By: Our Correspondents
The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) and a private firm, Sainsbury’s have donated beehives to some farmers in Embu County.
At the same time, the two organizations have donated heifers to some farmers in Meru County.
Yesterday, farmers affiliated to Rukuriri Tea Factory in Embu County received the honey generating equipment from their tea agency through its foundation in collaboration with Sainsbury’s which is a private firm.
In the recent past, the agency has been giving out such equipment in keeping with its objective of increasing farmers’ income through diversification of agricultural activities.
The KTDA Foundation and Sainsbury’s handed over 300 beehives to 18 farmer groups which are expected to boost their income.
The project, which includes training on beekeeping, is expected to generate considerable income for the farmers through production and sale of honey and related products.
On Monday, the two firms handed over heifers to 12 families of farmers with household members living with disability, and orphans.
Each of the families, affiliated to Imenti Tea Factory in Meru county received a heifer complete with a fully constructed zero grazing shed and a 1000-litre water tank.
Also included in the project is capacity building for dairy cattle management, transport to site, fodder planting material, heifer servicing and cattle insurance.
The project aims at supporting these families to get an additional source of income to supplement income from tea.
The programme is also part of the larger diversification strategy aimed at transforming KTDA managed catchment areas.