Tomato growers in Kobura Ward, Nyando Sub-county expect to reap big after the completion of a tomato processing plant in the area, to promote agro-industry and improve livelihoods.
The construction of the Kochieng’ Tomato Processing Plant in Nyamware village that was undertaken by the Kisumu County Government has been completed and fully equipped and is now awaiting commissioning by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in the coming weeks. The Department of Industrialization and Energy spent Ksh 20 million (USD 167,000 or Euro 162,000) on the flagship project in the 2021/22 Financial Year.
According to local sources, the agro-industry project is the first of its kind to be funded by the County government to promote sustainable agricultural-based development and industrialization in rural areas.
Tomato is among the high-value crops planted post rice harvest in the Kano irrigation schemes with 200Ha of land and over 11,000 farmers. However, the Chief Officer for Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Paul Omanga stated that at the onset the plant would focus on tomatoes and eventually expand to process more agricultural value-added products. “The same equipment can be used to process mangoes, avocadoes, pineapples and other fruits which will be transported from far-off areas to the site for processing,” stated Dr Omanga.
The plant has a modern ablution block with a bio digester and a 15-meter high mast solar powered floodlight and drilled borehole to supply water to the community for domestic use.
Kochieng’ tomato processing plant is intended to produce tomato juice, tomato paste and other by products that will be branded and supplied to local supermarkets.
Sources: kbc.co.ke, businessdailyafrica.com, farmersreviewafrica.com
