The Kenyan government has been forced to act after individuals suspected to be from neighbouring Uganda have continuously stolen maize from Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farms in Trans Nzoia County.
ADC to curb the rampant theft has procured high-tech security drones which have already been piloted in Sabwani ADC farm in the county.
ADC Managing Director Mohammed Bulle announced that the advanced security system would be used for surveillance and to monitor operations on the farms.
He revealed that the government was losing agricultural products that were being smuggled outside the country.
A photo of maize destroyed in Trans Nzoia County
Photo
Jonathan Ameka
The corporation revealed that while the drones were first being installed to curb theft at the border, there would be a nationwide rollout.
According to ADC, the grand plan is to have security drones doing surveillance in all government-owned farms across the country.
Bulle remarked that the theft was impacting seed production in the country which endangered the nation’s food security.
Speaking to a reporter from Trans Nzoia, he told Kenyans.co.ke that the smuggling was becoming rampant.
“It is almost harvesting season now for the maize planted in the expansive ADC farms and this has attracted thieves,” he remarked.
He noted that the Uganda-Kenya border was porous at that particular point which made it easier for people to sneak stolen maize outside the country.
“The farm has guards but it is almost impossible to cover the expansive land,” he explained the need for drones.
According to ADC, the government has dedicated 12,000 acres for seed production and the acreage is expected to produce 4.8 million kilos of seed maize for Kenya Seed Company (KSC).
The key mandate of ADC is to promote the production of Kenya’s essential agricultural inputs as well as undertake activities to develop agricultural production in specific fields of production.
Maize silos and driers at the Eldoret National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot.
Photo: NCPB
