Fully compensate fake fertiliser scam victims

The farmers who bought fake fertilisers supplied through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) could be in for a rude shock. After being hit so hard, the promised full compensation may prove elusive. It is a shame that another scandal could be brewing in the bid to rectify the situation.

First, the subsidy, which helped to reduce the price of a 50kg bag of the farm input from Sh6,500 to Sh3,000 was only made possible through the government’s hefty allocation of Sh12 billion. That eased the burden but the farmers still forked out their hard-earned money for the input in response to the government’s plan to boost food and cash crop production. The, sadly, many ended up with fake fertiliser.

President William Ruto has directed that the affected farmers be compensated and the Agriculture ministry must implement this. The NCPB has initiated the process but has asked farmers to lodge complaints and produce evidence of purchase.

Now, members of the National Assembly’s Agriculture Committee, who have been conducting public hearings on the distribution of the sub-standard fertiliser through the NCPB stores, are wondering where the extra money for compensation will come from. The MPs are concerned this might disrupt other critical budgets in the agricultural sector. Besides, the confusion that is likely to follow could create another avenue for some people to reap where they did not sow.

Also of concern is the focus on the North Rift and western Kenya were the fertiliser scam and seed shortages have been reported. Farmers in other parts of the country are also affected and their plight should not be ignored. The compensation should be firmed up within a reasonable time frame to enable the farmers to get their refunds and use the money to obtain alternative inputs.

Any attempt of cover-up by the authorities, such as the initial denials by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, must be roundly rejected. The whole process must be more transparent and accountable. We cannot agree more with the MPs that harsh penalties should be slapped on the individuals and companies found culpable for the fertiliser scam.