Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has launched a national soil health initiative aimed at helping Kenyan farmers select fertiliser based on the specific needs of their soil.
Speaking at KALRO Kabete, Kagwe launched the National Soil Partnership, National Soil Laboratory Network and the national rollout of the Global Soil Doctors Programme. He also handed over refurbished KALRO Soil Chemistry Laboratories valued at KSh220 million.
Kagwe said about 63% of Kenya’s arable land is acidic, with nearly seven million acres classified as strongly acidic. He warned that using fertiliser without first testing soil could result in farmers spending money without achieving expected yields.
“A bag of the wrong fertiliser, delivered on time, at half the price, to the wrong soil, is still the wrong fertiliser,” Kagwe said.
He directed KALRO to analyse about 77,000 soil samples from 45 counties and publish county-level soil fertility maps for public use.
The Ministry and KALRO will also explore linking soil test results to the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), which has more than eight million registered farmers.
Kagwe urged counties to co-finance soil testing and promote the use of lime and organic matter to improve soil health.
He also warned that action against counterfeit, expired and substandard agricultural inputs would continue.
