‘Prioritise pest, disease control’

FARMERS have called on Government to allocate a sizeable chunk of the Budget towards pest and disease containment as they threaten harvests and livestock development.

Speaking at a pre-budget consultation meeting here yesterday, farmers said vaccination and pesticides should be prioritised.

Mrs Betty Biri said attitudes towards vaccination of animals and preparedness in pest management were affecting the agricultural sector.

“There is need to set aside a budget for disease containment as there has been a steady build up of diseases in recent years,” she said.

“This is why issues of Newcastle and foot-and-mouth diseases are coming up.”

Mrs Biri said failure by some farmers to vaccinate their livestock ended up affecting those who made the effort.

She said there should be a levy that would capacitate the Department of Veterinary Services to vaccinate all animals.

This, she said, affected development of the livestock sector.

Others said the fall army worm which ravaged most parts of the country required containment mechanisms and awareness programmes targeting farmers.

Meanwhile, women have called on Government to come up with a special agriculture support programme targeting women to guarantee their empowerment.

This can be done by incorporating a component in the Presidential Inputs Support Scheme that benefited women.

They said the patriarchal set up at the home meant they had no control over how the produce was managed.

“Food security starts in the home,” said a woman in her contribution.

“In the packages that are being created like Presidential Inputs Support Scheme, there should be one that addresses specific needs of women.

“The mother is responsible for ensuring that everyone is fed in the home.”

The woman said commercial crops were dominated by men in the home who had to pay back loans, leaving the family vulnerable.

Women complained that they were left with nothing after toiling in the field, as some men excluded them after produce was sold.

Others said men would go on to marry other women, leaving them to fend for the family.