The government has announced plans to subsidize 500,000MT of various fertilizers for this year's long rains to ensure farmers access fertilizers at affordable rates.
Mithika Linturi, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary (CS), has announced plans to subsidize 500,000MT of a varvariousilizers for this year's long rains to ensure farmers get fertilizers at affordable rates.
The Cs noted that to ensure the implementation of subsidized fertilizers, the government is registering farmers digitally to provide they have access to fertilizers.
A total of 4.3 million farmers have been registered so far.
According to the CS, for a farmer to access the subsidized fertilizers, they must be digitally registered at their respective Assistant Chief's offices countrywide.
According to Philip Kello Harsama of the State Department for Crop Development PS, registered farmers could purchase fertilizer at KNTC and NCPB outlets nationwide for a maximum of Kes3500 per bag of planting fertilizer weighing 50 kilogrammes.
The registration of farmers' exercises began on January,6,2023, with an aim to digitize farmers to access subsidized fertilizers.
To date, 1431 farmers have been registered in Trans Nzoia, Bomet, Nandi, Bungoma, Nakuru, Narok, Uasinn Gishu, Migori, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Nandi, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Bungoma, and Elgeyo Marakwet have had access to fertilizers throughout the nation.
The Ministry encourages farmers who need fertilizer in long-rainfall regions to go to the closest NCPB or KNTC depot or sub-depot to get access to the discounted fertilizer.
High agricultural production is acknowledged as one of the major factors in achieving complete national food and nutrition security, which is the basis for this indicator.
Further, the subsidized fertilizers are predicted to increase cash crops and food production by up to 50%.
