Don’t Have Kids If You’re Not Ready to Farm, Deputy Governor Warns Youth
Homa Bay’s Deputy Governor warns young adults to avoid parenthood if they can’t commit to farming, linking food security with family planning. Read more...
Homa Bay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga recently advised young people to avoid having children if they do not actively participate in agriculture. Speaking at an agricultural event in Lwanda Nyamasare village in Mbita Sub-county, Magwanga stressed that parents should engage in crop and livestock production to ensure food security for their families.
Magwanga highlighted that food insecurity is a pressing issue globally, and Kenya, especially Homa Bay County, is no exception. Some regions in Kenya struggle with food scarcity due to insufficient rainfall, which hampers agricultural productivity. However, he pointed out that even areas with adequate rainfall and fertile soil, such as Homa Bay, face food insecurity because not all residents make full use of the available land.
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According to the Deputy Governor, Homa Bay enjoys reliable rainfall and fertile soil, conditions favorable for a variety of crops and livestock. He expressed dismay that some residents go to bed hungry despite this potential, attributing the issue to a lack of motivation. "Food is a necessity," Magwanga said. "If you’re unwilling to grow crops or raise livestock, consider the impact on your child’s future. Without food production, your child may go hungry."
Echoing this sentiment, Joash Aloo, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water, expressed frustration over the large areas of fallow land in Homa Bay. He urged residents to put this unused land to productive use by cultivating food crops, saying, “Let’s make better use of our resources.”
Martin Opere, the CECM for Education, also advised residents to practice responsible livestock management to avoid agricultural conflicts. He encouraged livestock keepers to prevent their animals from straying into cultivated fields, while also reminding crop farmers to respect livestock.
Following the event, several residents committed to adopting new approaches to agriculture, inspired by the leaders' call for increased food self-sufficiency through active farming.
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