Uasin Gishu expecting bumper harvest, courtesy of subsidized fertilizer

Uasin Gishu,

Wednesday December 13, 2023

KNA by Ekuwam Sylvester

Uasin Gishu County, touted as one of the country’s food baskets is projecting is to harvest at 6.6 million bags of maize, courtesy of the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (FSP) by the national government.

Governor Jonathan Chelilim in his Jamhuri Day remarks read by his Deputy Eng. John Barorot indicated that his administration had also icreased food sustainability efforts guided by the county’s Nguzo Kumi blueprint, whose guidelines have shaped efforts in every sector.

Chelilim noted that agriculture, which is the administration’s first pillar, has undergone a remarkable transformation since independence, shifting from mere sustenance cultivation to structured mechanization, while embracing climate-smart agriculture for increased yields.

“This year, our projected maize harvest as a county stands at 6.6 million bags and has been made possible by the provision of subsidized farm inputs. The impressive yields have been recorded in all wards,” he said.

The governor added that the county in conjunction with the national government is providing mobile driers, costing Sh70 per 90-kilogram bag, in a bid to cushion local farmers from post-harvest losses.

 Chelilim urged farmers not only to dry maize for sale, but also for personal consumption in order to counter aflatoxin and aggregate their produce, hence cushoning them for selling to exploitative middlemen at lower prices.

The governor also said following a successful farmers' registration two months ago, they had identified 21,000 acres for sunflower seed planting.

He therefore encouraged farmers to capitalize on the ongoing El Nino rains for short-term crops, especially sunflower seeds, which provide oil and animal feeds at lucrative market prices.

Courtesy; KNA