The National Cereals and Produce Board has entered into an agreement to distribute bio-fertiliser to improve crop yields and boost food security.
Joseph Kimote, NCPB managing director said the board will use its extensive countrywide network to distribute the fertiliser on behalf of Soil Health.
He spoke on Thursday while signing the agreement at NCPB head office in Nairobi.
Kimote said the fertiliser will be available in NCPB stores at a retail price of Sh550 per kilo.
The fertiliser, he said, will help improve availability of plant nutrients to the roots through association and fix nutrients in the soil.
Fertiliser consumption for Kenya in 2016 was at 38.2 kilograms per hectare according to the World Bank. Though Kenya fertiliser consumption fluctuated substantially in recent years, it increased through 2002 -2016 period ending at 38.2 kilograms per hectare in 2016.
“As a way of creating awareness for the product, Soil Health will roll out a vigorous campaign to market the organic fertiliser to farmers besides deploying agronomists to aid NCPB staff in advising farmers on the use of the soil -healing fertiliser,” Kimote said.
Jigar Chokshi, Soil Health's managing director said the non-chemical based fertiliser will enhance yields by up to 25 percent and will reduce chemical fertiliser application by up to 50 percent reduction.
“The bio-fertiliser is non-toxic and improves soil structure and texture. In addition, it is eco-friendly, non-toxic non-hazardous and control pathogenic organisms,” he said.
Chokshi said the fertiliser which has been approved by both the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service and Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation is good for tea, coffee, mangoes, avocados as well as maize, wheat, soya beans, groundnuts, green grams, beans and other horticultural crops.
