There is a dire need to engage small scale farmers at grassroot level on not only how to access quality inputs but also the right information on how to use them towards improved production.

Margaret Wambui, the Operations Manager at the Mbegu Zetu Farmers Hub which has been key in bridging the information gap among farmers Nakuru county says a lot has to be  done to improve production.

Speaking at Rumwe Farm in Njoro Sub County on Wednesday during the launch of an agri-business fair scheduled for 11^th and 12^th March, Wambui noted that if the information gap among farmers is addressed, then there will be more production hence food security.

“We realized that there was a gap in terms of information on products and services for the small scale farmers and that is why we stepped. This is an eye opener to the farmers in improving production” she said.

Sentiments echoed by Kipyegon Kipkemoi from Eastern Africa Grains Council- a private member of the Grains value chain stakeholders.

He said their partnership with Mbegu Zetu Farmers’ Hub is to ensure that farmers are empowered with the right information, linkages to traders and market in line with production.

“We have partnered with Mbegu Zetu just to ensure that farmers are well empowered before the next production season of March” said Kipyegon.

Since the inception of the process of bridging the information gap by Mbegu Zetu Hub in partnership with Eastern Africa Grains Council, farmers in Njoro are already a happy lot.

Joseph Koech, a small-scale farmer from Njoro Sub County is optimistic on the whole program of empowering farmers.

In an Interview with this writer at Rumwe Farm,Koech stated that “I am grateful for the information that they have given us all through. It is key to us farmers at grassroot towards improving production.”

Koech who engages in Maize, beans and potatoes farming says it all began with soil testing and using the right fertilizer on his farm.

His appeal to farmers in Njoro and surrounding to avail for the agri-business fair scheduled for 11^th and 12^th March so that they can learn more on how to improve production.

Another farmer and beneficiary Pauline Mugambi from Njoro is a witness that indeed field days for the farmers has been of great benefit to her as she has been able to embrace farming.

To her, farming is agri-business and it pays hence everyone should embrace agri-business for a transformative society.

“I want to appeal to everyone including our youths to embrace agri-business and it will transform their lives” said Ms Mugambi.

The goverment’ move to ban maize planting activities in Nessuit, Ndoswa and Marioshoni in Eastern Mau has elicited mixed reactions among locals.

Members of the Ogiek community living in the said areas have raised concerns over the move.

Addressing media in Nakuru on Thursday,the locals under the Ogiek community council of elders said the move is a threat to their rights to food security.

Led by John Sironga,they called on the goverment to log the ban as it means no good for the livelihoods.

The locals have differed with the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government that the move is aimed at securing the area and preventing reportedly rampant ethnic attacks.

Sironga said the move is only aimed at barring them from exercising their rights to access food.

They say instead of the ban,the goverment should use the security personnel in the area to wipe out criminal activities.

“We are in shock over a ban on the production of a crop.Our appeal to the goverment to come to our rescue and allow us to grow maize as we rely on the same for our livelihoods” said  Sironga.

Sentiments echoed by Sarah Osas who wondered why the goverment took such a move.

She said it was wrong to bar locals from planting in the name of insecurity.

According to Ms Osas,there are many security personnel who can ensure security even in the Maize plantations.

“Our cry as mothers who depend on maize farming is that the government can lift the ban to avert our suffering” she said.

Government through a public notice issued by the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya, said the ban in Nessuit, Ndoswa and Marioshoni in Eastern Mau was a preventative measure to curb recurrent ethnic clashes.

Residents of Likia in Njoro sub County of Nakuru County are up in arms over what they term is illegal beaconing of their land by the government without their knowledge.

The locals who addressed the media at Likia Farm in the area on Friday wondered why there was demarcation and beaconing of their parcels of land.

They say that they bought the land way back in 1967 and currently they have the ownership rights as they have acquired land title deeds.

Led by John Kinyanjui, the locals said they are shocked with the ongoing exercise that is being carried out by unknown people.

Kinyanjui added that even the local administrators led by area Chiefs were not informed of the exercise.

According to the locals, the government should come out clear on the exercise and the motif behind the beaconing of peoples’ parcels of land that is far away from the forest land.

They have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to step in and help address the land tussle in the area to avert any tension.

“As locals of Likia Farm we are in shock after we woke up to these beacons. We want the government and President to come and address this issue lest tension piles up here” said Kinyanjui.

Paul Ng’ang’a , one of the land owners in the area for many years, says those behind the beaconing process have gone beyond the forest boundary and now into people’s lands.

He faulted sections of the national government officials and Kenya Forest Service for going on with the process without involving members of the community.

Ng’ang’a maintains that they have been living in the area bordering Forest Reserve since the 1960s and now fear that the move will see them displaced.

He adds that their only hope is now with President Uhuru Kenyatta whose visit in the area will help clear the matter.

“There is tension because our sons are asking us why the beacons yet the land was bought. President Uhuru should visit and sort out this issue so that we can know where we belong” said Ng’ang’a.

Sentiments echoed by Pius Mburu, a senior resident in the area in charge of Likia Sub location.

Mburu admits that when they saw the new beacons they took the initiative to visit area Assistant County Commissioner to ascertain the truth of the matter but nothing came out as the ACC had no knowledge.

He says as locals they are irate with such a process that has not taken into consideration the views of the people.

“We want the truth to be known to the President so that he can come to our aid because this is our land that we bought using our own sweat” said Mburu.

Similar process of beaconing has taken place at Ndeffo farm in Njoro Sub County.

But Rift valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya in an earlier interview,assured locals that no one will be evicted despite a survey showing that they had invaded Forest land.

He was however quick to note that the areas in tussle will be re-gazetted and the boundaries formalized after the process being carried out by a multi-agency team.

“Let them be assured that no genuine individual who bought land in the area shall be evicted. There is a multi-agency team in the area and the Rongai DCC is part of the team to look at issues of boundaries” he said.