The government has procured 2.5 million bags of subsidized fertilizer for distribution to farmers during the short rains season.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh announced that the fertilizer is already stored in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) facilities.
He added that the ministry is in the process of issuing e-vouchers to farmers to secure the fertilizer ahead of the short rains planting season.
Dr. Ronoh highlighted that this procurement brings the total to 8.5 million bags of subsidized fertilizer distributed this year, noting the program’s tremendous success.
To ensure timely delivery, he mentioned that the government is engaging agro-dealers to expand coverage.
“The initiative will allow farmers across the country to collect government-subsidized fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides from local agro-dealers, reducing the time wasted traveling to NCPB stores,” he said.
He also stated that the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) has been instructed to ensure that all agro-dealers have the right professionals in place before the rollout of this initiative.
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The government has put stringent measures in place to ensure that only the specified fertilizer and seeds reach farmers through various channels.
Speaking during the Kisumu Regional Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show, Dr. Ronoh lauded the fertilizer subsidy program, noting its positive impact on agricultural productivity.
During the 2023 crop production seasons, a total of 60.2 million bags (90 kg each) of maize, 7.14 million bags of beans, 4.89 million bags of wheat, and 189,024 metric tonnes of rice were produced.
This increased production has seen food insecurity decrease from 2.7 million people in July 2023 to 1.9 million in June 2024.
Dr. Ronoh expects this improved production to be sustained, with the country anticipating a bumper maize harvest this year. “We are advising farmers to build more storage facilities in preparation for the bumper harvest.
The NCPB is also prepared and will purchase maize from our farmers at an agreed price,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has registered 6.42 million farmers, up from 1.3 million in 2022, and urges all farmers to ensure they are in the database to benefit from available services, including subsidized fertilizer.
Earlier this year, the then Minister of Agriculture Mithika Linturi revealed that Kenya produced 80 million bags of maize last year, up from 60 million bags, following the distribution of subsidized fertilizer.
President William Ruto’s government initiated a countrywide distribution of subsidized fertilizer last year, aiming to provide farmers with 12 million bags.
