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President Kenyatta salutes Elgon Kenya for farmers fete

By CATHERINE RIUNGU
October 9, 2017. Nairobi, Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta has lauded Elgon Kenya Limited for supporting government efforts to promote agribusiness. Speaking Wednesday at this year’s Nairobi Trade Fair where he honoured the first batch of top winners of the National Farmers Awards 2017, the Head of State congratulated the giant agro inputs firm and the winners. “The policy thrust of the Government is to transform agriculture from subsistence to commercial and market oriented farming. As part of this effort, my administration has partnered with Elgon Kenya Limited to conduct an annual Farmers Awards scheme. I will today award recognition certificates to the farmers who, I the competition have emerged best in various categories. I congratulate them all.

Elgon pioneered the scheme in 2012 to reward outstanding farmers who are running their enterprises commercially in eight broad categories. Hundreds of thousands of farmers across the 47 counties have every year participated in the competition that is adjudged by the Ministry of Agriculture. It was the brainchild of Elgon Kenya Managing Director Bimal Kantaria who has been rewarded for his efforts. He has also congratulated this year’s winners, who will be hosted to a gala dinner in the next few weeks. Mr Kantaria thanked Ministry of Agriculture officials for a commendable effort in going through thousands of application forms, short listing winners in a highly competitive scheme and traversing the country to judge participating farms.

Five years later, about 100 farming champions have collected trophies,
certificates and other rewards, many reporting their farms have not been the
same since the crowning. A number have graduated into model farms where
farmers regularly go for training.

Farmers who have shaken the President’s hand at the Nairobi Show are especially an inspiration as their admirers have looked up to them with a hope to one day have their chance at the presidential handshake.
The following is the first batch of the one in each category, as we prepare the full list;

1. Small Scale farm gearing to commercialization
Name of the Farmer – County

Lucypark Farm c/o,Lucy Muthoni Kuria – Kiambu

2. Small scale farm fully commercialized
Peris Wangui Gitau – Nakuru

3. Large scale farm fully commercialized
Fresh Gold (K) Limited – Laikipia

4. Women in Agriculture
Gladys Wangechi Migwi – Nyeri

5. Youth in Agriculture
Nicholas Njogu – Muranga

6. Large Scale Agro-input dealers (more than Ksh.5m)
Josema Distributors Kenya (K) Limited c/o,Mochama Oluoch – Kisii

7. Small Scale agro-input dealers (less than Ksh.5m)
Tiva Agrovet c/o,Beatrice Okello – Kisumu

8. Disability in Agriculture
Anwa Farm c/o,Antony Kingori – Nyeri

9.Sponsor of the Award scheme
Mr. Bimal Kantaria – Managing Director, Elgon Kenya Ltd – Nairobi

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