Kenya to buy 11,000 tractors from Brazil

 

Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei: Kenya will next month sign a deal with Brazil for the purchase of 11,000 tractors and combine harvesters. FILE 

By PHILEMON SUTER and MORAA OBIRIA

Kenya will next month sign a deal with Brazil for the purchase of 11,000 tractors and combine harvesters.

Agriculture secretary Felix Koskei said he would sign the agreement in Brazil when he addressed farmers at Chebororwa Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) on the border of Elgeyo-Marakwet and Uasin Gishu counties.

He did not say how much the purchase would cost. Mr Koskei said agriculture and fisheries functions had been fully devolved to the counties.

“According to Schedule Four of the Constitution, the district agricultural officers, frontline extension officers, disease control in crops, livestock and fisheries are now the responsibilities of the county governments,” he said.

Policies

The national government is only allowed to intervene during epidemics such as East Coast Fever and Foot and Mouth disease.

There will also be liaison officers to implement policies and donor-sponsored projects. Mr Koskei urged farmers to adopt agri-business by rearing dairy goats, rabbits and hybrid cattle.

The Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers has been urging the government to establish a leasing scheme for farm machinery for farmers who cannot buy.

KENFAP’s Nakuru county chairman Samwel Gitonga said the machinery should be at the ward level. “Small-scale farmers have continued to use traditional methods of farming which yield very little. We need farm machinery in the counties to address this,” Mr Gitonga said.

He added county governments should give priority to mechanising agriculture.