Western Farmers Hail Affordable Fertilizer as Food Production Rises
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Farmers in Western Kenya have welcomed lower fertilizer prices and increased access to modern farming equipment, saying the measures have made it easier to expand food production and improve yields.
The farmers said affordable agricultural inputs, access to water and modern farming technologies had reduced some of the challenges that previously limited the amount of land they could cultivate.
Willis Odhiambo, a farmer from Nyanza, said government support in developing irrigation infrastructure and providing water pumps had made farming easier by improving access to water.
"The government helped us dig trenches, helped us bring in the water pumps that we use, and also provided us with modern equipment that is useful for our farms," he said.
Odhiambo said improved access to water and modern farming methods could enable farmers to produce enough food while also creating a reliable supply for buyers.
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He said farmers previously faced challenges including poor drainage, limited access to water, heavy reliance on manual labour and the use of older seed varieties that resulted in lower yields.
Odhiambo said continued adoption of modern farming practices would help farmers increase production and improve the availability of food in the market.
Norah, a maize farmer from Kakamega County, said affordable fertilizer had allowed her to expand maize production in Kakamega and Kitale.
She said fertilizer previously cost between Ksh4,000 and Ksh6,000 per bag depending on the brand, limiting the amount of land she could put under maize production.
Norah said the lower prices had made farming more consistent because money that previously bought one bag could now help her acquire more fertilizer for her farms.
"The yields are quite good because the fertilizer is dependable in terms of quality, making it easy for me to farm consistently. In previous years, farming depended on the price," she stated.
Notah said demand for fertilizer remained high, with many farmers sometimes turning up when available supplies were limited.
However, she welcomed the lower prices and more consistent access to the input, saying they had helped farmers maintain maize production.
On the other hand, Martin Shikuku, a farmer from Kakamega, also welcomed the reduction in fertilizer prices, saying the lower cost had made farming more affordable.
He said fertilizer that previously sold for between Ksh6,000 and Ksh7,000 was now available at Ksh2,500, giving farmers an opportunity to acquire essential inputs at a significantly lower cost.
Shikuku said affordable fertilizer would allow farmers to plant more acreage and improve their harvests, helping to increase food supplies and reduce the pressure associated with food shortages and hunger.
Meanwhile, the government has announced plans to import 25 million 90-kilogram bags of maize to cushion the country against an anticipated shortage following reduced production in key maize-growing areas.
Speaking on Wednesday, August 19, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the imports are part of measures already being put in place to maintain adequate food supplies.
He explained that Kenya consumes an estimated 75 million bags of maize every year.
However, poor harvests in several major food-producing regions are projected to leave the country with a deficit of about 25 million bags.
Kagwe assured Kenyans that the government was prepared to manage the situation and maintain stable food supplies despite the expected shortfall.
"We will import maize. We have already made arrangements for that. We will manage the country. The country is not going to go hungry," he said.
Kagwe said the maize imports would provide an immediate response to the projected deficit, while the government continues to pursue measures designed to increase domestic agricultural production over the long term.
Reporting originally appeared via Nairobi Leo. Read the full source for additional context.