Farmers in Kerio Valley get mango farming support from KVDA

KVDA is supporting farmers to produce mangoes in Kerio Valley to help end banditry that has been a big problem for many years.

Kerio Valley Development Authority managing director Sammy Naporos said they are supporting farmers in the region to expand fruit farming, especially mangoes, which do well in the valley.

He said banditry attacks in the region were partly caused by competition over resources between communities on the border between Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties.

“What we are doing now to support fruit production is a conflict management mechanism because cattle rustling conflicts experienced in the valley is purely because of competition over resources,” Naporos said.

He said they will work with the national government, counties and development partners to expand irrigation schemes in the region.

“Once communities have access to water and other necessary support programmes they will be able to engage in commercial mango farming and many youth will shift their focus from banditry,” Naporos said in his office in Eldoret.

The MD said such initiatives would reduce conflicts because they would bring residents together.

“We believe that if we support and expand this kind of farming then in a few years we will transform the region from the valley of death to a haven of peace and prosperity,” Naporos said.

KVDA is raising mango seedlings in nurseries in several areas including Kimwarer, Kimoraor and Tot.

In the last three years, the organisation has raised about three million mango seedlings which have been distributed to farmers.

Last year the government completed constructed a Sh40 million mango factory in Tot. It is now operational.

The factory is however not receiving adequate supply of mangoes from the farmers and hence it operates at below capacity.

It can produce more than 4.16 million litres of juice, which its capacity.

The factory has been supporting 700 farmers who registered to deliver mangoes after harvest.

“We look at mango farming in a wider concept as food security initiative and to support income generating activities and promote social economic development for people living within the valley,” Naporos said.

Naporos said for many years the mangoes produced in the valley are indigenous and take a lot of time to mature and are small.

“We have however put in place improvements through grafting to produce other species, mainly the apple mango and Agwe variety that do well in semi arid regions,” he said.

Naporos said the new varieties mature within three and a half years and are of good quality and quantity.

The Kerio Valley region produces 35,000 tonnes of mangoes annually and the region has attracted many customers from Nairobi and other regions.