Kenya’s ambition of achieving food and nutritious security has received a boost after the Zambian government agreed to offer Kenyan farmers land for large scale farming in the Southern Africa nation.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi revealed this after holding bilateral talks with his Zambian counterpart Reuben Mtolo in Lusaka on Monday.
Linturi said Kenya and Zambia will sign a memorandum of understanding to allocate Kenyan farmers twenty thousand hectors of land for large scale farming.
“The deal will help us to achieve food security by allowing Kenyan farmers to get permits to practice farming in Zambia and export the food to Kenya,” Linturi said.
Mtolo said the partnership will benefit Kenya’s desire to achieve food security since the Zambia weather patterns are favourable for food production.
“We have agreed to allow Kenyan farmers start large scale farming in Zambia and export their harvests to Kenya. We have one of the best farms and weather in Zambia which is favorable for farming and it will be beneficial to Kenyans,” Mtolo stated.
In addition, the Zambia government has accepted to supply Kenya with their surplus maize as a short term measure to the current drought situation in Kenya.
This comes in the wake of maize shortage in the country that has shot up prizes of maize flour. Zambia is an agricultural country and produces maize that feeds it’s population of twenty million people and exports surplus maize to the African market.
“Our short term measure is to stabilise Kenya maize flour demands and prices. However, our long term plan is to engage large scale farmers who will produce maize specifically for the Kenyan market,” added Mtolo.
Linturi on his part lauded the Zambian government for their willingness to collaborate in making both countries food secure.
“President William Ruto’s government will do everything possible to bring down the cost of food by adopting creative measures like such collaborations. I am happy that the government of Zambia is willing to offer Kenyan farmers farm blocks where they can produce food for export markets,” the CS stated.
The Cabinet Secretary also warned Kenyan farmers who are hoarding maize as they wait for higher maize prices to release their yields.
“Those farmers who are hoarding maize in Kenya are doing injustice to our population. Very soon we will have sufficient maize that will reduce the cost of unga,” he added.
Linturi was accompanied by Crops Development Principal Secretary Kello Harsama, Kenyan Ambassador in Zambia Flora Karugu and other Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development officials.
