Institute of Environment and Water Management (IEWM) with support from WOCAN organized a meeting of the Women Leadership Circle in Agriculture & NRM (WLCAN) members with the Governor of theNyandarua Countyand County Assembly Clerk in Kenya on 27 July.
There were 31 WLCAN members representing the three women’s groups: Mukiri Tene Women Group, Gathara-Mwihoko Women Group and Mid Hill Women Group. The WLCAN members presented the issues related to market assess including poor road networks, water shortages and exploitation by middle men.
Mr David Waithaka Mwangi, Governor of Nyandarua County, addressed the issues raised by the WLCAN members and shared plans of the County Government to build a cold room for farm produce and he committed to reserving a section in the cold room for the produce of the women’s groups.
He also emphasized the ongoing work on building dams to solve the water shortage and also committed to provide improved breed of livestock to women farmers.
The County Assembly Clerk, Mr. Stephen Muriithi Wairimu, informed the women that County Assembly’s finance committee has finalized the budget to construct a modern market in Gathara and it is submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture for approval and funding. Mr. Wairimu also explained that that the assembly is working with other government institutions to make sure that the laws to curb the middle men is enforced.
The WLCAN members also had the opportunity to visit the Governor’s farm to learn about:
Fish farming
Pig farming
Zero grazing
Sheep and goat keeping
Rabbit rearing
Potato growing
Large scale oat grass growing for livestock
Large scale tree tomatoes
Agro forestry
Water harvesting
