The government has so far delivered 43 mobile grain dryers to farmers to help reduce post harvest losses.
Out of these, 33 dryers have been assembled, tested and distributed to various National Cereals and Produce Board depots.
Agriculture and Livestock development CS Mithika Linturi said post-harvest losses are an impediment to achieving 100 per cent food and nutrition security.
“Towards this end, the government embarked on the distribution of grain dryers to curb post-harvest losses mainly caused by poor storage, inadequate drying facilities and poor weather conditions during the harvest period,” he said.
He spoke on Tuesday while flagging off a 10-ton capacity dryer for the Bomet NCPB depot and another dryer of the same capacity for Ndanai NCPB depot.
Under Phase One of the grain drying for sustainable post-harvest management project, the government procured 100 mobile grain dryers of between 10 and 14-ton capacity.
This, the CS said, was aimed at mitigating against post-harvest losses in 15 main maize growing counties of Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Bungoma, Kakamega, West Pokot, Narok, Kericho, Migori, Bomet, Baringo, Nyandarua and Laikipia.
“So far 43 mobile grain dryers have been delivered. Out of these, 33 dryers have been assembled, tested and distributed to various NCPB depots,” Linturi said.
He added that arrangements are underway to have another dryer stationed at Sotik NCPB depot.
“We are also flagging off another two dryers to Narok county (one for Mulot NCPB and the other for Kilgoris NCPB). I encourage farmers to make use of these dryers to the fullest to ensure their maize is stored as per the required standards.”
The dryers have the capacity to dry 10 tons of grain with a moisture content of 18 to 13 per cent in a record two hours, as compared to when a farmer would conventionally dry the same quantity of grain for days.
Linturi said the farming community in Bomet has faced challenges ranging from the unfortunate prevalence of fake seeds, limited access to agronomic technologies, the high threat of maize lethal necrosis disease, and the long distance to travel to access farm inputs.
“To further demonstrate the commitment to serve farmers better, Linturi said the government will launch a new Kenya Seed depot in Bomet town. This will be a step towards mitigating these challenges for enhanced food and nutrition security of the people of Bomet and the neighbouring counties of Narok, Kisii and Kericho,”the CS said.
He added; “I assure the farmers of Bomet and the surroundings that rigorous quality control measures have been put in place, to guarantee that the seeds you receive are of the highest standards.”