Subsidised fertiliser brings relief to farmers

Fertilizers at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB )stores in Eldoret Uasin Gishu County on February 7, 2023. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard] For the first time in many years, farmers in North Rift readying for maize planting in the next few weeks at the onset of long rains can access affordable inputs in advance and prepare well ahead of the season. Farmers, who spoke to Smart Harvest in the North Rift, were confident of a projected better yield after the coming season, saying the availability of subsidized fertiliser on time, better maize prices in last year's crop and early land preparations puts them at a comfortable readiness for planting. Brokers and cartels had allegedly infiltrated fertiliser distribution channels, leading to the exploitation of farmers by individuals who caused artificial shortages in view of inflating prices when desperate farmers rush to beat planting season. The e-voucher fertilizer distribution system that kicked off about three weeks ago has seen farmers flock to the nearest National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots to redeem their rations after receiving Short Text Messages (SMS) from their Safaricom mobile phone service numbers. The distribution through an Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS) followed the registration of farmers by chiefs and agricultural officials between January 7 and 19. Farmers would only provide the acreage they cultivate for crop production, Identification numbers and Safaricom mobile numbers. And by February 3, the initial group of farmers started receiving text messages advising them to redeem the e-vouchers in within seven days. Subsidized fertilizers that retail st Sh.3500. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard] President Dr William Ruto, two days later after a Church service at Ruai in Nairobi, announced that five million registered farmers can access subsidized fertiliser at NCPB depots across the country starting Monday, February 6. Dr Ruto said there were six million 50 kgs bags of fertiliser to be supplied each at Sh3,500 to registered farmers. The program is being implemented through agencies including NCPB, Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), Kenya Railways, Safaricom and Ministry of Agriculture. It is a sigh of relief to farmers who bought the input at soaring prices of between Sh 6,500 and Sh 7,000 in the last season. Francis Rono, a farmer from Kesses sub-county in Uasin Gishu county, received an SMS and presented himself to the Eldoret regional NCPB depot on the first day and accessed the input on the second day. "I received the SMS and came on the first day only to find a long queue. I was placed at number 431 and 300 farmers had been served, I had to wait for the second day to receive my allocation," said Rono. He noted that small scale farmers who registered in distant villages travel to distant depots and that it will not be economical for those who receive fewer bags of fertilizer. Mr Charles Kanda, also a local farmer, said he registered for 20 bags and that he had received his rations, but after queuing for long. "The process is transparent and good, but only slow. I urge the government to consider employing more clerks at the NCPB to help speed up distribution," said Kanda. Ben Sirma, a farmer from Uasin Gishu said compared to the previous years, distribution of the input in the current year was better but stated that there is still need for improvement. He claimed there were errors, which he pointed to registration by rural administrators. "The process is good, but requires a lot of correction. I was among the first to be registered, but I am yet to receive an SMS. I have only received an erroneous text, that indicates a female name," he claimed. A number of large scale farmers are among those who are yet to receive their allocations. Mr Jackson Sang, a farmer from Chemoset in Uasin Gishu county, is also a worried man, saying he leased 70 acres of land ready for this season's maize cultivation. "I am yet to receive an SMS notification for fertiliser subsidy. If it gets late, then I have no otherwise than reduce production acreage. A 50 kg bag of fertilizer at agrovet outlets retails at Sh 5,600," noted Sang. Other farmers in Uasin Gishu, Kimutai Kolum from Soy, Joseph Too of Kipsombe and Jeremiah Chebii are optimistic and laud the government over the current subsidy programme, saying cartels have been locked out of the distribution process. Kolum and Too said there is a need to consider recruiting more staff to assist NCPB staff in distributing the inputs to grass root levels before the rains fall. "The long rain season is approaching while the process is too sluggish. There is need for the establishment of more distribution outlets to ease access of the input by farmers," said Kolum. They claim that current staff at respective NCPB stores are overwhelmed and that they list and serve farmers only from 8 am to noon as crowds continue to increase. "There is need to in future make subsidy distribution a continuous exercise even after the planting season. This will help minimize crowds for the products," said Chebii. Thomas Korgoren, a large scale producer in Uasin Gishu also noted that the blended variety of the subsidized fertilizer, 'is new to farmers, who are yet to know its outcome.' Korgoren said agriculture officials ought to have carried out public participation programmes to give more information on the new varieties. Mr Tom Nyagechaga, the Kenya National Farmers Federation (Kenaff) commodity representative, Trans Nzoia county said 'the process is tedious'. "The long queues at the NCPB depots are demoralising farmers, especially those from distant areas. Some have opted at purchasing expensive fertilizer to avoid crowding for days and spending extra money on travel and food," said Nyagechaga. He added: "There is adequate fertilizer in the depots, but bureaucracies are discouraging farmers. Farmers registered through their chiefs, hence distribution should have been taken to the grassroots." Kipkorir Menjo, the Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) director, lauded the latest subsidy distribution process, saying it was 'impressive'. "This time round, distribution of subsidized fertiliser is impressive. Those who have received text messages have collected their rations. It is also timely and farmers will prepare well for the planting season," stated Menjo. Mr Gilbert Rotich, the NCPB Regional Manager, North Rift told Smart Harvest that over 100,000 bags of the fertilizer have so far been distributed across the 14 NCPB depots in the North Rift. Rotich said all the depots were well stocked to meet the demand, adding that the distribution process has been smooth. The official said redemption of the inputs have been extended to 30 days from the initial seven days, after a farmer receives an SMS notification. Dr Lagat said: "Government subsidy of fertilizer is generally a good approach towards achieving food security, and it is quite transparent. It has started early enough, and there is a need to hurry up distribution to avoid being caught up by the planting season." Harsama Kello, the Principal Secretary (PS), state department for crop development in the Ministry of Agriculture in an interview with Spice FM, said registered farmers in 12 counties in North, South Rift and Western Kenya regions are currently receiving the input for planting ahead of the long rain season. "Following registration of farmers by chiefs and their assistants countrywide over the last one month, 4.1 million farmers have been achieved and the ongoing drive targets over 5 million," said Kello. He added: "Government decided to distribute fertilizer in two phases, first for 12 counties that expect long rains and later for short rain in counties in Eastern and Central Kenya." The PS said the government invested Sh15.3 billion in the current subsidy program and stated that over 500,000 bags of fertilizer was already in NCPB and KNTC stores. He appealed to producers to redeem their vouchers at the nearest stores to avoid a last minute rush at the onset of rains. The PS further said the program is expensive and that the government was currently subsidizing fertilizer and may in the future expand to cover seeds, pesticides and lime, to address soil acidity. "We are implementing in stages and now availing affordable fertilizer. We no longer give Diamonium Phosphate (DAP) and instead distributing NPK and assorted locally blended fertilizer that is suitable to soil in agricultural regions," said the PS. Simon Cheptot, the Elgeyo Marakwet county director of meteorological department, warned that the rain focus for the coming season is not encouraging as the country is expected to receive depressed rains. "A preliminary forecast indicates a scanty distribution of rains compared to the last season due to the impact of climate change," said Cheptot.

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