President William Ruto, on Tuesday, directed Agriculture officials to convene consultation meetings and address concerns raised by Muguka farmers following the ban on the export and sale of Muguka in three counties.
The Head of State convened a meeting with leaders from Embu County, including Governor Cecily Mbarire and members of parliament, at the State House on Monday evening.
After the meeting, President Ruto affirmed that Muguka is a scheduled crop and disclosed the allocation of Ksh500 million for its cultivation in the 2024/2025 Financial Year.
“I have had a productive meeting with Embu County leaders regarding the recent muguka ban. We have agreed that miraa/muguka is a scheduled crop, and a meeting should be called to discuss the issue,” stated Ruto.
Consequently, he instructed the Ministry of Agriculture to organize a conference involving all relevant parties and stakeholders.
These consultation meetings aim to reach an agreement on the implementation of the 2023 Miraa/Mũguka Regulations.
A statement from the State House emphasized the importance of enhancing the value of Miraa/Muguka through increased cultivation, aggregation, grading, pricing, packaging, and value addition.
In line with this vision, the government has earmarked KSh500 million in the 2024/25 Financial Year for enhancing the value of these scheduled crops.
During the meeting, Minister of Agriculture Mithika Linturi reiterated that Muguka is a scheduled crop governed by regulations approved by both the National Assembly and the Senate.
The directive from President Ruto comes amidst concerns raised by Muguka farmers following the ban imposed by three counties.
The consultations are expected to foster dialogue and consensus among stakeholders, ensuring the sustainable cultivation and commercialization of Muguka in line with existing regulations and agricultural policies.
The allocation of funds underscores the government’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector and promoting the growth and development of scheduled crops like Muguka.
Moving forward, collaboration between government agencies, farmers, and other stakeholders will be crucial in addressing challenges and maximizing the potential of Muguka cultivation and trade.
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