• Players in government and in the private sector have partnered to promote the use of integrated agronomical technologies.
• This has been propelled by the diminishing arable land available for farming due to land division.
Image: COURTESY
As the country intensifies efforts towards containing the Covid-19 pandemic, one critical pillar of human survival—food security—needs to remain in our sight.
Any nation must work hard to achieve food security for its people.
Kenya, and the world at large, is working towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
A report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs on Sustainable Development shows that 26.4 per cent of the world population was facing food insecurity by 2018.
Currently, 40 to 85 per cent of small-scale food producers in developing countries have been affected by conflict, climatic shocks, locust invasion and Covid-19, all posing a threat to food systems.
Here at home, about 1.4 million Kenyans are facing a crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, according to the Kenya Food Security Steering Group's 2020 short rains impact assessment.
The expected maturing of locust swarms and below-average performance of long rains from March to date will negatively impact crop production in Kenya.
Various key players in government and in the private sector have partnered to promote the use of integrated agronomical technologies and ensure that we enhance food security in Kenya.
This has been propelled by the diminishing arable land available for farming due to land division.
As a result, the land under cultivation no longer supports adequate food production. Its soils are degraded and are short of key nutrients that support crop development.
To reverse this trend, radical measures are needed.
Agri-input companies such as Yara East Africa are now providing a multi-pronged approach to help the farmers maximise their yield and quality.
By providing a crop-specific fertiliser programme that is accurate, coupled with on-ground training, farmers are assured of an affordable crop nutrition regime.
This has been made possible through partnerships with distributors, soil testing firms, NGOs, crop off-takers and financial institutions, in order to deliver a wholesome package to the farmer.
Our vision is a world without hunger, a planet respected. This calls for sustainable intensification of agriculture, along with investments and collaboration.
We believe in creating a thriving farming community and for this to happen, the priority should be to build a strong foundation on soil health.
Soil testing helps the farmer make an informed decision on the right type and quantity of fertiliser to use.
We offer a wide range of crop-specific basal, topdressing and foliar solutions for application throughout the season to achieve a set yield target.
Partnering with other key players in the agricultural sector has seen farmers receive training on good agronomic practices covering; use of certified and quality inputs (seed, fertiliser, crop protection), land preparation, crop husbandry and post-harvest management.
Collaboration with county governments has enabled farmers up to the ward level receive extension support in crop production management through farmer field days.
We are working with key lead farmers across the country, dubbed ‘Yara Shujaaz’ who have implemented GAP and continue to provide knowledge to farmers in their regions.
We also share success stories on our online platforms, explaining the programmes used and the results recorded from the application of a given fertiliser regime.
The adoption of good agronomic practices has seen an increase in crop yields and quality.
Maize farmers using the common practice of DAP and CAN fertilisers now have the opportunity to increase their yields from an average of 10 bags per acre to 30 bags per acre using the MiCROP fertiliser range or to 38 bags per acre using the advanced practice range of Yara fertilisers.
We call on players within the crop production sector, to engage in viable partnerships and collaborations to catalyse the adoption of quality inputs and new technologies, which, in the long run, is key to solving the food insecurity challenge in the country.
The writer is the country manager, Yara East Africa