The Kisii government has launched a programme to distribute banana suckers to farmers at a cost of Sh10 million. Speaking during the launch at Etago in South Mugirango on Sunday, Agriculture executive Vincent Sagwe said farmers will get 50,000 suckers of the early maturing and disease resistant banana variety.

We are committed to ensuring farmers get quality planting material even as we address the marketing challenges. Tissue culture banana variety is high yielding, disease resistant, matures and ripens faster,” he said. Tissue culture banana suckers are small in size unlike the traditional varieties making them convenient to carry and plant.

Sagwe said the county government will invest Sh20 million ($231,500,000 USD) in phase two of the project in the next financial year. “We have put in place mechanisms to facilitate value addition to our agricultural produce in order to ensure farmers reap maximum benefits from their ventures. Already, one farmer group in Kisii town is engaged in making banana crisps,” he said.

Sagwe said in the next phase, farmers will be given one free sucker for every one sucker they buy to encourage ownership of the project.

Horticulture farmers in the area are also poised to reap big from a Sh300 million avocado processing plant being put up in Kisii town by Turkish and Australian investors. The factory will begin operations in May and will produce avocado oil, animal feed and soap.