Nairobi: 148 newly recruited and trained agripreneurs have been commissioned to work under the National Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP). Speaking at the county headquarters, Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo announced that these agripreneurs will operate under the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries for the next 18 months.

According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Ottichilo detailed that the agripreneurs’ responsibilities include registering and profiling farming households and non-household farms such as large, commercial, institutional, greenhouse, and ranch operations. They will also profile value chain actors, map and record the GPS locations of agricultural farms within their wards, and offer training and extension services to the farmers.

The governor emphasized that recruiting these agripreneurs marks a significant milestone towards transforming Vihiga County’s agricultural sector from subsistence to commercial. He stressed the importance of adopting climate-smart agricultural practices to combat the adverse effects of climate change, thereby reducing reliance on rain-fed farming and ensuring sustainability and improved yields.

To facilitate their work, five motorbikes were commissioned to assist with extension services in the five wards not included in the project’s first phase.