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Description

Vision of the Department

An innovative, commercially-oriented and modern agricultural ventures.

Mission of the Department

To improve livelihoods of the people of the county through promotion of competitive agriculture and innovative research, sustainable livestock and fisheries development, equitable productive capital and sustainable management of land resources.

Departmental Overview

Crop farming, livestock production and fisheries whose optimum harnessing could lead to food security, employment creation, related sector development and natural resource conservation, are the sub-sectors under agriculture.

The Highlands are ideal dairy farming and cash & food crop production. These crops include; tea, pyrethrum, potatoes, passion fruits, vegetables (cabbages, kales, carrots and peas), temperate fruits, Maize, wheat and beans.

The Lowland is ideal for production of  Mangoes, Oranges, Avocadoes, Bananas, Tomatoes, Pawpaw, Groundnuts, Passion fruits, Watermelon, dryland cereals (millets, maize, pearl millets and sorghum) and legumes (beans, pigeon peas, green grams, cowpeas, soya, and chickpeas).

Currently, annual production of milk stands at 14.9 million litres. Other livestock species reared include goats and sheep mainly on small-scale basis by subsistence farmers.

Dairy farming plays an important role in the livelihoods of the communities in the county as a source of milk for home consumption and as a source of income. The majority of sheep bred in the county are Red Maasai though there is an increasing demand for the Dorpers and Merino Wool sheep.

Goat breeds reared include; Galla, Kenya Alpine, Toggenburg Dairy, and the small East African types. The potential for bee-keeping especially along the Kerio Valley characterized by rich vegetation of various acacia tree species known for production of high quality honey.

Poultry keeping entails rearing chicken under the free range system with minimum feed supplementation and moderate housing. However, some poultry farmers have adopted new technologies in  rearing chicken using modern housing and feeding systems while other have acquired new breeds with superior production qualities such as the Kuchi chicken type.

Fish farming (aquaculture) through fish ponds is also practiced in our county with the most prominently reared fish being Tilapia. Currently, there are 440 fish ponds and 2 shallow water reservoirs in the county with yields of up to 260 tons of fish annually worth Kshs. 70 million.

Apart from promoting improved seed varieties, disease and pests' prevention and adoption of modern agricultural technologies strategies, we have put in place mechanisms that would enhance productivity and efficiency in agricultural production. These mechanisms include:

• Purchase tractors, harrows, planters, combined harvesters, irrigation equipment amongst other equipment for hire service.
• Increase productivity by 30% of all agricultural ventures by 2017.
• Enhance value chain agricultural produce through processing and value addition.
• Reach 3,000 households annually by extension services and crop promotion.
• Hold one county agricultural show annually from 2014.
• Hold four agricultural exhibitions annually.
• Establish four Farmers training demonstration sites.
• Establish, network and establish sustainable credit avenues for farmers.
• Establish grain depots by 2017.
• Upgrade Cheptebo Farmers training college and Chebara training centre.
• Promote introduction of emerging livestock e.g. Llamas, quail birds, rabbits, e.t.c.

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