RACHUONYO AGRICULTURAL SHOW REVIVED

THE once vibrant Rachuonyo Agricultural show has finally been revived , 18 years after it collapsed, due to lack of funds.

The show sponsors,including the government,pulled out due to conflicts of interests among local leaders, plunging the show committee into deep financial crisis.

The Rachuonyo District Agricultural Officer - Mrs. Jane Wekesa - says the show will run from August 16-19 this year.

Wekesa said Agriculture Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa has been approached to officially re-launch the the show.

The annual event provided a forum for socio-economic and agricultural exchange programmes for farmers and entrepreneurs from the former greater South Nyanza and beyond.

Industrialists and various investors got the opportunity to exhibit their products at the Kendu Bay show ground near Lake Victoria beaches.

Traditional bands and discos also entertained the ravellers to carter for the cultural aspects.

Its collapse in 1989 has seen the collapse of the region's economy , especially the agricultural sector, where cotton farmers have been struggling to get proper markets for their produce in vain.

Kendu Bay Town Council has had to contend with the loss of revenue running into hundreds of millions of shillings after exhibition ramps were removed and showground facilities vandalized.

The show's collapse has also been a major cause of the death of Kendu Bay town , after investors pulled out of the area and infrastructure seriously dilapidated.

It led to the controversial sale of the giant Kendu Bay cotton ginnery after it became moribund due to lack of cotton when farmers abandoned the crop citing lack of markets.

The ginnery was sold to the Homa Bay based Asego Holdings LTD by the Co-Operative bank , allegedly to offset a Sh 67 million loan the bank had advanced to the farmers.

The show committee's publicity chairman Charles Akira Ngadi said they urgently required Sh 16 million for the show programme this year.

He however, confirmed the committee's receipt of one million shillings in total from the two CDF offices in Karachuonyo and Kasipul/Kabondo constituencies to help in preparation expenses.

Wekesa said they will focus majorly on promoting cotton and other food crops noting that the district had in the past few years registered impressive results in crop production.

Jamumbo Maurice Aguko Mayora Ojako
The Coordinating Secretary
Rachuonyo Leadership and Development Forum
Tel: +254722501905
Email:jamoko2005 At yahoO DoT cOm