The Kakamega County Government and an American NGO have rolled out a drive to provide subsidised farm inputs ahead of the planting season.
The deal between the county and One Acre Fund is aimed at improving food security in the county after the national government failed to provide subsidised fertiliser.
Deputy Governor Philip Kutima, who is also the county executive for Agriculture, said Sh380 million would be spent to purchase 90,000 bags of subsidised fertiliser and seeds.
While launching the distribution of the subsidised fertiliser in Shinyalu on Saturday, Prof Kutima said farmers would pay Sh1,800 for a 50kg bag of fertiliser and Sh900 for a 25kg bag.
A 50kg bag of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser sells at Sh2,700 while that of 25kg goes for Sh1,400.
At least 30,000 farmers will benefit from the subsidised fertiliser.
Under the deal, One Acre Fund will provide farmers with less than one acre with farm inputs.
“One Acre Fund is giving fertiliser and seeds to small-scale farmers so that they too can get good yields,” said the Lurambi sub-county home economics officer, Pamela Owado.
Winnie Akiso, the NGO's communications coordinator, said 15,000 small scale farmers were targeted.
“Each farmer will get a 50kg bag of DAP fertiliser, four kilos of maize seeds and two kilos of beans at a subsidised price. We are also giving them solar lamps and maize storage bags,” said Ms Akiso.
