Agriculture, which accounts for 54% of household expenditures in Kenya, remains a key focus for President William Ruto as he continues to rely on the fertilizer subsidy program to boost food production and reduce consumer costs.
According to the latest update from the Government Delivery Unit under the Executive Office of the President, 6.15 million farmers have registered digitally for access to low-cost fertilizer. The number of fertilizer bags distributed to farmers has surged by 7.2 million, from 1.4 million in 2022 to 8.6 million in 2024, marking a 514% increase. The cost per bag has also dropped significantly, from 6,000 shillings in 2022 to 2,500 shillings in 2024, a reduction of 58%.
Maize production has seen a substantial boost, with an additional 24 million 50kg bags produced, representing a 38.9% rise from 61.74 million bags in 2022 to 85.7 million bags in 2023. As a result, the price of maize flour has fallen by an average of 39 shillings, with the cost of a 2kg packet dropping from 169 shillings in 2022 to 130 shillings in 2024, a 23.3% reduction.
Despite these successes, the fake fertilizer scandal, which led to an investigation of former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi by a Parliamentary Committee, has been a setback to Ruto's agricultural reforms.
The government has also distributed 556 metric tonnes of sunflower seeds across 34 counties, leading to an 8.3% increase in acreage under sunflower farming, growing from 60,000 acres in 2022 to 64,980 acres in 2024. However, the edible oil importation deal, like the fertilizer program, was marred by a multi-billion shilling scandal involving the Kenya National Trading Corporation.
In efforts to boost the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, 21 County Industrial Development Centers have been established and refurbished between 2022 and 2024, with 19 county aggregation industrial parks currently under construction.
Nonetheless, with the cost of living still high, President Ruto faces ongoing challenges two years into his term.
