The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has so far bought only 8,000 bags of maize in two weeks due to strict vetting conditions imposed on farmers.
Spokesman of the board Titus Maiyo says the maize has been bought at the Eldoret depot while in all other areas the strict vetting processes have slowed down the purchase.
Maiyo admits that the vetting is cumbersome and slow but says the NCPB is not to blame for the strict vetting conditions
“The board’s work is only to take in maize. The condition were introduced by the government following what we have experienced in the past”, said Maiyo. He however said the board was working with other stakeholders to speed up the process.
He said in most depots including Mois Bridge, Kitale and Nakuru the board was yet to take in any maize by Sunday February 3rd because of the strict vetting conditions.
He spoke as a section of North Rift leaders led by Senator Margaret Kamar of Uasin Gishu said the ongoing vetting of farmers at the NCPB is frustrating and unnecessary.
Kamar says the farmers have been vetted so many times and stringent conditions introduced by the NCPB had demoralized farmers.
The senator says many farmers are giving up on maize production because of lack of markets and frustrations like repeated vetting every year. Kamar’s sentiments were echoed by Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut.
They want the government to relax the vetting conditions. But Moiben MP Sila Tiren said corruption was to blame for all the problems farmers were going through.
“We must be ready to tell the truth as leaders because all these issues to do with maize purchase and even subsidized fertilizer are as a result of corruption which we have to tackle”, said Tiren.
The government however says the vetting of maize farmers is successful and that the NCPB is going on well with purchase of 2 million bags of maize
Strategic Food Reserves Fund chairman Noah Wekesa says the government has only provided sh 5 Billion to buy the 2 million bags from farmers mostly in the North Rift region. More than 1,000 lorries and tractor re lining up with maize at NCPB depots as farmers wait to be vetted before being allowed to deliver their maize.
Wekesa says the government is still considering a request by farmers to buy at least 4 million bags.