The Miraa Report Implementation Technical Team has this morning paid a courtesy call to Governor Kiraitu Murungi. The 12-member team was led by their newly appointed Chairperson, Kellow Garsama, who is also the Under Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture. The Technical Team was constituted by the Ministry of Agriculture in consultations with members of parliament from the five Miraa growing sub-counties which are Igembe North, Igembe South, Igembe Central, Tigania East and Tigania West. Each of the MPs from these sub counties nominated two representatives to the Team.

The aim of the visit was to report to the Governor that the Implementation Technical Team is visiting the County to meet with the Miraa Farmers and explain its mandate, elaborate about the ‘Miraa Money’ which was given to them by National Government as announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta and also present the proposals and recommendations made by the Miraa Task Force, which were presented to the President and passed.

Governor Kiraitu welcomed the Technical Team to the County and challenged them to take up the cross of addressing challenges facing Miraa Farmers head-on. The Governor said that he greatly appreciates and welcomes the Team to take up the mantle, saying he is no longer involved in any way with Miraa matters due to the fact that miraa has been turned to be an issue of political capital, which he said is unhealthy for development.

"I challenge this Technical Team to lead from the front by doing research on how to make Miraa products such as Miraa wine, and other processed products which can be quickly marketed, even as the raw Miraa product our farmers currently sell, faces challenges of bans in the international market," he added. The Governor pledged full support to the team by his administration, saying that the County Secretary Dr Rufus Miriti who is a member of the team, will be available to them to provide all input required for the part of the County Government.

Speaking during the visit, the Chairperson to the team Mr Kellow said that they are going to be in Meru County Miraa growing areas for the next one week. He said that the money that was offered to farmers is strictly given to the Miraa Report Implementation Technical Team under the Ministry of Agriculture. The Chairperson said that Ksh. 906 million has been allocated for this financial year and will be implemented in phases divided per each quarter.

"As a Committee, we have various proposals that were outlined in the Report which are meant to support Miraa farmers. These recommendations include marketing of Miraa nationally and internationally, provision of 19 boreholes to give water to farmers, the building of miraa markets and Miraa Research Institute," said the Chairman.

He dismissed misinformation being spread about Miraa Money being used in the planting of Macadamia and Avocado as a replacement for Miraa crop. He said that the Report by the Miraa Task Force, made recommendations concerning macadamia and avocados which were to be introduced by National Government, to Miraa Farmers as additional crops to cushion them due to challenges facing Miraa in the international market. He added that this was completely different from the exercise by County Government spearheaded by Governor Kiraitu Murungi to provide 1 million avocado and 1million macadamia trees to farmers in the County. He appealed to the resident to note the difference and avoid unnecessary passions raised by politically motivated interests.

The Technical Team also reported that it has made remarkable progress which includes, carrying out census and registration of all Miraa Farmers. 195,290 farmers have been registered. The team reported that it is also working with Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to set up Miraa Directorate and Kenya Miraa Development Agency (KMDA) similar to those for other crops such as Tea and Coffee.

The Technical Team also seeks to explain the recommendation that farmers should establish Miraa Saccos and Cooperative Societies through which the National Government will reach out and manage the farmers to ensure all the benefits reach them. The Chairperson said that they will be explaining these and other issues to farmers in the coming week.