Migori Farmers Urged to Use Government Facilities to Cut Post-Harvest Losses

Small-scale farmers in Migori County have been encouraged to take full advantage of government-owned agricultural facilities and equipment to reduce post-harvest losses and improve their earnings.

Kenya Industrial Research Development Institute (KIRDI) Migori Official Neil Okumu made the call while training a farmer group from Suna East Sub-County. She urged more residents to visit the Migori-KIRDI facility located on the outskirts of Migori town.

The facility is equipped with a cereal dryer suitable for soybeans, groundnuts, sunflower, millet, and sorghum. It also features a mixer for producing animal, poultry, and fish feeds, along with other post-harvest processing equipment.

Value Addition Key to Higher Profits

Okumu encouraged farmers, groups, and non-governmental organisations to use the centre for training on value addition and market linkages. She said continuous research at KIRDI will equip farmers with practical skills to strengthen different agricultural value chains.

“We are encouraging small-scale farmers, groups and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to always seek advice from KIRDI on areas of food research, processing, market links and business compliance to safeguard food security,” said Okumu.

Besides cereals, the institute has supported sweet potato, pepper, and honey producers through trainings, capacity building, and market connections. KIRDI aims to ensure that farmer produce meets quality, standard, and certification requirements for local, regional, and international markets.

The organisation also helps farmers showcase their products at exhibitions, showgrounds, and government platforms such as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise events to expand market reach.

Youth and Women Targeted for Support

Migori County Youth Representative Bernard Odhiambo said his office is working with over 250 farmers, mostly youths and women, to access financial support. He is linking them to institutions such as the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) to grow and expand their agribusinesses.

Odhiambo noted that KIRDI trainings will further empower the youths on value addition, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) certification, and market access.

Farmer Shares Success Story

Rose Okinyi, a cereal and honey producer from Suna East Sub-County, credited KIRDI trainings for transforming her farming business. She said the skills have improved value addition and opened doors to wider markets.

“It feels good to be economically empowered; my farming business has changed the lives of people around me, brought joy to my family, created employment for my neighbours and generated more income,” Okinyi affirmed.

She expressed confidence that, with continued support from her group and KIRDI, she will expand her business beyond Migori County.

Call for Wider Utilisation

Stakeholders emphasised that utilising available government facilities like the KIRDI centre, combined with proper training and access to finance, can significantly reduce post-harvest losses and boost food security in Migori.

As the county pushes to strengthen its agricultural sector, officials urged more smallholder farmers to embrace value addition and modern processing techniques to turn their produce into profitable, market-ready products.