KIENI farmers have benefited from a Sh2 million information centre where farmers can get the latest farming and marketing information.

Opening the centre yesterday in Narumoru, Kieni East DO Deborah Mwarania said farmers will benefit since they will now have access to latest information on soil fertility, modern farming techniques, climate change, pests and emerging crop diseases and how to control them.

She said the centre is one of a kind in the country and challenged local farmers to make good use of the facility. Project Manager Charles Kahunja said the centre would be run by two ICT officers who will assist farmers in their queries and find solutions from relevant sources.

He said the centre has capacity to serve 1, 000 farmers "The centre is connected to an internet application by M-farm Company that gives updated prices of most farm commodities. Farmers can get this information from the internet or via SMS at a subsidised rate of Sh1 from their mobile phones," he said.

The centre was set up with assistance from Help Self Help Centre which is an NGO from Scandinavian countries. It is equipped with modern computers connected to the internet and according to Kahunja will also serve as a training ground for farmers on basic computer, internet and mobile phones use.