BY MN Reporter

Migori County Government has rolled out a honey production and marketing project at a cost of Sh3.7 million in efforts to improve food security in the area.

Governor Zachary Okoth Obado said that the first phase of the project will cover Nyatike and Suna West sub counties. Already the county has procured 400 bee hives to be distributed among 20 groups of farmers from the two sub counties.

He said that the second phase, which is expected to begin in the new financial year, will cover the remaining six sub counties in the region.

“Food security remains a priority objective for our county and honey production is one of the ways through which this objective can be achieved. Migori is endowed with excellent vegetation cover idea for bee keeping as a commercial activity,” the Governor said.

In a speech read on his behalf by the County Executive Member for Agriculture, Moses Chamwada at the Maranatha Grounds in Migori Town, during the launch, Obado said bee keeping is less labour and capital intensive and should be practiced across the county especially in areas not suitable for crop production and livestock grazing.

“In the support of value addition, the County Government through the department of livestock production, has provided honey extractor machines alongside langsthroth beehives to assist in refining honey and its by-products,” Obado said.

The Governor said that the County Government is also procuring high quality pedigree dairy cows to be distributed to selected farmers across the county.

“A total of 150 cows are currently being sourced from Rift Valley at a cost of Sh16 million and paper work on distribution policy is at advanced stage,” he said.

Obado said the County Government has also identified programmes aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and livestock development to spur industrial growth and contribute to poverty reduction and employment creation.