Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga (pictured) has urged coastal farmers to leverage scientific farming techniques to revive cashew nuts and coconut sector.
She said farmers must adopt grafted seedlings that takes a short period to mature to improve yields.
Chidzuga said the two food crops have the potential to transform the coastal economy and the lives of farmers, as well as increase food security.
“Just as coffee thrives in the central region and sugarcane flourishes in Nyanza, cashew nuts and coconuts also grow well in the Coast region,” she said.
Chidzuga said that farmers must transition from small-scale to large-scale farming to boost crop production and benefit from farming activities. She said that coastal people must treat farming as a profession and engage in serious agricultural practices, not only for food but also for commercial gain.
Chidzuga said by doing so, farmers can enhance productivity and create new economic opportunities.
She noted that once farmers adopt serious cashew nut and coconut farming, it will be easier for the government to provide support.
Chidzuga added that the government will consider establishing industries in the area for processing and value addition of the once-thriving coastal cash crops.
Cashew nuts and coconuts once thrived in the coastal counties, but their production has declined due to poor farming practices and the continuous planting of inferior crop varieties.
