Farming takes hit from erratic rains as global prices of tea and coffee chill
A farmer and his wife weed their maize crop at Kiplombe in Uasin Gishu County. Food security remains a big challenge, even after the government provided farmers with subsidised fertiliser and other farm inputs. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Maize is mainly grown in the Rift Valley by small-scale farmers. Wheat is also grown in the same region.
- But wheat production that is predominantly grown by large-scale farmers registered a 19.5 increase with growers realising 194.5 tonnes last year compared to 162.7 tonnes in 2012.
Food security remains a big challenge, even after the government provided farmers with subsidised fertiliser and other farm inputs.
Maize production, for instance, declined from 39.7 million bags in 2012 to 38.9 million bags last year according to the economic survey released yesterday by Devolution and Planning cabinet secretary Ann Waiguru. Maize is the country’s staple food.
However, the Jubilee government, which promised to help farmers produce enough food to feed the county in its manifesto, is blaming the poor production of the crop to inadequate rains in some parts of the grain growing areas.
Subsidised fertiliser
But farmers have, since last year, been attributing poor production to lack of certified seeds as well as delay in supply of the subsidised fertiliser.
Maize is mainly grown in the Rift Valley by small-scale farmers. Wheat is also grown in the same region.
But wheat production that is predominantly grown by large-scale farmers registered a 19.5 increase with growers realising 194.5 tonnes last year compared to 162.7 tonnes in 2012.
POOR HARVESTS
Generally, the economic survey shows that growth of the agricultural sector, which is the mainstay of the economy slowed down by 2.9 per cent last year compared to the previous year.
Maize farmers are predicting a poor harvest this year since there are no so far, no rains that usually come in mid-March.
The economic survey also shows that a key crop like coffee, which was once a leading foreign exchange earner, is also on the decline.
Coffee farmers have been blaming fluctuation of prices on the world market.
Last year, the growers delivered 39.8 tonnes of coffee against 49 tonnes sold the previous year — a decline of 18.8 tonnes.
Prices of the crop have nevertheless started improving this year with the declining production of Brazilian coffee.
Tea, another important export crop, improved despite a move by some farmers in Central Kenya and Rift Valley region to uproot the tea bushes in protest against poor pay.
The survey shows that tea farmers delivered 432.4 tonnes of tea leaves last year compared to 369.4 tonnes in 2012, which is a 17.1 increase.
Fresh horticultural produce, which most farmers now prefer as it is not dependant on rain, like maize and wheat is registering improvement following a 3.9 per cent increase.
Most farmers use irrigation methods to grow these fresh produce that is both exported and sold locally.
Rice production also improved, registering an 8.3 per cent increase. Livestock output also increased by 5 per cent.
Ms Waiguru says to stimulate growth in the sector, the Government will speed up establishment of a fertiliser factory and increase investment in irrigation.
