The Governor of Meru County Kiraitu Murungi flanked by Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu and top County Government officials, has today flagged off Drought Recovery Farm Inputs comprising 30 tonnes of certified maize seeds, 25 tonnes of fertilizer, 200kg seeds of vegetables and 34 tonnes of green grams which will be distributed to farmers in 30 Wards across the County especially in drought prone areas bordering Isiolo and the Northern arid regions in Buuri, Tigania and Igembe.

While issuing the inputs, Governor Kiraitu said his administration has been focused and committed to improve agriculture for increased food and household incomes, especially by empowering the women in the sector since they are primary caregivers to families, through the Meru Twaweza Program.

"These inputs, especially the maize seeds will be distributed through the Twaweza Program where women are already organized into groups. This is well in line with the aim of my government to uplift and empower the women of Meru economically, politically and socially to increase their visibility in our vision of Making Meru Great," he said.

Through NARIGP alone, Governor Kiraitu has so far, spent Sh463 million to improve agriculture in Meru, where Sh271 million has gone to farmer groups, Sh98 million to farmer cooperatives with the ongoing construction of Ntharene Banana Market in Imenti South worth Sh94 million and 33, 000 direct beneficiaries across the County.

Additionally, an indigenous (kienyeji) chicken rearing project(KOPIA Project) is ongoing across the County, valued at Sh200 million, while another multi-million dairy project, the ‘Maziwa Project’ was commissioned last week and is expected to benefit thousands of smallholder farmers across Meru.

Today’s project will be implemented through the Department of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries headed by Carole Kagwiria Mutiga and the Department of Education, Gender and Social Development headed by Linner Nkirote Kailanya through the Meru Twaweza Program whose patron is the County First Lady, Madam Priscilla Murungi.
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