Farmers to get free fertiliser from county government

Women work in their farms of Kisumu county.The county has embarked on distribution of free fertilizer to maize farmers in the area to boost crop production and ensure food security. The initiative has cost sh 10 million. (Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard)

The county government will distribute free fertiliser to boost maize production after poor harvests last season.

The Standard established that the county had bought 5,000 bags of fertiliser worth more than Sh10 million to be distributed to small-scale farmers during the rainy season.

Although the government planned to give farmers subsidised fertiliser through the National Cereals and Produce Board, local farmers will now get it for free. This is because of the massive crop failure of the last season that exposed thousands of families who depend on maize as their main source of food to starvation.

County Chief Officer for Agriculture Benjamin Angir said surveys carried out in all the 35 wards had found that most soils are either sandy, clay, or black cotton. The analysis revealed that most arable land had been depleted of nutrients and needed fertiliser.