Sugarcane has been the main cash crop for farmers in western Kenya for a long time. The venture is no longer as sweet as it once was due to a variety of difficulties, thus things are changing.
As of now, more than 200 farmers in the western region who formerly farmed sugarcane are now producing pawpaw fruits because there is a developing market for them thanks to an established agro-processing company that is already providing direct sales to the farmers.
“We have already sensitized over 1,300 farmers from Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu, Nyamira, Kisii, Homabay, Migori, lower Kericho, and Siaya counties and contracted over 200 active growers,” said Thomas Openda, GLBL field agronomist.
The GLBL suggests the pawpaw varieties Solo, Sunrise, Red Royale F1, and Malkia F1, all of which offer exceptional attributes and traits for a range of markets.