Nairobi City County Executive Committee Member for Green Nairobi, Mr. Ibrahim Auma, has asserted the County’s dedication to driving agro-entrepreneurship by boosting and supporting agricultural activities in line with Governor Sakaja’s vision of a food-secure county.
Mr. Auma made these remarks during a visit to Kenya’s top farmers, Mr. David Wamae and Mrs. Maryann Wamae, at their Rhino Park Dairy Resource Centre in Karen, Langata Sub County. The visit aimed at appreciating farmers and understanding the challenges they face.
Mr. and Mrs. Wamae, who own 16 dairy cows producing about 250 liters of milk daily, were recognized as the best small-scale commercial farmers during the 2023 Nairobi International Trade Fair. Their success highlights the significant efforts by the County’s Agriculture Subsector to support urban farmers, addressing food and nutrition security and creating jobs through agribusiness.
Mr. Auma expressed confidence that Nairobi’s farmers and residents would soon appreciate the County’s efforts to ensure safe, affordable, and nutritious food for all. “Nairobi is already in talks with other counties supplying foodstuffs to the City. This initiative aims to ensure that food reaching Nairobi is fresh, safe, and nutritious, and also to create linkages among producers, processors, and consumers,” he added.
The Wamaes have benefited from the Nairobi City County Government’s support through the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP) II. They, along with Muteero Self Help Group, received equipment such as an ice cream making machine, cream separator, milk pasteurizer, milk cooler, milk analyzer, and chiller to boost their dairy business.
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In addition to innovation support, the County has trained value chain actors on Technologies, Innovations, and Management Practices (TIMPs), entrepreneurship, and market access.
Mr. and Mrs. Wamae, who specialize in dairy farming and milk value addition, emphasized the need to encourage youth to venture into agribusiness, noting that agriculture is a profitable enterprise.
The County Executive was accompanied by Director of Crops and Forestry Development, Ms. Mary Kibira, Deputy Director and ASDSP Business Development Officer, Mr. David Kyalo, and ASDSP Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Philemon Lagat.
