Industrialization P.S. Prof. John Lonyangapuo wants to know what problem Kenyans have with cows? After close to five decades of independence we have set up government agencies for practically every imaginable crop from coffee to tea, pyrethrum, cotton to coconut; while livestock which traverses every Kenyan village and impact all classes has no single purpose - built government agency to look after its issues. He wants to know what we have against the cow?
There is celebration and joy across the country especially in the ASAL districts of Ukambani. The cause of this patting of our collective backs is a bumper crop of maize and other crops. The local farmers have every reason to celebrate because they are guaranteed another season of food on the table. The local leadership especially is gloating about the prospects of keeping away the undignified government relief supplies. The real genius behind the bumper crop is Red Cross who distributed quality seeds “on time” to the farmers. They did this in conjunction with Sygenta. Can our government through the Ministry of Agriculture not do the same? Last season, government imported fertilizer for distribution to farmers, but it arrived too late. In North Eastern and Western Kenya Red Cross has actually taken over the duty of distributing relief food after local administrators couldn’t be trusted. Is it about time we outsourced relief supplies, seed distribution and extension services to Kenya Red Cross? The indefatigable Abbas Gullet seems like he could be up to the task.
