FARMERS, whose maize crop was destroyed by the recent disease, have been advised to plant beans and sweet potatoes as a way of eradicating the disease out break. The PS in the Ministry of Agriculture Romano Kiome said the seedlings will be supplied to the farmers at a cheaper price. "We have liaised with Kenya Seed Company to supply the seedlings and advised them to plant these varieties in the coming season," Kiome said during the handover of 25 water pumps donated by Fuji Heavy Industries.

He said the pumps will help farmers enhance water utilisation by irrigation and ensure food security as opposed to dependence on rain water for farming. Kiome said the water pumps will go to five provinces other than Nairobi and Coast provinces. The five are Nyanza, Eastern, Central, Western and Rift Valley.

Kiome urged beneficiaries to utilise the pumps to carry out intensive irrigation at group level, raise income and improve livelihoods. "We also advise the beneficiaries to acquire their own pumps after gaining profit from the ones that we are supplying them today," Kiome said. The head of Africa sales section Masaki Taji of Fuji Heavy Industries said the pumps donated are strong, durable, user and cost friendly with the total cost of Sh32 million and pumping capacity of around 1,000 litres a minute.