This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
The Nakuru Agriculture Society of Kenya (ASK) showground, a 100-acre venue that usually hosts a vibrant agricultural exhibition, lies eerily quiet due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At a time when the show would be in full swing, the grounds would be bustling with healthy crops, livestock, and agricultural inputs. However, this year, the show was called off, leaving exhibitors and organizers reeling.
Dr. Perminus Migwi, the acting chairman of Nakuru ASK Show, explained that the decision to cancel the show was made in response to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Ordinarily, at this time, my office would be busy with a lot of traffic flow from exhibitors and government officials," Dr. Migwi said.
Despite the cancellation, some exhibitors had already prepared their portions of land, ready to showcase modern farming methods. About 40 exhibitors had shown interest in participating in the show by April this year, with more expected to join.
However, the cancellation of the show has resulted in a significant loss of income for the organization. Dr. Migwi estimated that Nakuru ASK will lose between Sh20 million and Sh25 million in annual income.
"Worse still, most of our tenants, who include churches, cannot raise their monthly rent fee, which accounts for about 25 per cent of our total income," Dr. Migwi said.
As the organization looks to the future, Dr. Migwi believes that the ASK shows may need to adapt to a new normal. He suggests that the organization could produce educational materials and post them on digital platforms such as YouTube, targeting young farmers.
Additionally, Dr. Migwi recommends the construction of multi-purpose structures that can generate revenue even in days when there is no show.
