Several farmers yet to receive fertilizer amid biting shortage

Workers offload subsidized fertilizer from a truck at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) warehouse in Nakuru on March 24, 2025. Farmers have raised concerns over inadequate supply. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A section of farmers across the country have raised an alarm over alleged discrepancies in the distribution of government's subsidized fertilizers as thousands scramble to get the vital farm input for the planting season.

This comes as the government implements rationing of fertilizers amid biting shortage in some parts of the country.

Yesterday, a number of farmers told The Standard that they were yet to receive fertilizers while others claimed they had received less than the amount they had applied for.

For instance, Moses Chelelgo, a farmer from Kwanza Sub-County, explained that he had applied for 50 bags of planting fertilizer but was only able to collect 25 bags. This situation is not isolated. Farmers across the county are reporting similar problems, with many facing delays and obstacles when attempting to claim their full fertilizer allocations. The disruption has led to significant time and financial losses, as farmers must go through lengthy processes to reapply.

The issue has raised suspicions about the integrity of the fertilizer distribution system. Chelelgo pointed to a troubling trend he believes is exacerbating the problem cartels.

"These cartels are collecting huge amounts of fertilizer every day, but they don't even have farms to plant on.How many e-vouchers do these cartels have, and how are they able to hoard so much fertilizer while real farmers are left out in the cold?" He asked.

Chelelgo argues that this activity is creating an artificial shortage, which in turn drives up the price of fertilizer, making it even harder for legitimate farmers to access the inputs they need for planting.

"It is a vicious cycle. The cartels are hurting us all," He lamented.

While some farmers have advocated for a more localized last mile distribution system to reduce the cost of fertilizer, others are wary of such a change.

John Kamau, another farmer in the Kiminini opposed the idea, fearing it would create a breeding ground for corruption.

"While the intention may be good, distributing fertilizer at the local level could easily be manipulated. Corruption is already rampant, and this would only make it worse. We need better oversight and transparency in the system, not more opportunities for exploitation," Kamau said.

In Bungoma, farmers have confirmed that fertilizer was in stock and some have been able to access it despite the long queues at the National Cereals and Produce Board [NCPB].

Sostine Wafula, one of the many farmers yet to get the farm input, said they have been struggling to access the farm input.

Wafula, however, decried the tiresome process at the NCPB leading to long queues, "We are now forced to be at the NCPB as early as 4 in the morning for one to be able to at least be among the few who will be lucky to be served.

Another former Joseph Kaindi noted that due to fertilizer scarcity in the past weeks, some farmers were forced to buy fertilizer out of pocket from Agrovets to avoid planting late.

"The rains are here with us and this is the perfect time to plant, this distribution process should be hastened to allow farmers utilize the ongoing rains, "said Kahindi adding that some farmers have given up going for the fertilizers and are planting without.

He further recommended that in future this exercise should be pushed to location level to allow easy access by farmers.

"To avoid these long queues and cut down cost for coming to the NCPB, the fertilizer distribution should be brought down to location level for easy access by farmers, he added.

In Homa Bay, some farmers who talked to The Standard said they were yet to receive fertilizers.

The farmers allied to Karachuonyo Lolwe Farmers Co-operative Society, said they had received only SMS alerts that they should pick the fertilizers between now and June.

The Chairman society's chairman Ager Kirowo said they are hopeful of getting the fertilizers.

"We have received SMS alerts in our phones that we will get the fertilizers between now and June but we have not got them," Korowo said.

He noted that the cost of transportation was also making acquiring the fertilizers costly.

"The cost of transporting fertilizers from Kendu Bay or Kendu Bay makes it expensive. The governments should continue to subsidise the fertilizers further," Kirowo said.

Report by Martin Ndiema, James Omoro, Juliet Omelo and Mary Imenza