The County Government of Busia in partnership with the Anglican Development Services (ADS) have introduced a high yielding variety of Soya Beans.
The variety- SB19 has been given to farmers in the County.
The variety is from Kenya Agriculture Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and an improved type that is drought resistant with a harvest of at most 1.2 tonnes per acre.
It matures within three months.
In a sensitization meeting to introduce the seed variety dubbed 2AProject, Agriculture CEC Moses Osia said Busia County has favorable climatic conditions.
He said the climate allows farmers to diversify their income sources, noting that soya beans give them the leverage despite past challenges.
The project will be on a contractual basis of three levels which Osia said will safeguard farmers’ interests from exploitation by middlemen and aggregators.
“Farmers are going to sign contracts which will assure them of market and stable prices for their produce and thus a win for all actors,” he said.
The ADS Programmes and Fundraising Partnership Manager the Reverend Oscar Ekesa said the project which is in the entire western region targets 2,500 farmers in Busia.
Samuel Akolo who oversees ADS food security and nutrition said that Equatorial Nuts Processors are the main current buyers.
“We will be buying a kilo of soya at Ksh50 of which a farmer will be able to make at least Kshs. 10-12,000 as gross margin per acre,” he added.
The project will run from 2020-2023.
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