Farmers call for overhaul of fertilizer subsidy program

Farmers have called for changes to the government’s fertilizer distribution system to ensure all players get access to the critical input.

This after it emerged that only nine percent of farmers access fertilizer under the government subsidy program.

Kenya National Farmers Federation Chief Executive Officer John Mutunga said the subsidy program had failed to improve the fortunes of smallholder farmers who have been unable to access fertilizer from National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) offices.

“If it was targeted for cost reduction especially to support the smallholder farmers to produce more then there would be a qualifying criteria to make sure that smallholders access more of that fertilizer,” Dr Mutunga said.

The government imported 104,000 tons of subsidized fertilizer in February to be distributed to farmers through NCPB.

According to the federation, despite government efforts to have prices lowered to an affordable amount of Sh1,800 per 50 kilogram of fertilizer, middlemen and cartels continue to frustrate farmers.

Ministry of Agriculture officials however say middlemen have infiltrated the system cashing in on the shortage and selling the input at Sh 3,000 per 50 kilogram bag.

Kericho based farmer Gideon Keter said an overhaul of the distribution system will be crucial, calling on the government to use public schools as distribution centers.

“For common farmers it’s difficult for them to travel from their farms to the nearest NCPB office. The whole system is tedious,” Mr Keter said.

The government introduced the fertilizer subsidy program in 2013 with the expectation of uplifting small scale farmers.

Farmers however say the government ought to register all farmers based on their county and procure adequate fertilizer stocks for them to benefit.

“The ministry of agriculture should register farmers prior to importing fertilizer. Each farmer should be captured in a certain form with what quantity and amount of fertilizer they require,” Mr Keter added.

The government has so far spent Sh20 billion on the program.