NCPB in plans to boost services to farmers

By NICK OLUOCH

Kisii County

The Government, through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has put in place measures to ensure endemic seed and fertiliser shortage is solved.

NCPB Operations Manager Ernest Ogwora said there were plans for the board to partner with other seed companies to store and distribute certified seeds to farmers.

"We will be allowing Kenya Seed Company and others to have their seeds kept in our depots for easy distribution to farmers during planting," he said at a meeting with farmers in Kehancha town, Kuria West District Wednesday.

He spoke soon after leading a team from the Nairobi office to a launch of a warehouse receipt system to serve farmers.

NCPB Director Monica Amollo announced that NCPB would endeavor to store Government-subsidised fertiliser for easy distribution.

NCPB officials’ visit to Kuria comes against the backdrop of criticism of the Government by local farmers, who complained of perennial difficulties in accessing necessary farm inputs in time, leading to poor harvests.

Farmers led by former Kehancha mayor Paul Gitwekere claimed that there was unfair distribution of seeds and fertilisers between western and Rift Valley, pointing out that farmers in the Rift Valley region were always accorded the first priority in the supply of farm inputs.

Failed to plant

Gitwekere said some of the farmers last month failed to plant because of lack of seeds and fertilisers.

However, Ogwora absolved NCPB from blame saying the seed companies were independent agencies and had only been working closely with the board to ensure timely availability of farm inputs.

He added that the newly introduced system of grain management would ensure food security and save farmers unnecessary wastage of their produce. "The warehouse receipt system is to play an important role in ensuring that the liberalised grain market in Kenya becomes more responsive, besides creating competitiveness in the international markets," he told the more than 100 farmers who attended the function.

Amollo, while asking the farmers to embrace the new system said the initiative is aimed at strengthening the commodity supply chain and trading regime.