Seedco Launches Kiminini Plant 43
It was pomp and dance to cereal growers as Mr. Andrew Khaemba, Governor Trans Nzoia County stepped forward to declare the new state the art seed processing facility officially opened and welcome the entry of a new processing plant. “From today, farmers have many options to choose from including quality African Seed Company (Seedco Ltd) varieties as they prepare their seed procurement programs, he said. Adding, “this must be a dream come true for not only farmers but also the county, which is calling on more investors to invest in the area”. This must also have been the realization of those who attended the opening of the new ultra modern state of the art facility at Kiminini, Kitale in Uasin Gishu County.
The launch came with an almost audio-recorded oratory of Mr. Kassim Juma, not previously heard in the region. Speaking during the launch, Mr. Kassim said, “the state of the art facility on the outskirts of Kiminini town is alive with new developments in agriculture. The space is home to Agri-Seed Company (Seedco Ltd), a company that created seed techniques that promises to deliver a beautiful bumper harvest and lead in the front to deliver Kenya from food insufficiency to food surplus”.
The fully equipped and automated production unit aims to grow and deliver a steady, yearround supply of seeds. The Company also aims to package the know-how and cloud services resulting from this business and deploy them throughout the region.
Why Trans Nzoia
Seedco opening of the second seed processing plant is part of its plans to increase sales on the region within the next few years. The growth plan is based on two-pronged strategy that centres around offering technical support and experience to farmers and other agricultural professionals locally.
In Trans Nzoia, there are some professional growers with large operations and state-of-the art agronomic expertise as well as many small and mid-sized farmers working hard to move beyond subsistence farming,” Said Mr. Owino. Adding, “We need to work locally to serve both of these groups with tailored products and agronomic services. That’s why we are building up local sales teams that can offer agronomic support tailored to their markets.” This will be a change, but Seedco is convinced that it is worth the effort.
Promoting sustainable agriculture through local services Large farming operations will profit from Seedco’s portfolio on modern as well as its regional network of experts who understand the requirements of authorities and consumers in regional markets.
Smallholder farmers looking to sell part of their surplus harvest, on the other hand, are eager to improve their farming practice and adopt modern technologies. To support these growers, Seedco will provide agronomic advice and services as well as growing training. “By putting growers and their needs at the center of all activities, we will be able to grow with our customers in Trans Nzoia. “As we have demonstrated in the past, farmers are highly motivated when they see the benefits of modern crop technology as part of an overall farm management system increasing their income and contributing to their health and prosperity.
In Trans Nzoia Seedco will focus on the highland markets and produce seeds for the environment which ensure their requirements are well taken care of. As part of its growth strategy for the region, the company plans to extend and enhance its service to additional countries and farmers across in Uganda, Rwanda and Southern Sudan.
Seedco’s lauch was preceeded by branding of walls in the shopping centres. This has made their presence felt in the region. Other than provision of seeds, Seedco has also provided employment to locals in the processing unit and farmers who are growing seeds for them.