The planned cooperation between the County Government of Trans Nzoia and West Sugar’s Naitiri subsidiary should aim at enhancing support for sugarcane farmers, Governor George Natembeya has said.
Speaking on Wednesday at his office in Kitale town, Natembeya stated that while his government is pursuing a partnership with the company, it is crucial that it provides fair compensation to farmers.
He delved in the importance of addressing the negative impact of sugarcane cultivation on soil fertility and finding solutions to minimize road damage caused by the company’s trucks.
Trans Nzoia-West Sugar MoU
Meanwhile, the governor led a meeting that included his team, the county assembly leadership, and the company’s management led by Sangaiah Ramar to establish a committee responsible for developing a working Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations.
“The committee to be formed should ensure that we get everything in place and create a win-win situation; otherwise, things are not right as far as sugarcane farming is concerned in Trans Nzoia,” said Natembeya.
The meeting revealed that the county has been spending over Ksh400 million annually on road maintenance, with significant damage caused by trucks transporting sugarcane to the factory.
Natembeya also expressed concerns about the company’s lack of transparency in revenue remittance to the county, stating that West Sugar’s declared income does not align with what it contributes to the government.
The proposed MOU will address how the company can contribute to road maintenance levies and other corporate social responsibility initiatives.
How many sugarcane farmers are in Trans Nzoia?
More than 50,000 farmers from Trans Nzoia are currently engaged in cane farming with an estimated acreage of 180,000.
West Sugar makes an income of more than Ksh1.1 billion each year.
