This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
On July 12, 2021, the Governor of Vihiga County, Dr. Wilber Ottichilo, issued cheques to 540 farmers belonging to 18 groups in Emabungo ward, totaling Sh43 million under the National Agriculture and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP).
The funds, part of a Sh500 million grant, aim to support the farming activities of over 6,000 farmers in the county.
According to the Governor, the residents should form community groups to receive more money from the NARIGP grant.
"I promised development while seeking for your votes. The money you are receiving is a grant, not a loan. I urge the groups to make good use of it for proper value addition," said the Governor.
Already, 540 groups have received Sh193 million out of the Sh500 million from the NARIGP project, which targets to give grants to 800 groups.
The County Chief officer at the Department of Agriculture, Pamela Mahila, encouraged farmers to diversify their investments for better returns and receive technical advice from her officers on how to engage in productive ventures.
Additionally, the NARIGP project has supported eleven cooperative societies to a financial tune of Sh11 million for capacity building and new member recruitment, and the cooperative societies in Sabatia and Vihiga Dairy received Sh16 million for the purchase of various assets to support their milk handling and marketing activities.
