By Titus Too
KENYA: Heavy rains have disrupted planting in some of the country’s agricultural-rich regions.
Mechanised operations in farms have been rendered impossible due to soggy soils as a result of heavy downpour. Some large-scale farmers in the North Rift have suspended operations in their farms until the rains subside.
“I had a target of planting 200 acres, but I have stopped after achieving only 40 acres. We are forced to wait for the ongoing rains to subside,” said George Kili. Kili, a large-scale maize farmer in Soy, Uasin Gishu County, said machinery could no longer work due to the wet conditions.
“It will take two weeks without rain in our region to enable us use machines in our farms,” Kili said yesterday. He blamed the State for delays in availing the subsidised fertiliser, thus forcing farmers to wait until the onset of the long rains.
Farmers expressed fear delays in planting would affect yields at the end of season. “Every March is planting season and the Government should always set funds for procurement of fertiliser on time,” said Kili.
