Over 120,000 farmers have registered for subsidized fertilizer

Kapsabet,

Friday October 6, 2023,

KNA by Linet Wafula

Nandi County has registered over 120,000 farmers for the second face of the fertiliser subsidy programme which was launched on August 2 this year.

According to Nandi Central Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Saidi Shabaan, the registration exercise was ongoing in all six sub-counties and called on farmers to ensure they register so as not to be left behind.

Speaking at Kapsabet Huduma Centre during a sensitisation programme, Mr Shabaan stated that the registration exercise is targeting farmers who had not been included in the system during the first exercise

“We want all our farmers to register so that we can boost our crop production and make Nandi a food basket zone. We don’t want to lock out any farmer,” he said

The exercise aims to create a digitized national farmer register that will help eliminate brokers and rogue traders who have been exploiting farmers.

President Dr William Ruto launched the second phase of the fertiliser subsidy programme that reduced the price of the commodity for farmers countrywide from Sh 3,500 to Sh 2,500. 

The DCC noted that the government is committed to improving food security by enabling farmers to access affordable farm inputs adding that only registered farmers will be able to access the subsidized fertilizer.

Maize farming in the region has started in earnest with farmers expressing mixed feelings on whether the State should declare producer prices or not.

Wilson Korir, a farmer from Mossop Sub County who benefitted from the subsidized fertilizer noted that he expects a bumper harvest from his three-acre maize plantation. “I expect to earn good profits so that I can be able to educate my children,” he said.

He called upon the government to use agricultural extension officers to determine the cost of production by factoring seeds, lease of land, chemicals used, harvesting, transportation and shelling among others before announcing new prices.

Korir said that the government lowered production costs through subsidized fertilizer but increased fuel prices hence escalating the cost of production.

“Farming is a business and all costs must be considered so that a farmer should be given a price that will earn him or her a profit. Producer price should not be below Sh 5,500,” he said

Courtesy; KNA