More than 2,000 farmers in Kirinyaga County have been trained on high-yielding maize varieties as part of a county government initiative aimed at increasing maize production, strengthening dairy farming and helping farmers prepare for the anticipated El Niño rains.
The training programme, implemented in partnership with Bayer East Africa Limited, equipped farmers with knowledge on selecting suitable maize seed varieties for different ecological zones and planting seasons, climate-smart farming techniques and market opportunities to improve productivity and household incomes.
Farmers were introduced to improved maize varieties including DK777, DK8031, DKC8033, DKC9089 and the newly promoted DK7500, a yellow maize variety recommended for both grain production and silage to support dairy farming.
The initiative is being implemented under Governor Anne Waiguru’s Masomo Mkulima Mashinani programme, an agricultural extension model designed to take training and advisory services directly to farmers at the grassroots level.
Governor Waiguru said the programme seeks to empower smallholder farmers through practical field demonstrations and access to modern agricultural technologies that can improve yields and profitability.
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“This support is part of the Wezesha Kirinyaga programme, which aims at rewriting the story of the smallholder farmer by supporting households engaged in multiple agricultural value chains to increase production and market their produce,” she said.
The governor noted that the county government would continue investing in value addition, post-harvest handling and market access initiatives to protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen and fluctuations in market prices.
“Our next phase is about sustainability, ensuring every farmer continues to grow their income and every village becomes part of the agricultural success story,” she added.
County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Dr. John Gachara said the programme is supported by 147 agricultural extension officers deployed across all sub-locations in the county. The officers provide technical support, monitor crop performance and collect field data to improve extension services.
Dr. Gachara explained that the county launched Masomo Mkulima Mashinani after discovering that many farmers were unable to travel to the Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) Centre at Kamweti in Karumandi Ward for training.
To address the challenge, the county established the Kangai Tomato Propagation Centre as an extension of the ATVET facility to bring practical agricultural training closer to farmers.
He said the partnership with Bayer East Africa had enabled farmers to access information on improved seed varieties while also linking them to reliable markets.
The county is also monitoring maize performance across different parts of Kirinyaga to identify the best-performing varieties and farming practices for various ecological zones. The findings will help strengthen future extension programmes and guide farmers in making informed decisions.
Bayer East Africa trainer Peter Kibure said the training was designed to help farmers understand the characteristics of different maize varieties and select the most suitable seeds based on seasonal conditions and production goals.
He highlighted DK7500 as a high-yielding yellow maize variety containing approximately 12 percent protein, making it suitable for silage production for dairy cattle while also supporting grain production.
The variety also contains beta-carotene and has demonstrated strong performance under favourable rainfall conditions.
Kibure noted that the anticipated El Niño rains present an opportunity for farmers to maximize yields by planting maize varieties that perform well under high-rainfall conditions.
Farmers who attended the training welcomed the initiative, saying it had provided them with practical knowledge to improve production and increase incomes.
Christopher Wanjohi said the programme had equipped farmers with valuable skills that would help them achieve better harvests and improve their livelihoods.
Jane Wambui from Kerugoya Ward said county-led agricultural training programmes had transformed her maize farming since 2022 by helping her adopt improved seed varieties with higher yields.
She noted that she had previously relied on low-performing varieties but had since recorded better harvests after adopting the recommended seeds. Wambui expressed confidence that the newly introduced DK7500 variety would further boost production and benefit many farmers across the county.
