Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Monday assured Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya and Andrew Karanja of his support and commitment to reforming the cooperatives movement and agricultural sector as they implement the Government’s plan to increase the country’s food production and farmers’ income.
Gachagua told the two Ministers, who are in charge of the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development) and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, respectively, that he will work closely with them to ensure the Government achieves its goals in the agricultural sector.
Speaking at a consultative inter-ministerial meeting he hosted for the two Ministers and other stakeholders at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi, on the status update for tea and coffee reforms, the DP called on the ministers to involve farmers in the reform’s agenda.
“Food security is one of the pillars of Kenya Kwanza and I encourage you that we support the government in achieving. Let us build a strong economy for a stronger country. If the two ministries work together the situation will change with ease. I will support you and the availability of the Presidency to help you where you want,” he said.
“I asked for this meeting so that we can have seating with the two new Cabinet Secretaries and take them through the reforms exercise. We have a responsibility to support the CSs so that they can succeed in their mandates,” he added.
Gachagua also called on the newly elected directors of the Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) to maintain good leadership and lower the cost of production at the factories.
He appealed to the KTDA leadership to facilitate farmer-centered reforms in the sector while also urging them to be mindful of the farmer’s welfare by preventing pilferage of resources.
“We are spending too much money on production to the detriment of the farmer. We must agree on production cost, which has been aggravated by directors. The directors must stop being extravagant.
On the coffee sub-sector, the DP urged CS Karanja to ensure farmers have access to the Government’s subsidized fertilizer. He said the Government plans to increase production of the crop.
He said coffee production has dropped drastically over the years due to the frustrations of farmers, discouraging payments, and mismanagement of cooperative societies.
The DP further reiterated the Kenya Kwanza administration’s commitment to leading Kenya into becoming a food-secure country.
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