Counties to import cheap fertiliser

What you need to know:

  • “We want to know the requirements of all farmers in all sectors — sugarcane, tea, coffee, horticulture — and when these requirements are pulled together we have agreed that the subsidised programme on fertiliser will now target all fertiliser across the board,” said Mr Gachagua.

County governments are set to take over the collection and distribution of imported fertiliser to ensure it reaches farmers.

The move on the subsidised fertiliser programme follows a deal with the National Government, according to Council of Governors’ Committee on Agriculture and Land chairman Nderitu Gachagua.
Mr Gachagua, who was speaking at Wambugu Agricultural Training Centre (ATC) on Sunday after a two-day farmers’ field event, said agricultural extension officers in all counties had been asked to submit the list of fertiliser types needed by farmers in their counties.

Across the board
“We want to know the requirements of all farmers in all sectors — sugarcane, tea, coffee, horticulture — and when these requirements are pulled together we have agreed that the subsidised programme on fertiliser will now target all fertiliser across the board,” said Mr Gachagua.

It was also agreed that county governments take up the distribution of fertilisers after collecting it from the Port of Mombasa.
“We are taking up the responsibility to ensure that fertiliser reaches all the farmers across the agricultural sector,” he said.

This will allow counties to import and distribute fertiliser to their farmers and effectively address perennial delays and shortages.

The recommendation was contained in a report prepared by the National Acceleration Agricultural Input Access Programme Secretariat, under the mandate of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The report also suggested that counties form regional blocs to allow them to import the commodity in bulk. It stated that the devolved governments provided a good opportunity to address shortage issues and stimulate agricultural productivity to improve food security, income and social welfare.

“One of the strategies that county governments can undertake to address high prices is to take an active role in fertiliser market,” the report stated.

It suggested that counties develop mechanisms for bulk procurement either through importation or local purchases and increase their bargaining power and exploit the economies of scale to have lower prices.

The devolved units were also given the leeway to develop a memorandum of understanding with relevant parastatals.

In Nyeri, coffee farmers are already getting fertiliser, which they have been advanced by the county government. The fertiliser was accessed at a cost of Sh1,500 a bag, down from Sh2,400 previously.

“The subsidised fertiliser has helped coffee farmers in Nyeri to save about Sh900 per bag,” said Mr Gachagua.