By ERIC JUMA
Plans to revive the Siaya Agricultural Show, which was suspended in 2019, have kicked off, with the county government preparing to assess possible grounds for its return.
County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Irrigation, Food, Livestock and Fisheries Willis Ochieng said the county was developing strategies for the resumption of the annual event.
Ochieng said a committee would be established to assess the suitability of the Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) grounds and portions of land around Siaya Stadium for hosting the show.
“The Siaya Agricultural Show was suspended seven years ago due to the ongoing construction of the modern county stadium project,” Ochieng said, adding that the stadium project had extended to part of the land previously used to host the show.
He assured farmers that the annual agricultural show would be revived.
“There are plans to revive the agricultural show. We are setting up a committee that will conduct a suitability check on parts of the land not occupied by the stadium project and the ATC land, which could serve as our demonstration plots,” Ochieng said.
He noted that the ATC previously had a demonstration plot, but its availability would have to be established because Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) currently operates a campus on part of the grounds.
“We still don’t know the areas taken up by the campus and the plots left for agricultural purposes. The committee will gather the facts and advise us so that we can chart a way forward regarding the resumption of the agricultural show,” he added.
The CECM’s assurance came days after farmers from Alego/Usonga questioned what they described as the county executive’s reluctance to revive the Siaya Agricultural Show.
Led by Michael Odimas from South East Alego, the farmers said the seven-year suspension had negatively affected the agricultural sector and denied them an important platform for learning, marketing and networking.
“We valued the shows and were making fortunes in terms of agricultural knowledge and business during the annual four-day event,” said Odimas.
He said Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) shows provided suitable platforms for promoting innovation, exhibitions, research and agricultural enterprise.
The revival of the show, he said, would have economic and community benefits by placing agriculture at the forefront of development in Siaya.
“The shows were designed to be business-driven and market-oriented, aiming to attract investment, foster entrepreneurship and position Siaya as a leader in the agricultural sector,” Odimas said.
Odimas, a prominent sorghum farmer in South East Alego, said agricultural shows had been an important part of his life since childhood.
“When I was growing up, the agricultural show was a fixture. I remember being part of it and making good money from the sale of agricultural products,” he said.
He said innovations showcased during agricultural exhibitions benefited not only farmers but also the wider community through improved food security and job creation.
“The shows are not just about livestock parades and exhibitions. They are about innovation and knowledge sharing. They foster community cohesion and provide a space to celebrate the agricultural sector,” he said.
Joseph Juma, a farmer from Siaya Township Ward, said agricultural shows connected farmers with experts and with one another while exposing the public to the realities of farming.
“They also bridge the gap between the non-farming public and agricultural producers. They improve public understanding of farming practices and highlight the sector’s importance in ensuring food security and economic growth,” Juma said.
