Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui has urged financial institutions to support the agriculture industry by funding farmers in order to help the sector grow.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting towards implementation of the Warehouse Receipt System  Act No. 8 of 2019,Kinynbajui noted that financial institutions have continued to ignore agriculture industry.

But the Governor noted that Agriculture has great potential of raising the economy of the country to a higher level.

He added that farmers have continued to find it difficult in accessing loan from banks hence derailing growth of agri-business.

“We cannot talk of food security yet we leave our farmers behind. I fail to understand why bans have a low appetite for agriculture and that is why we appeal to the financial institutions to start giving loans and support farmers. A country that takes care of farmers will have addressed food security challenges” said Kinyanjui.

Kinyanjui also taking issue with cartels in the maize industry whom he said has continued to derail farmers’ welfare.

He decried that the country has continued to import maize and wheat yet there are farmers and youths unemployed.

The county boss calling for need to invest on audits in order to determine whether there are artificial prices in the markets to benefit a few individuals.

“I think it is time we also think of investing in audits so that we can know whether the prices in the markets are genuine” he said.

The County Government of Nakuru has partnered with Warehouse Receipt System Council to commence implementation of the Warehouse Receipt System.

This is in line with the Council’s move to work closely with County Governments, Ministries, State Agencies and private sector institutions to ensure reforms that benefit farmers.

Speaking in Nakuru on Thursday morning during a meeting on implementation of the Warehouse Receipt System, the Council’s Chairperson Ms Jane Ngige stated that the Council will focus on implementing the Warehouse Receipt System for maize,beans,green grams,coffee,wheat and rice.

In addition, the Council will progressively expand to cover other agricultural commodities across the country.

“As a council we will work closely with respective counties, Ministries and state agencies such as the State Department of Trade, National Cereals and Produce Board, Kenya National Trading Corporation and private sector institutions to ensure reforms gain momentum” she said.

The Warehouse Receipt System is identified in the Agriculture Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy as a key intervention to improve commodity storage, reduce average    post-harvest losses and curb value chain inefficiencies.

The System also increases financial earnings to farmers, traders and service providers in agricultural commodity trade.

Under the System, owners of commodities (producers or dealers) deposit their commodities in certified warehouses and are issued with a document of title called a Warehouse Receipt as a proof of ownership.

The Parliament passed The Warehouse Receipt System Act No.8 of 2019 in June 2019 providing a legal as well as regulatory framework for development and regulation of a Warehouse Receipt System and establishment of the Council.

Ms Ngige noted that the system once implemented will encourage increased lending to the Agricultural sector by providing alternative commodities and mitigating risk to the Banks within a structured trading system.

She added that, “The system also ensures confidence in the agricultural trading system given the consistency and an assurance to the buyers that the commodity is stored safely and is of known tradable quantity and quality.”

It should be noted that the Warehouse Receipt System operates successfully in countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia and Rwanda with pilot programs in Kenya having been conducted by both public and private sector players in the last 10 years.

Farmers who participated indicated premium benefits realized through the Warehouse Receipt System as it reduced pressure to sell their produce immediately after harvests when prices are too low, rather the system allowed them to access credit as they waited for favorable prices.

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui on his part reiterating the county is ready to partner with stakeholders towards improving farmers’ welfare.

He also called for the need to consider consumers and farmers in all the engagements as everything ends with them.

“We need to look at the whole value chain and ensure we also bring the consumers and farmers on board. The Billionaires in the millers industry are the farmers who should be brought on board.”

 

Various lobby groups under the umbrella Nakuru Child Rights Network have joined hands in calling for awareness on children rights.

The Network has commenced creating awareness on child rights even as 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence commences.

Speaking at Hyrax Hill Museum on Wednesday during a dialogue forum between parents and children,Cosmas Mutua said such dialogues are key towards realization of children rights.

Mutua terming such a move as the only way to help understand what challenges children face in life.

He added that issues of Gender Based Violence have continued to derail the well-being of children in society.

“We are here to launch 16 Days of Activism.We are aware GBV is a concern and that’s why we have engagement with children and parents through the dialogues” said Mutua.

The dialogues,be says target teenagers who are now idle at home due to COVID-19 pandemic that led to schools closure.

During the dialogues,teenagers are taken through de-briefing sessions to ensure they are mentaly fit as well as matters reproductive health and empowerment.

Mutua challenging parents to also play their role of parenting to avert more problems in society.

“We are also targeting parents for we believe they failed in one way on the other when it comes to parenting” he said.

The Nakuru Child Rights Network also calling on both counties and national government to ensure adequate funding for gender programs.

The host of the event Hyrax Hill Museum Curator Ms Lilian Amwanda on her part calling for need to address the challenges facing children in society.

Ms Amwanda stating that, “any Gbv against parents affects children in different ways.”

She is however optimistic that the children-parents dialogue will help address some of the challenges children face.

Lions Club of Menengai was the key sponsor of the event.

The club through President Rani Ramchandani donated dignity packs to 300 children.

“We have served 300 Children.For boys we have 100 benefiting with dignity packs while 200 girls get sanitary pads,soaps and inner clothes” said Rani.