Residents say No to the vetting of maize growers
What you need to know:
- Mr Tom Murgor, a large-scale farmer, said the government should have established a database of farmers and their acreage, based on information captured by agricultural financing institutions and during input purchasing.
- Many traders had imported maize from Uganda and Tanzania with the aim of selling it to the NCPB and the only way to prevent them from beating real farmers in the race to sell is to undertake rigorous vetting, according to the governor.
- Mr Mandago asked farmers to keep warehousing receipts given to them at the NCPB carefully, because they will need them during the vetting.
Some maize farmers in the North Rift have opposed the ongoing growers’ vetting.
They say it will delay their payment and adversely affect parents’ preparation for the opening of schools next week.
Others are worried that preparations for next year’s planting season may be in jeopardy since they have not received any payment from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
“Schools are opening in the next few days and parents who happen to be among the affected maize farmers will not want to hear any excuses on why they can’t (have the money) to take their children to school,” Mr Thomas Korkoren, a large-scale farmer, said on Sunday.
He said maize buying had been delayed by two months subjecting farmers to inconveniences and they should not be made to wait further.
GIVE CERTIFICATES
The vetting is being conducted by committees formed by county governments in maize-growing counties. However, the farmer said the task should be simple as the teams already knew the genuine growers.
“Let these committees give us the certificates and we will be paid promptly.”
Mr Tom Murgor, also a large-scale farmer, said the government should have established a database of farmers and their acreage, based on information captured by agricultural financing institutions and during input purchasing.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the NCPB directed county governments to establish the vetting teams to get rid the sector of middlemen waiting to sell imported maize to the cereals board.
The committees are headed by county agricultural executive officers. Their membership is drawn from sub-county and ward administrators, agricultural extension officers and location chiefs.
Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago has asked the farmers to accept the vetting, arguing that it will benefit genuine growers when the cereals board buys the produce.
Many traders had imported maize from Uganda and Tanzania with the aim of selling it to the NCPB and the only way to prevent them from beating real farmers in the race to sell is to undertake rigorous vetting, according to the governor.
The middlemen are said to be hoarding up to two million bags, targeting to sell them to the NCPB.
KEEP RECEIPTS
Uasin Gishu produces up to 3.5 million bags of maize and the cereals board’s Eldoret depot is the biggest in the North Rift.
Mr Mandago asked farmers to keep warehousing receipts given to them at the NCPB carefully, because they will need them during the vetting.
Additional maize-buying centres would be opened at Karona, Kamagut, Merewet and Tuiyo, which are near the farmers, he added.
The governor, who spoke during a wedding at St Mathews ACK Church in Eldoret on Friday, said the county government was funding soil testing to improve production in the region.
He said farmers should test their soils to enable them to use appropriate fertilisers and avoid costly inputs which may lower their profits.
“Our soils are turning more acidic and losses may be incurred if tests are not conducted,” he said.
The county government is conducting the tests in partnership with University of Eldoret.
The Agriculture ministry has set a price of Sh2,300 plus a Sh500 rebate per 90kg bag of maize delivered to the NCPB this year.
The board is expected to spend Sh2.7 billion on this year’s produce.
