3,000 small-scale farmers benefit from Equity Bank agribusiness skills

More than three thousand small-scale farmers in Ol Kalou Constituency, Nyandarua County, have benefitted from free agribusiness training offered by the Equity Bank.

Speaking during the bank’s 35th birthday at Ol Kalou branch, Pius Kaniaru, the branch manager, said over 4,000 other small-scale growers have also received financial support to improve their farming activities.

“In partnership with the county government, we want to empower farmers so that they can engage in meaningful farming activities. We have identified skills, financial support, and financial illiteracy as critical components and challenges facing Nyandarua farmers, despite this being an agricultural county,” said Mr Kaniaru.

He said the bank has also partnered with the county in other areas such as health, education, and environment.

Nyandarua finance executive member Mary Mugwanja said the agribusiness partnership project is a continuous programme, adding that the devolved government is working with the bank in implementation of the Big Four Agenda.

“The ongoing agribusiness training programme has a special package on financial management and investment skills,” said the finance executive.

Ms Mugwanja, who was the chief guest during the event, said the bank has supported education of more than 150 students from poor backgrounds.

“The agribusiness programme seeks to make the farmers appreciate that agriculture is not agriculture but lucrative business. We receive very good services from Equity bank and we pray and thank the bank management for exemplary management of the bank,” said Ms Mugwanja.

Another key area of partnership with Equity Bank is the promotion of the youth agenda through scholarships. The finance executive announced that the government will in the next financial year increase the bursary kitty from Sh100 million allocation this year to Sh120 million.