Women Farmers Trained to Boost Food Security in Embu

Farmers during training in Embu town. MWINGI TIMES |Brian Musyoka

The women, drawn from different parts of the county, came together to gain skills and knowledge designed to transform farming from subsistence activity into a sustainable and profitable venture.

The programme which was organized by the Women Farmers Association of Kenya (WOFAK) in collaboration with the Embu County Department of Agriculture saw farmers go through modern farming activities and pest control techniques aiming in a bid to ensure maximum production.

Speaking during the training in Embu town today 9th January 2025,  Embu County Chief Officer in charge of Agriculture, Njeru Mwita, emphasized the critical role women play in Kenya’s agricultural sector.

“Forty-three percent of farmers in Kenya are women, and that is the biggest percentage. Empowering women farmers is key to increasing yields and strengthening food security,” Mwita said.

He added that the county government will continue supporting women farmers through the distribution of quality seeds to boost food production.

“As a county, we shall be distributing seeds to support these women so that they can engage more in farming and increase food production,” he said.

WOFAK representative Winnie Murithi said the organization is working towards strengthening value chains that will unite women farmers in Embu County.

“We are mapping out a value chain that will bring women farmers together so that they can be empowered collectively and benefit more from their farming activities,” Murithi said.

She noted that WOFAK is evaluating sunflower farming as a viable venture for women farmers, with a focus on value addition.

“We are assessing sunflower farming to see whether women can engage in its production and later extract oil for added value,” she said.

The initiative also received support from the Rainforest Alliance through the Mt Kenya Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods programme.

Susan Kinyua from the Rainforest Alliance said their focus is to connect farmers with financial institutions to enable them to expand their enterprises.

“We will link these farmers with financial players who can offer sustainable financing so that they can scale up the enterprises they are planning to undertake,” Kinyua said.

Stakeholders said empowering women farmers with skills, inputs, and access to finance will significantly improve agricultural productivity, livelihoods, and food security in Embu County.