By Hope Barbra
Transformative agriculture in Murang’a County is likely to make the region food secure and boost farmers’ incomes.
The radical programs in the agricultural sector by Governor Irungu Kang’ata have raised the bar. Through his slogan, “Service to people is service to God,” he is revolutionizing the sector.
Recently, Governor Kang’ata presided over the distribution of certified maize seeds and fertilizer to 135,000 farmers in Murang’a County.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2019 Agricultural Census identified a total of 317,459 farming households in Murang’a County. As of February 2025, the county’s Inua Mkulima Support Program had registered 57,975 individual farmers engaged in various agricultural value chains such as milk and mangoes.
Kang’ata wrote on his social media platforms:
“Murang’a County Government made a promise for decentralization of maize and fertilizer distribution to the primary school level.
We thank CEC Paul Mugo, Chief Officer Dr. Apolo, Director Mwangi, Githambo Head of Transportation, County Drivers, and the rest of your team for working extra and odd hours (at night) to ensure every primary school gets its share.
Service to the people is service to God.
The program has enabled food security, with maize productivity tripling.”
Similarly, Kang’ata has ensured that after harvesting, farmers are not exploited by selling cheaply to middlemen. The county has partnered with a miller who purchases directly from farmers.
He said the initiative was part of a broader effort to empower farmers, enhance food security, and transform maize into a viable commercial crop within the region.
He wrote:
“Murang’a County Government, in partnership with Paleah Ltd, has started buying maize from farmers in Murang’a. Under the program, the county is buying maize from farmers at Ksh 3,700 per bag, with payments made on a cash-on-delivery basis.
On the first day of the exercise, maize was bought at Kambirwa in Kiharu Sub-County and Maragua Ridge in Maragua Sub-County.”
On dairy farming, the county government recently purchased a yoghurt-packing machine for the Milk Farmers Union (MCCU) to be installed at the Maragua Milk Factory.
The milk brand, “County Fresh,” is available in all local shops in the county, and the purchase of the new machine will triple production.
In a bid to boost dairy farming, the county government has also been taking farmers on field studies and tours to acquire new best practices in dairy farming.
The governor wrote:
“Took Murang’a milk farmers on a familiarization tour of Meru Dairy, which has an annual turnover of Ksh 18 billion. Thanks so much, Meru Union, for hosting us in Meru Town.”
