Farms want assurance of security to prosper

Some of the farmers and their leaders who attended Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF) AGM at their headquarters in Thogoto, Kikuyu sub county. [PHOTO: JOHN KARUME/STANDARD]

The Government is implementing a new strategy to bring down the cost of producing food, enhance farmers’ earnings and increase food security.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei said the Government is engaging development partners on mechanisation to acquire adequate farm implements and at low cost. This will in turn spur increased production and enable farmers to earn more from the labour and the country to achieve its food security goals.

Speaking on Friday during the Annual General Meeting of Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF) at their headquarters in Thogoto, Kikuyu, Mr Koskei said the agricultural mechanisation policy is a win-win strategy for farmers and the government. “The high cost of production must be brought down by having farm equipment and inputs which are affordable and the government has concluded talks with India, Poland, Korea and Brazil for low-priced farm equipment,” he said.

The CS said they have found out that labour is the fundamental issue that accounts for high production cost for farmers. “Labour, pesticides and high-priced clean seed have been found to be the major impediments for farmers, and the government is in the process of coming up with a policy to bring down the costs,” said Koskei. He added that the government is enhancing its subsidy programme regarding cost of fertilisers and has lowered the prices of DAP and NAP from Sh4,000 to Sh2,000 to lower the cost of production.

Depressed subsector

KENAFF Chairman Nduati Kariuki called upon the Government to involve farmers in policy making and enactment. Mr Nduati also urged the Government to maintain security in the country as farmers cannot succeed and  prosper if insecurity is widespread.

“We as farmers want to be secure and the Government should make sure all their machinery is working. We cannot go to our farms if we are not secure,” he said.

KENAFF CEO John Mutunga said nearly all farming sub-sectors - from tea, sorghum, maize, potatoes to horticulture - are in trouble and farmers are in great pain due to heavy losses they are incurring. He asked the CS to rescue sorghum farmers by removing the recent excise tax, which has depressed the sub-sector, and help farmers gain maximum benefits through policy intervention and enactment of good laws.