Kenya: Siaya county government to promote avocado farming

The Siaya county government has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to boost avocado farming in the southwest Kenya county. They are also developing policies and regulations to promote production, stabilize the value chain and expand the market for the crop.

Siaya Deputy Governor James Okumbe said on Monday that the initiative to boost avocado farming was to ensure the area is food secure: “We are also keen on commercialising production of such crops in Siaya. This crop will also help Siaya realise the 10 per cent forest cover as recommended by the national government for every county.”

Okumbe said the county government will conduct continuous campaigns to ensure more residents grow avocados. Agriculture executive Elizabeth Odhiambo said the move to promote avocado farming was already bearing fruit. “This year farmers received 6,000 seedlings of Hass variety,” she told the-star.co.ke. Odhiambo said this has led to an increase in acreage under production from 40 acres in 2015 to 130 acres this year.