The government is urging farmers in Laikipia County to register, to get the subsidised fertiliser introduced by the state.
Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said that out of the 90,000 farmers targeted for the subsidised fertiliser in the area, only 51,000 had so far registered since the introduction of the farmers’ registration by the government a week ago.
Speaking at his Nanyuki office on Wednesday, Kanyiri urged local farmers who are yet to register to do so at the nearest chief’s and assistant chief’s offices to enable them to get the input before the start of the March-April planting season.
“We are urging farmers to register with National Government Administrators Officers (NGAO) where their details such as land acreage will be captured in a digital platform to help in identifying the rightful beneficiaries,” Kanyiri said.
He added that farmers can plant crops of their choice once they get the subsidized fertilizer as the government would not dictate what to grow.
“This fertilizer subsidy is meant to end reliance on relief food and that’s why the government is keen on registering all farmers so that they can get the input cheaply,” he said.
Kirima Sub County has so far registered the highest number of farmers for the fertiliser subsidy with 13,877 having their details captured. Laikipia Central Sub County has 7,927 farmers registered while Laikipia East and Laikipia North Sub Counties have 7,182 and 240 registered farmers respectively.
President William Ruto in his inauguration speech on 13th September 2022 directed that 1.4 million bags of fertilizer be availed to farmers at a maximum subsidized price of Sh. 3,500 per 50kg bag down from Sh. 6500, as part of the Government’s interventions, to address the high cost of living.
To ensure efficient delivery and effective control mechanisms are in place, the fertilizers will be availed through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Depots and Sub-depots countrywide.
The distribution, which comes as farmers prepare for planting, is aimed at improving food security in the country, which is key to President Ruto’s administration.
Purchase of the fertilizer is through a short code, *707# upon which they will be identified together with the size of their land as captured during registration. Farmers can only get fertilizer depending on their acreage. For instance, a farmer with a one-acre piece of land can only buy two bags.