Farmers’ cooperatives to serve as fertilizer depots this rainy season

BENSON KELIO AND CHRISTOPHER KIPROP-KNA

The Government has announced that farmers’ cooperative societies will serve as depots where farmers can access subsidized fertilizers for this planting sea son.

The announcement was made by Dr. Paul Ronoh, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Agriculture, who stated that this move will provide easy access to fertilizers for farmers who have been relying on the few National Cereal and Produce Boards (NCPBs) across the country.

Dr. Ronoh, speaking during a farmers’ field day and exhibition at the Koibatek Agricultural Training Centre in Eldama Ravine, called upon all governors to assist in identifying the cooperative societies in their regions so that the government can distribute the fertilizers.

Accompanied by Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi, Eldama Ravine Member of Parliament Musa Sirma, and a host of local leaders, the PS stated that the identification process should be completed within the next two weeks to ensure farmers have timely access to the fertilizers.

“This year, we have availed the fertilizers early, and they will be distributed alongside crop seeds,” he said. 

Ronoh, who indicated that the government fertilizers will be sold from the stores at Sh2,500 per 50 kg bag, said the government has heard feedback from citizens and it will consider packaging the fertilizer into 20 and 10 kilograms bags to support small scale farmers.

He encouraged farmers to register themselves in E- fertilizer subsidy management system so that they can collect the fertilizers in the various points across the country at ease.

The PS stated that they will be providing the fertilizers to genuine farmers and they will not tolerate on cartels who might want to jeopardize the process.

Governor Cheboi in his remarks stated that the fertilizers will play a crucial role in exploiting the huge agricultural potential of the county which apart from maize production is also known for coffee, avocado and cotton value chains.

He revealed that in last year, the county benefited from 81,126 bags of subsidized fertilizers which brought about an in creased maize production to 941,000 bags of maize.

The Baringo boss re quested the agriculture ministry to support them with about 720, 000 fer Eldama Ravine MP lauded the government on its efforts of providing subsidized fertilizers last year and called for the dis tribution of the same up to the lowest level.

Sirma at the same time called upon the govern ment to provide ready market to potatoes farm ers who he said have in curred losses after their produce went to waste in the farms due to lack of market.