Governments should lobby for and devise laws that favor local industries for the country to be food secure.
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui says despite Kenya producing much food, startling statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that Kenya loses over Sh100 billion worth of food to waste annually.
Governor Lee stated that establishing agro-processing industries would ensure perishable food undergoes value addition thus minimizing loses.
“We need to start thinking on establishing agro-processing industries that would ensure perishable food undergoes value addition thus minimizing loses” said Kinyanjui.
He was speaking when he officially opened a water treatment and bottling plant at the Njoro Canners, a food processing company based in Njoro, Nakuru.
Kinyanjui at the same time called on universities to collaborate with local industries in driving innovations equipping students with the knowledge as per the market needs.
Njoro Canners director Sahul Patel said the company has established major food processing plants in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda.
He called on the national government and counties to come up with favorable tax regimes to empower local investors.“We have established major food processing plants in line with President’s Big Four Agenda.
The national government and counties should come up with favorable tax regimes to empower local investors” said Patel.
Governor Lee vouched for the promotion of investments in post-harvest handling through public-private partnerships, and by contracting farmers and other commercial off-takers.
Mr.Maina Ndura, a farmer contracted by the Njoro Canners called on the governments to come up with low-cost, mechanized irrigation technologies capable of providing considerable production.
PHOTO/NGPU:Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui at the Njoro Canners food processing company.
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