Nairobi — Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua says govt in talks with stakeholders to ensure affordable, accessible fertilizers to farmers across Kenya.
Speaking at Harambee house in the flagging off a consignment of subsidized fertilizer to various parts of the country, Gachagua declared that the government was committed to ensuring sustainable agricultural expansion from subsistence to a commercially and internationally competitive industry.
He continued by saying that agriculture continues to be the cornerstone of Kenya’s economic and industrial development, notably in terms of food production, revenue generation, and the provision of raw materials for industry.
“The government has prioritized agriculture as one of pillars of our economic recovery plan, alongside healthcare and MSMEs development among others,” he said
“As a government we are focused on increasing agricultural productivity which will eventually lead to increased supply and eventually lower food prices due to forces of supply and demand.”
The Deputy President added that the country’s dependence on imports has worsened as a result of the ongoing drought in the arid and semi-arid lands. The government is concerned because the annual production of staple foods like maize, beans, wheat, and rice has decreased, making the situation with regard to food worse.
Gachagua assured farmers in the nation that the Kenya Kwanza government would increase agricultural productivity by making sure that the costs of the production inputs are affordable.
“This therefore necessitates the need to ensure that factors of production are affordable to the farmers,” he added.
He assured farmers all around the country that they are aware of all the fertilizer needs for the protracted rainy season in 2023 and that they are in consultations to ensure they are providing qualified inputs.
“The government has commenced consultations with key actors and stakeholders to ensure quality, affordable and accessible fertilizer will be available to all farmers,” he stated.
Farmers have been urged to visit the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCBP) depots to get the subsidized fertilizer at a reduced cost.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers can get a 50kg bag of listed fertilizers at various prices.
The Ministry further indicated that individual farmers will be entitled to a maximum of 100- 50Kg bags.
DAP fertilizer will be sold at Sh3,500, CAN Sh2,875, UREA Sh3,500, NPK Sh3,275, MOP Sh1775, Sulphate of Ammonia Sh2,220.