• NCPB requires an additional four million bags as it did not buy maize from farmers after last year’s harvest after selling more than 2.5 million bags to millers.
• State is assessing the level of food security and has asked farmers to give details of stocks in their stores.
Farmers have petitioned Agriculture CS Peter Munya not to allow the importation of maize until the cereals board buys all stocks held locally.
They are opposed plans to the importation of more than 20 million bags without involving them in measures to cushion Kenyans from food shortage due to the spread of coronavirus.
Last year, maize production fell by 10 million bags from the previous year's 44 million bags.
The growers, led by representatives Thomas Korogoren, Kipkorir Menjo and Moiben MP Sila Tiren, want the government to mop up all the maize in the country before importing.
Menjo said after mopping up local maize stocks, the government will only import the deficit instead of flooding local markets with cheap imports that will hurt local farmers.
The farmers do not understand why the government only consults millers during importation, leaving them out.
“Imported maize will come in at higher prices of more than Sh3,000 per 90kg bag and it will be better if the same money is paid to local farmers to boost their capacity to go back to their farms and produce more," he said.
The government is considering reopening the National Cereals and Produce Board to buy maize and other stocks from farmers as an emergency measure to restock the depleted Strategic Food Reserves.
Tiren has urged the government to instruct the SFR board to use Sh10 billion at its disposal to buy local maize.
“We are in an emergency and we urge the government to quickly move and ensure we have adequate food stocks at the NCPB. Let them mop up the maize which farmers still have so that we are food secure as we deal with the coronavirus situation," the MP said.
NCPB requires an additional four million bags as it did not buy maize from farmers after last year’s harvest. It had sold more than 2.5 million bags to millers.
The state is assessing food stocks in the country to establish the level of food security. The assessment is being carried out through counties especially in high-yielding areas like the North Rift where farmers have been asked to give details of all types of stocks they have in their stores.
Uasin Gishu Agriculture CEC Samwel Yego said they are collecting the necessary data and filing reports with the ministry.
“We are aware most farmers did not sell their stocks after harvesting last year and this is an opportunity for them to give us details of the stocks they have," Yego said.
“The farmers should within the next two days forward the same details to ward officers so they are transmitted to the counties and then the ministry. The details required include the number of bags the farmers have for maize, beans, wheat, sorghum, millet and sorghum among other crops."
Korgoren said the government should use the collected data to make funds available for the purchase of all stocks in local stores.
Yego says fears over the spread of the virus has affected farming activities and will also impact production.
Edited by R.Wamochie