda Ochanda), Health (Dr. Martin K’Onyango), and Chief Officer for Agriculture, Food Security, Livestock & Blue Economy (Elizabeth Adongo).