Govt will deal with smut head disease CS Bett

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has promised that the government will deal with the smut head crisis that has ravaged maize farms in the North Rift, causing farmers to lose millions.

The CS dismissed claims raised by most farmers that the disease came about because of bad seed, explaining that it is  a result of several agronomic factors.

Speaking in Kapsabet, Mr Bett said that maize disease reported in some parts of Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties will soon be a thing of the past.

He also touched on sugarcane farming, saying that farmers were receiving poor pay because millers use old technology which drives up the cost of production.

“The government has already dispatched experts in the sugar sector. We will therefore urge privatization of sugar mills to ensure that farmers receive good pay from their sugarcane,” said Bett.