Sugarcane farmers in Bungoma County are beaming with hope after Nzoia Sugar Company embarked on a modernisation exercise geared towards enhancing production, efficiency and service delivery.
Led by Ferdinand Makhanu, a model farmer based in Bukembe area, the farmers lauded the move by President William Ruto’s administration to lease out the four state-owned companies saying it marks a turning point for the sugar industry.
The farmers further exuded confidence that the leasing arrangement heralds a new beginning for the sugar industry, giving hope and dignity for hundreds of farmers whose livelihood had been severely affected by a sharp decline in production.
The decline in production which began in the 1990s saw some of the state-owned factories shutting down but things are looking up again.
Apart from Nzoia, the government also leased out Sony, Muhoroni and Chemelil Sugar Companies in a bid to resuscitate the sector, a key economic earner for the country.
“Sugarcane farming has helped me a lot, it has really empowered us because I have been able to educate my children and also build a decent home for my family,” said Makhanu, whose farm is highly rated by agriculturalists. His farm is one of the few Farmer Service Centres in the Sugar Belt.
Looking back at the highs and lows of sugarcane farming, Makhanu heaped praise on the Kenya Kwanza administration for taking a bold move saying the sugarcane industry is now on an upward trajectory.
For instance, he said that Nzoia Sugar Company was struggling to pay farmers, adding that they were forced to wait for several months before getting paid, something that brought pain, suffering and uncertainties to many homes.
“At some point, one would wonder if there was any need to go to the farms because we were not getting anything meaningful from it,” he said, adding that they were also not accessing proper sugarcane varieties with high yields and early maturity.
He said: “It reached a point where the factory was shut down but the decision by President Ruto to lease out this factory is welcome. We are now being paid on a weekly basis and money is back in circulation.”
“I would like to congratulate President Ruto and the new management at Nzoia Sugar because the factory is back in operation and there is money in circulation,” he stated. “Everyone who was involved in this strategic move deserves recognition,” he said.
For her part, Beatrice Wangila challenged her fellow women to invest more in sugarcane growing, noting that the ongoing reforms are farmer centered.
“Sugarcane brings money and as you can see I have a nice home built from recent payments that is why I am urging my fellow women to join me in sugarcane growing,” she said.
“It has helped my family in many ways like payment of school fees and other needs,” she added.
“We are witnessing transformation here, we are seeing a lot of changes in the management of the sugar industry and we are telling President Ruto to keep up the momentum because farmers have suffered for too long but we are now seeing fruits,” said Ronald Wekesa, a farmer in Kanduyi.
He called upon the new management to consider assisting farmers with the harvesting of sugarcane saying farmers do not have the financial ability to cut and also transport them to the factory.
