State cuts fertiliser and maize seed after dry spell causes massive losses

The Government has cut the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of subsidised fertiliser to Sh2,000 and halved the cost of certified maize seed as it moves to cushion farmers from heavy losses caused by drought in the country's breadbasket.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Monday said the intervention was aimed at helping farmers who lost their crops to drought recover and return to production.

Several farmers across North Rift counties have been planning to plough their farms once again for planting ahead of the El Niño rains expected from October after a three-month dry spell destroyed maize fields across Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet and parts of Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Nandi and Kericho among other counties.

Under the new subsidy intervention, farmers will buy a 50kg bag of subsidised fertiliser at Sh2,000, down from the current Sh2,500.

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On the other hand, the price of certified maize seed will consequently fall from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme, according to a statement issued by Mr Kagwe.

“This means a 2kg pack of maize seed will cost Sh300 instead of Sh600, a 10kg pack will cost Sh1,500 instead of Sh3,000; and a 25kg pack Sh3,750 from Sh7,500,” Kagwe said.

The move comes at a critical time for maize farmers in the North Rift, where a prolonged dry spell is raising fears of a sharp decline in production in Kenya’s traditional grain basket.

In Trans Nzoia, the county government has estimated that more than 50,000 acres of maize have been destroyed, while in Uasin Gishu at least 30 per cent of the crop had been severely affected by the prolonged dry spell.

The situation has left farmers facing massive financial losses after investing heavily in land preparation, seed, fertiliser and labour.

In Nandi’s Tinderet Sub-County, maize production is projected to fall by between 30 and 40 per cent this season, with output expected to decline to between 55,000 and 65,000 bags from a normal 90,000 to 100,000 bags.

The drought has also raised concerns about food security, with national food production projected to decline by between 30 and 40 per cent this year following crop failure in key grain-growing areas.

The latest intervention is expected to offer some relief to farmers preparing for the next planting season, particularly those whose incomes and ability to finance another crop have been wiped out by the failed harvest.

Kagwe said the maize seed subsidy targets approximately 40 million kilogrammes, translating to an estimated Sh6 billion in Government support.

“Farmers will access the subsidised fertiliser and maize seed through Government-designated distribution channels,” he said.

The CS said the intervention was part of President William Ruto’s administration’s shift from subsidising consumption to supporting agricultural production by reducing the cost of farm inputs.

“In 2022, a 50kg bag of fertiliser retailed at approximately Sh7,500. The National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme brought this down to Sh2,500 and the Government is now reducing it further to Sh2,000, a reduction of more than 73 per cent,” he said.

Since 2022, the Government says about 33.55 million 50kg bags of subsidised fertiliser have been distributed to approximately 1.98 million farmers, at a cost of about Sh78.79 billion.

Kagwe said the Government’s support had contributed to increased maize production, noting that output rose from 34.3 million 90kg bags in 2022 to 73 million bags in 2025.

But the gains are now under threat from the drought ravaging the North Rift, with farmers and leaders warning that the region could record one of its poorest seasons in years.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii recently warned that the drought had left maize fields green but without grain after rains stopped before the crops matured. He said the losses could significantly affect food supplies.

For farmers who have already lost their crop, the cheaper inputs could provide a lifeline as they seek to start again.

“At the heart of this intervention is a simple principle: a farmer who has lost a crop to drought must not also lose the ability to plant the next crop because fertiliser and seed are beyond reach,” Kagwe said.

The Government said it will also continue investing in irrigation, water harvesting and other climate-smart interventions to strengthen the country’s resilience to changing weather patterns.