Baringo deputy governor Jacob Chepkwony has noted with dismay that, about 161 fully registered cooperatives societies in the county are currently dormant.
Chepkwony said that the county which has 255 registered cooperative societies, now has only 94 active ones which are contributing to the development agenda of residents from its seven sub-counties.
The deputy governor blamed poor governance in the sub-sector for the lack of vibrancy of the cooperatives in achieving their mandate.
Chepkwony made the remarks at the governor’s office grounds in Kabarnet town on Tuesday, when he presided handing over of ward-funded hatcheries and backup generators worth Sh 2.9 million to nine cooperative societies in Kabarnet ward.
He regretted that the collapsed and dormant cooperatives were a blow to the economic lifeline of the local residents whose major source of living is pastoralism and agriculture.
“I am urging the officials of each cooperative society to build trust with their members and other stakeholders so that they succeed in their respective programs they have embarked on,” said Chepkwony who also flagged off nine field motorbikes provided by Kenya Climate-smart Agricultural Project.
The deputy governor challenged local cooperative societies to properly utilize all resources provided to them for their own posterity.
The county minister (CEC) for co-operative development Clement Lomaringoria said the new hatcheries which each incubates 1, 056 chicks in three weeks is expected to boost poultry production through beneficiary cooperative societies.
Lomaringoria who was flanked by his Devolution counterpart Scholar Kimeli urged the farmers to positively utilize the enterprise and give their all so that they can reap higher returns in order to make their businesses become self-reliant and sustainable.
He pointed out that the department shall undertake audits of their activities on a regular basis to monitor their progress by following the due procedures.
The Devolution CEC encouraged the beneficiaries to make good use of the hatcheries to a point where their brand will be accepted countrywide.
“Some shopping centers along major roads of our county including Koriema, Marigat, Radat, Torongo, and Mogotio are known for certain products like honey, milk, meat, onions, and potatoes but here in Kabarnet there is no homegrown market product that identifies our town,” she pointed out.
Kabarnet ward representative Ernest Kibet who initiated the hatcheries project said the supplier will also train the beneficiaries on skills of ensuring that the enterprise blossoms economically.
The MCA promised to motivate beneficiaries who will be most successful by adding more hatcheries as a way of expanding and boosting their production.
County Chief Officer for Agriculture Wilfred Kiplagat said the poultry project needs to be handled with a serious concern so that
He said that the agriculture department in partnership with KCSAP is in an advanced stage of establishing a certified slaughter slap to assist in value addition and marketing for poultry farming in the county.
Wesley Chemon, chair of Kapchepterit farmers’ cooperative society, while lauding the project gave an assurance that they are going to make good use of the hatcheries so as to develop themselves.