The government has released 12.5 million bags of subsidised fertiliser for distribution to farmers ahead of the long rains planting season, in a move aimed at boosting food production and easing the cost burden on farmers.
Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Harun Khator, said the fertiliser is already available at depots across the country, with additional consignments expected following the arrival of another vessel at the Port of Mombasa to offload more supplies.
Speaking in Kakamega during the launch of a Sh600 million soil health project targeting six counties, Khator said the government has strengthened logistics and last-mile distribution to ensure farmers access fertiliser in good time before the onset of the planting season.
“We have vehicles on the road giving logistical support to ensure fertiliser reaches every depot and every last-mile centre ahead of the planting season,” he said.
He added that besides the main National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots, the government has established 250 last-mile distribution centres across the country to reduce congestion, shorten travel distances and bring the commodity closer to farmers at the grassroots.
According to Khator, challenges experienced in previous seasons were not due to lack of fertiliser but delays by farmers in collecting the inputs.
“Our slight weakness is not availability. We have depots and last-mile centres, but farmers wait until the last minute. Two days later, everyone is on social media saying there is no fertiliser, yet capacity is limited,” he explained.
He urged farmers to collect fertiliser early in order to maximise yields and avoid the seasonal rush that often strains distribution systems.
“We closed the short rains season last year and now we have opened the long rains season. I am asking farmers to take advantage and collect fertiliser in good time to avoid last-minute rush,” he said.
Khator noted that since 2022, the government has distributed approximately 25 million bags of fertiliser under the subsidy programme. He added that the current long and short rains cycle will see a further 12.5 million bags made available to farmers nationwide.
He said access to subsidised fertiliser is being coordinated through the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), which has so far registered about 7.2 million farmers.
“Registration is still ongoing. Through KIAMIS, the government is able to subsidise fertiliser and also support farmers with certified seeds, extension services and livestock vaccination programmes,” he said.
Khator called on farmers who are yet to register on the KIAMIS platform to do so to enable the government to plan better and deliver agricultural inputs more efficiently.
He further encouraged increased youth participation in agriculture, saying improved access to inputs, better logistics and ongoing soil health initiatives are intended to make farming more attractive, profitable and sustainable.
“With these interventions, we want to work together to make this country more prosperous and food secure and achieve food sovereignty so that we can also export,” he said.
By Chris Mahandara
