Farmers in Kisii County have been urged to form cooperative societies to enable them bargain for prices for their agricultural produce and products to boost their earnings.
Speaking in Kisii during the launch of Kisii’s first produced wine Soovita banana wine by Vicky Green Enterprises,Nandi Deputy Governor Eurita Mitei said the cooperatives will cut off middlemen who buy goods from the farmers cheaply and sell them at high prices elsewhere, leaving the latter wallowing in poverty.
She challenged the farmers to embrace value addition, noting it will create jobs, increase their earnings and improve the quality of their lives.
“This is the first manufacturing Plant in western region and rift Valley. It resonates well with the national government’s manufacturing pillar”said Mitei.
The Deputy Gorvenor, who graced the event appealed to farmers to produce more bananas to feed and sustain the Plant and implored them shun brokers out to exploit them.
She said the Plant will promote Small and Medium Enterprises, stressing, it will attract other investors to produce bananas and other banana products in the value chain.
The Farm’s Chief Executive Officer, Vicky Nyaboke appealed to Kenyan Envoys to market Kenyan products in the diaspora for the country to earn foreign exchange to boost its economy.
She said they have opened outlets in other parts of the country to promote the wine, noting it has created jobs for youths, noting, plans are afoot to export it.
“ I laud the county and the national government for giving us an enabling environment in the venture and will continue with the partnership” Nyaboke said.
