Nandi county issue macadamia seedlings to promote crop diversification.
The County Government of Nandi through its department of Agriculture & Cooperative Development has today dispatched 17,000 grafted Macadamia seedlings to different groups of farmers to boost Macadamia farming across the county.
Speaking during the commissioning, Deputy Governor Dr. Yulita Mitei alluded that Agriculture is one of the key areas of emphasis in development agenda Governor Stephen Sang. Dr. Yulita reiterated the government’s commitment to support to with various programmes for agricultural productivity already in place.
Chief Officer Agriculture Mr. Wilson Lelei told farmers that the department is promoting crop diversification through introduction of emerging cash crops such as Macadamia which has potentially high returns.
He said that grafted macadamia is a strategic crop and am investment for posterity that start to fruit after 3-4 years, with marketable & more profitable yields expected after 5 years.
On average, the yields of a grafted macadamia tree range between 55-60 translating to Ksh over Ksh 6000 and expected annual gross income is Ksh 560,000 per acre.
Deputy Director incharge of Agriculture Mr. Jared Mutai took farmers through the basic information on macadamia establishment from planting to maturity before the issuance.
Distribution of the Macademia seedlings will prioritize wards which do not benefit from the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP).
