Farmers have urgently petitioned Agriculture CS Peter Munya for desperately needed fertiliser subsidies before the planting season.
More than Sh10 billion will be required to implement the subsidies to benefit mostly small-scale producers.
The government had rolled out a pilot initiative for the E-fertiliser programme where registered farmers get vouchers to buy fertiliser from distributors at a subsidised price.
Distributors are compensated by the state.
“We have formally written to the CS to swiftly roll out the E-fertiliser programme and allocate funds for the subsidies well ahead of the planting season as from next month," Kenya Farmers Association director Kipkorir Menjo said.
Maize production is expected to fall by 30 per cent because of poor rains, drought, costly inputs and imports.
Fertiliser prices have gone up again, causing panic among Rift Valley farmers ahead of planting.
A 50kg bag of DAP for planting is selling for an average of Sh5,600, an increase from Sh5,000 a month ago.
Farmers fear the price will rise to more than Sh6,000, many won't be able to afford it and production will fall.
“If the prices of fertiliser continue to go up, many farmers will have no option but to reduce acreage, limiting food security,"Menjo said.
The fertiliser supply chain had been disrupted by Covid-19, which interrupted delivery of some ingredients required by manufacturers.
China and Russia, which account for a third of the world’s fertiliser production, reduced exports after a drop in food production.
“These challenges, coupled with the fuel costs and shipping issues, have completely affected supply of fertiliser in the locals markets," Menjo said.
Parliamentary Agriculture committee chairman Silas Tiren and farmers met CS Munya in Kitale last week and proposed the government introduce subsidies. Tiren is also MP for Moiben.
“We are following up because if there is no intervention, then maize production will drastically drop, Tiren said.
MPs in the North Rift are also urging the government to intervene and help reduce the price of fertiliser.
Soy MP Caleb Kositany and his Keiyo South counterpart Daniel Kipkogei Rono warned that food production will decline due to high costs of farm inputs, especially fertiliser.
They accused CS Munya of neglecting maize farmers.
The region requires more than five million bags of DAP fertiliser for planting apart from more supplies for top-dressing fertiliser.
The government had been previously allocating about Sh10 billion for the subsidies programme. It was halted more than three years ago after cartels interfered, exploiting farmers.
The region's politicians are also using the plight of farmers as a campaign tool. The price of maize and other cereals, subsidies for farmers, limiting imports and reducing the cost of farming are among the campaign issues.
(Edited by V. Graham)
