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Siaya, JICA partner to boost avocado farming

avocado

Avocados for exports. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Siaya has partnered with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to boost avocado farming.

The county has received around 6,000 seedlings of Hass variety to promote avocado farming.

Avocado is a major income earner in the horticultural sector, raking in nearly half of the total returns from fruits.

According to deputy governor James Okumbe, the partnership will stabilise the avocado value chain in a bid to expand the market within and outside the country.

“This collaboration is so far at the final stages of the value chain analysis. It will soon be validated and consumed by the national and county governments for purposes of enacting policies and regulations,” said Dr Okumbe.

About 70 percent of avocado production is by small-scale growers who grow it for subsistence, local markets and export.

“As a county, we will support towards continuous sensitisation of residents on avocado’s full potential, training of staff to manage this whole value chain from input supply, production, processing and marketing,” he said, adding that with good farming practice a grower has the potential of earning a minimum of Sh300000 per season.

The main areas where avocados are grown are Thika, Muranga, Nyeri, Embu and Meru.