President William Ruto will on Friday preside over the National Household Farmers' Registration.
This, among other things, is expected to help in the distribution of subsidised fertiliser.
It is also aimed at creating a database of all farmers, which includes identity, profile, location and crop acreage.
Fertiliser is a key input in farming and should be readily available at the right time and price.
Its availability, coupled with favourable weather, can determine whether a country will have a bountiful harvest or food deficit.
The government's intervention to reduce the price of fertiliser from a high of Sh6,500 to below Sh3,500 for a 50 kilo bag is timely and welcome.
This is, however, just but a short term solution that the government cannot sustain in the long run.
Past subsidies such as for fuel and and electricity were well- intended but could not be sustained.
The fertiliser provided by the state is only available at specific places and at measured amounts.
What the government needs to do is remove the policies, bottlenecks and review the taxes that push up the fertiliser cost.
The importation and sale should then be solely left to the private sector. Farmers can easily access fertiliser at agrovets.
State involvement in business is always a breeding ground for corruption and lining the pockets of top bureaucrats.
