Avocado farming program by Governor Waiguru bearing fruits

Beneficiaries of Hass avocado seedlings from Kirinyaga County Government have a reason to smile as they prepare to make their first harvest.

The initiative which was the brain child of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has proved a timely success for farmers as they look forward to sell the product.

The County Government donated the seedlings four years ago, with farmers now saying their avocado trees have matured and they expect to harvest the first fruits this month.

Already, some of the beneficiaries especially those in cooperative societies have gotten a ready market for the fruit therefore eliminating middlemen.

Through Wezesha Kirinyaga economic empowerment program, Governor Waiguru embarked on a massive program that has seen about 500 farmers groups get support to undertake various agricultural value chains, among them avocado farming.

Besides distributing hass avocado seedlings to farmers across the county, Waiguru also spearheaded the formation of an avocado cooperative society which has now enabled farmers to collectively negotiate for better price for their crop.

Other farmers groups have also been supported to establish nurseries where they propagate hass avocado seedlings which they in turn sell to farmers within and outside the county.

Enos Gichanga, Chaiman of Kirinyaga Avocado Growers Cooperative Society says that their cooperative which was formed in 2020 has been selling their avocados to Kakuzi PLC at Ksh 25 per fruit as opposed to the previous price of Ksh 3-7.

“By coming together and forming a cooperative, the county government has supported the farmers with avocado seedlings as well as the establishment of avocado propagation nurseries. We have therefore overcome the challenge of sourcing for quality seedlings,” Gichanga said.

He said by integrating avocado farming in tea and coffee farming, the farmers have added value to their farms and created an extra income stream to empowering themselves economically.

“One tree can give up to Ksh. 20,000 and so a farmer with several trees growing among the tea bushes reaps more from avocadoes than from tea,” he said.

Gichanga noted that they are now educating tea and coffee farmers to replace other types of trees with avocado trees since their economic value is higher.

He thanked the governor for the support adding that the upcoming avocado aggregation centers that the county has put up will go a long way in providing a conducive environment for farmers to collect and store their fruits before onward transmission to the market.

James Gitari, one of the first beneficiaries of the program in 2019 said he expects to harvest his first fruits this month.

He said the global demand for avocado is higher than the supply, urging more farmers, especially the young people to embrace it.

Tabitha Wabere a coffee farmer from Gichugu who has integrated avocado farming said returns from the sale of avocado have enabled her uplift her family economic status.

Governor Waiguru said the avocado value chain support program aims at elevating the county to be the leading avocado producer in the region.

“We also want to be the leader in avocado seedlings production where our farmers will be selling quality seedlings to other farmers within and outside our county,” She said.

She said that due to the rising demand for avocado in the local and export market, avocado farming presents an immense investment opportunity for farmers in the county adding that her administration is committed to supporting them to increase production and access to market.

The county’s current annual avocado production is estimated at 15,000 metric tons worth around Ksh. 300 million. With the county government’s interventions, the production is expected to go up to 21,000 metric tons which will be fetching the farmers around Ksh. 700 million.