The County Government of Uasin Gishu is urging farmers to embrace crop diversification by venturing into sunflower production as a pathway to improved incomes and enhanced food security.

Sunflower cultivation is being promoted nationally through the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) under the edible oil crops promotion initiative, which seeks to scale up local production of oil-rich sunflower seeds.

Speaking during a sunflower sensitization forum organized by the Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat (PETS) on Thursday, Chief Officer for Cooperatives Elphas Kesio reaffirmed the county’s commitment to partnering with NAVCDP to ensure the project takes root successfully across all wards.

“Let’s make our farming sustainable and our country food secure,” emphasized Kesio.

He further assured cooperative leaders that the county will continue engaging them in economic empowerment programs, noting that structured markets already exist for crops such as peas, beans, and canola—giving farmers confidence to invest in production.

The sunflower program will distribute seeds through cooperative societies in readiness for planting during the short rainy season, with harvesting expected in the early months of next year.