Mwea rice farmers are set to receive guaranteed and timely payments should a new deal with the government be fully implemented.
Through the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), the government plans to purchase more than 5,000 metric tonnes of locally grown rice valued at Sh500 million.
Farmers can expect to receive payments within a month of delivery. "To protect the livelihoods of over 8,500 rice farmers from Kirinyaga and neighbouring counties, KNTC will mop up over 5,000 metric tonnes of locally grown rice valued at approximately Sh500 million," said Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director- General, Bruno Linyiru, in a statement. "The Cooperative will receive full payment within one month after delivery, a significant improvement on previous delays that hampered farmers' operations and cash flow," he added.
The agreement follows a meeting on Thursday between the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, to address farmers' concerns, mostly the dominance of imported rice in the local market.
