Nyandarua County has unveiled an ambitious five-year food loss and waste reduction plan aimed at safeguarding farmer incomes and strengthening the region’s food system. The initiative, launched in Karau Ward, Ol’Kalou Sub-County, outlines targeted interventions to curb billions lost annually through post-harvest losses.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Moses Badilisha, Agriculture CECM Francis Miring’u said the evidence-driven plan seeks to make Nyandarua a more resilient and food-secure county. The Governor noted that recent data from the Nyandarua Food Waste Pilot (2025) paints a worrying picture, with the county losing over 49,000 tonnes of milk, 111,000 tonnes of potatoes and up to 40 percent of vegetables during harvesting and sale. These losses translate to an estimated Ksh7.8 billion in income wiped out every year due to poor storage, unpredictable weather and market challenges.
To reverse the trend, the county has strengthened its post-harvest interventions. Six co-operative societies have already received milk coolers, while the Ol’Kalou cold storage facility is set to be operationalized to support farmers handling perishable produce. The Governor is also urging farmers to take up subsidized and certified crop seedlings being produced at the Ol’jororok Agricultural Training Centre, saying improved inputs remain key to boosting productivity.
Senior county officials, including Chief Officers David Njoroge (Agriculture, Agribusiness and Irrigation) and John Kariuki (Livestock and Fisheries), as well as County Director for Agriculture Daniel Muchiri, attended the launch.
The new plan signals Nyandarua’s renewed commitment to modernizing agriculture, reducing waste, and protecting farmers from preventable losses that continue to undermine livelihoods across the region.
