• Mandago and Barorot said the government should put in place a system that will ensure farmers have easy access to cheaper fertiliser.
• Gachagua turned down a suggestion by Mandago for the government to further lower fertiliser prices to Sh1,500.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
The National Cereals and Produce Board has been faulted over the handling and distribution of subsidised fertiliser which has caused frequent complaints from farmers.
Leaders, led by Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor John Barorot and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, said the government should give counties a mandate to distribute subsidised fertiliser to farmers.
“NCPB is the most unreliable institution in terms of handling subsidised fertiliser. We would rather have the government give that mandate to county governments,” Mandago said.
He said the government should put in place a system that will ensure farmers have easy access to cheaper fertiliser, especially as the planting season approaches in Rift Valley.
Mandago spoke at Koilel Primary School, where Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and a host of Kenya Kwanza leaders attended thanksgiving prayers on Sunday.
During the meeting, Gachagua turned down a suggestion by Mandago for the government to further lower fertiliser prices to Sh1,500.
Mandago argued that the price of maize had quickly dropped to less than Sh4,000 per bag and would be lower by early next year and that most farmers would still not be able to afford the fertiliser.
But Gachagua said it would not be possible or manageable, owing to the ongoing economic crisis, to lower prices from the current Sh3,500.
"Bwana Senator, let me tell you the truth because we are honest people. It will be impossible for fertiliser to retail at Sh1,500. There is no need to impress people and then they find us to be liars later," he said.
Gachagua said there were plans to reduce the cost to Sh2,500 per bag.
"What we will try to do as we move forward since the economy is in a bad state is to reduce the prices to Sh2,500. We will work hard on that."
He also said the government is planning to have enough fertiliser by next year's long rains.
Mandago insisted that counties working with co-operatives were well placed to ensure farmers get fertiliser smoothly instead of facing many hurdles in distribution at NCPB.
"Bring the fertiliser to the county and let the governor distribute it to the farmers. NCPB is messing farmers. It cannot be trusted," he urged Gachagua.
But the DP said the government will form a committee to distribute the subsidised fertiliser.
"We will form a committee. We will do what we did with the drought mitigation plan, we are not leaving any duty to one person," he said.
Gachagua said the committee to be formed will comprise farmers, NCPB, counties and other stakeholders.
Other MPs, including Janet Sitienei of Turbo and Cherargei, urged the government to ensure farmers produce more so that the country is food sufficient.
Cheragei said no part of the country should suffer from effects of famine yet farmers can produce adequate food
Barorot said taxes on farm inputs and machinery, including tractors, should be lowered so that they are affordable to farmers.