President William Ruto has stated that government reforms in the agriculture sector are yielding positive results and benefiting farmers. He emphasized that the reduction in prices of farm inputs, including fertilizer, has enabled farmers to produce sufficient food for the country. He also highlighted that the elimination of cartels in the coffee and sugar sectors has significantly increased production.
Speaking at Kapngetik grounds in Elgeyo-Marakwet County during an interdenominational prayer service, the President pointed out that the increased production of maize and sugar has drastically reduced imports into the country. “I want to thank farmers for their hard work, which has enabled us to produce 50 percent more food for our citizens than in 2022, making Kenya food secure,” President Ruto said.
He urged maize farmers to intensify their efforts to increase production through the proper and efficient application of fertilizer. “I am confident we can achieve 20 to 25 bags of maize per acre if we apply one and a half or even two bags of fertilizer per acre,” he explained.
Regarding the coffee sector, the President noted the crucial reforms in licensing, milling, and buying, which have eliminated cartels that had hindered farmers’ progress. “We have ensured that no single individual or company acts as a farmer, miller, broker, and buyer simultaneously,” he said. He added that coffee farmers are now selling their cherry at between KSh110 and KSh150, up from an average of KSh50 and KSh60 in 2022.
President Ruto also stated that the payment delays common in the past have been resolved, with coffee cooperatives receiving payments five days after selling their coffee. He further directed that coffee societies should pay farmers within 10 days of the crop’s sale, emphasizing the need for prompt payments from companies. Reforms at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, he explained, include involving the Capital Markets Authority to ensure fairness.
On sugar, the President said that farmers and workers are now being paid promptly, with farmers receiving bonuses for the first time. “We have imported only a small fraction of sugar. Soon, we will begin exporting sugar due to improved production, thanks to our reforms,” the President noted.
Additionally, President Ruto announced comprehensive reforms in the dairy sector. “These reforms are placing dairy farmers, particularly those who are customers of New KCC, at the center of milk processing and ultimately making them managers of the factories,” President Ruto said. He criticized the disparity between the retail price of packaged milk (KSh120) and the farmgate price of fresh milk (KSh50), deeming it unfair to farmers.
Furthermore, the President emphasized the collective responsibility to protect children from immorality and hate. He also asserted that those who doubted his administration’s achievements would be proven wrong. “Those claiming that what we promised Kenyans would not be achieved will be ashamed,” he said.
Regarding universal healthcare, President Ruto urged Kenyans to disregard propaganda against the Social Health Authority (SHA) program. “I made a commitment to transform the National Hospital Insurance Fund into a better scheme. That’s what I am doing. SHA will operate 10 times more effectively than NHIF,” he stated. He praised county governments that have adopted SHA, noting that their claims are being processed smoothly.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen called on parents, the Church, and leaders to promote moral values in society, regretting the abdication of parental responsibilities in guiding children towards moral uprightness. “All of us – parents, teachers, and leaders – must be mindful of the soul and mind of our children. Let’s sow good seeds in them,” he said.
Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Wisely Rotich, MPs Gideon Kimaiyo (Keiyo South), Adams Kipsaina (Keiyo North), and Senator William Kisang, among other leaders, attended the church service.
