Bungoma Governor, Kenneth Lusaka, has called on the national government to ensure that subsidized fertilizer is delivered on time to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots ahead of the upcoming planting season. Speaking at the Eldoret NCPB depot, where he serves as the Chair of Agriculture in the Council of Governors (CoG), Lusaka emphasized that the timely availability of fertilizer is crucial to the success of farmers.
“Farming is all about timing. We cannot afford a scenario where planting fertilizer arrives when crops are already being weeded,” Lusaka stressed, underlining the vital role of timely input distribution in ensuring healthy crop yields.
Governor Lusaka also raised concerns over past incidents of poor-quality fertilizer being sold to farmers, with some even containing stones. These issues have eroded farmers’ trust in the system, and Lusaka has called for stringent quality and quantity standards to be enforced. “We must ensure that only high-quality fertilizers reach our farmers,” he said.
Additionally, the Governor criticized the perennial shortage of fertilizer, which often leads to chaotic scenes of farmers scrambling for limited supplies. He reiterated the Governors’ earlier proposal for counties to handle fertilizer procurement through conditional grants from the national government, although this proposal was rejected.
“The national government must prioritize listening to farmers because they know what works best for them,” Lusaka added, calling for more local-level engagement to address the unique needs of farmers across the country.
While the Governor urged the national government to prioritize timely fertilizer distribution, he also encouraged farmers to explore agribusiness opportunities and diversify their farming practices. This, he believes, will help farmers maximize their profits and reduce the risk of crop failure due to reliance on a single crop.
In response to Lusaka’s concerns, Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Rono assured farmers that sufficient fertilizer stocks are already available in NCPB depots for both the short and long planting seasons. He encouraged farmers to start purchasing fertilizer early to ensure they are fully prepared for the upcoming season.
Dr. Rono’s comments come at a critical time as farmers across the country prepare for the planting period. With the timely availability of fertilizer, agricultural productivity is expected to increase, bolstering food security and supporting the livelihoods of many Kenyan families.
As the planting season approaches, both Governor Lusaka and Dr. Rono’s calls for collaboration and timely support reflect the shared goal of enhancing Kenya’s agricultural sector, which is a key driver of the nation’s economy.
