Ndengu
Revolution booms as
Consignment
heads to Mombasa
By Martin
Masai and Martin Mwengah
The
Ndengu Revolution reverberated today as a consignment Ndengu destined for
Mombasa departed from Kitui. It was
the culmination of a week of action by two Kitui Cooperative Societies- Endamalalani
Sacco and Kitui Grassroots Sacco- as Agriculture Chief Officer Mr. James
Songolo flagged off the truck carrying 150,000 kilograms of Ndengu at Kalundu
Market this afternoon.
 |
| Mr Songolo and Deputy County Secretary Ms Koki Mbisi flag off a truck carrying Ndengu to Mombasa |
The Chief Officer said there was an order of 500,000 tons of
green grams that would be transported to Mombasa. “Today we are transporting
the first bunch of 15,000 tons of green grams to Mombasa that has been
collected from our farmers as part of an order of 500,000 tons”.
The two
saccos are funded by Universal Traders Sacco to buy Ndengu. Over a dozen other
saccos drawn from all corners of the county are also lined up for funding by
UTS. “Universal Traders Sacco is lending Sacco’s
money to buy ndengu from the farmers at an affordable interest rate so that
after selling and paying back the loan, the Sacco members have something left
in their pockets for the Sacco” said the manager Universal Traders Sacco Kitui
Branch Mr Sylvester
Mugo.
Speaking during the flagging off, also
attended by the County Value Chains Specialist Dr Temi Mutia, Rosephine Musale Mulatya, the chairlady Endamalalani Sacco thanked
Governor Ngilu for the Ndengu Revolution Campaign and promised that they will
plant more ndengu during the next season.
The
truck will deliver the cargo to Capital Reef Kenya Limited who will process it
before exporting.
However
the price of Ndengu has dropped tremendously with brokers entering the markets
to buy it at Sh 40. The entry of the cooperatives pushed the
price to Sh 43 and it is expected to rise with time and with more participation
of other buyers.
The
Ndengu Revolution is Governor Ngilu’s flagship project that traverses virtually
all the five pillars of her manifesto- Food and (Water), Healthcare, (Education)
and Youth Development, Women Empowerment and Wealth Creation. The initiative’s
specific objectives are to provide food security for Kitui people and at the same
time offer incomes to Kitui farmers.
The Ndengu Revolution, also known as Kiuutani Kya Uthui is in the second
season after it was first launched in October 2017 in a partnership between the
county government of Kitui and Kenya Red Cross Society. In the first season
that run between October and December 2017, the initiative realized 15,000 MTs
due to depressed low rains at the time and earned Kitui farmers approximately
Sh 1billion.
During the second season,
March-May 2018 farmers harvested 33,524 MTs of Ndengu which is expected to earn
farmers Sh 2,1billion. The Ngilu Plan has seen the government plough at least
two acres of land for the most vulnerable farmers, donated two Kgs of certified
seed, pesticides and free radio-based education on crop husbandry during the
two seasons. This has resulted in virtually every homestead having a basis of
exchange for cash or other foodstuff. Farmers now exchange their produce with cash or even give it out to
schools as school fees for their children.
