Monday July 2, 2018
Nderitu Gichure
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri tries motorbike in Laikipia East (Kibati Kihu)
NAIROBI, KENYA: The national government wants farmers to produce more hay in order to export some to Djibouti. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said the Government had struck a deal with Djibouti to buy all the hay Kenya can offer.
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing animals such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep.
The CS urged Kenyan farmers to grow the grass, especially the Boma Rhodes variety, with the hope of selling it like any other cash crop.
He was speaking at Wiyumiririe in Laikipia County during a farmers' field day; to mark the start of the National Dairy Month organised by the Kenya Dairy Board.
Kiunjuri appealed to county governments to start school milk programmes to spur demand for milk and therefore motivate farmers to produce more.
He added that to prevent milk losses due to spoilage, the Government was in the process of assisting all dairy co-operatives to acquire coolers.
"This will enable them store milk and release to the market at an appropriate time."