Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has prepared a cabinet memo to discuss and offer intervention on the high cost of fertiliser ahead of the planting season.
Munya said the Cabinet will discuss possible interventions to bring down the price that hit a high 50 kg bag going for sh6000 up from sh3200 while a 25kg bag of maize seed is selling at sh4700, nearly double the price as at last year.
He further stated the price of the input was beyond the control of the government, attributing its rice high costs of raw material and shortage in the world market.
“I am putting this matter before the Cabinet so that we discuss and come up with the measures that will address the high cost of fertiliser,” said the CS.
There has been an outcry from farmers over the high cost of fertiliser, warning that if the price is not addressed, then growers will not plant maize this year.
The move is likely to compromise production this year adding pressure on food supply, given that Kenya is a maize deficit country and relies on cross-border imports to meet the annual demand.
Cereal farmers are battling rising production costs even as the government seeks to introduce reforms in agriculture boost growers.
Many farmers have expressed uncertainty about investing in cereal production due to rising production costs.
The country requires about 650000 tons of fertiliser annually.
The government has introduced low-cost fertilizer through the e-voucher system that will be issued implemented through registered cooperatives.
Munya highlighted the ministry would meet 70 per cent of costs and farmers the remaining and farmers the remaining 30 per cent.
“Farmers will buy fertiliser from the National Cereals and Produce Board and Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC)using the system to cushion them from high production,” he said.
According to the World banks fertilizer price index latest report high energy cost, coupled with high natural gas and coal prices have pushed up the costs of the crucial farm input.
Global environmental regulations have also sparked an increase in the cost of raw materials Sulphur and ammonia which are used in making fertilser with a majority of farmers finding the input unaffordable.
There are many ways that farmers can reduce nutrient losses from their operations, including, Adopting Nutrient Management Techniques, Using Conservation Drainage Practices, Ensuring Year-Round Ground Cover Planting Field Buffers, Implementing Conservation Tillage, Managing Livestock Access to Streams and Engaging in Watershed Efforts.
Adopting Nutrient Management Techniques: Farmers can improve nutrient management practices by applying nutrients (fertilizer and manure) in the right amount, at the right time of year, with the right method and with the right placement.
Using Conservation Drainage Practices: Subsurface tile drainage is an important practice to manage water movement on and through many soils, typically in the Midwest. Drainage water can carry soluble forms of nitrogen and phosphorus, so strategies are needed to reduce nutrient loads while maintaining adequate drainage for crop production.
Conservation drainage describes practices including modifying drainage system design and operation, woodchip bioreactors, saturated buffers, and modifications to the drainage ditch system.
Ensuring Year-Round Ground Cover: Farmers can plant cover crops or perennial species to prevent periods of bare ground on farm fields when the soil (and the soil and nutrients it contains) are most susceptible to erosion and loss into waterways.
Planting Field Buffers: Farmers can plant trees, shrubs and grasses along the edges of fields; this is especially important for a field that borders water bodies. Planted buffers can help prevent nutrient loss from fields by absorbing or filtering out nutrients before they reach a water body.
Implementing Conservation Tillage: Farmers can reduce how often and how intensely the fields are tilled. Doing so can help to improve soil health, and reduce erosion, runoff and soil compaction, and therefore the chance of nutrients reaching waterways through runoff.
Managing Livestock Access to Streams: Farmers and ranchers can install fences along streams, rivers and lakes to block access from animals to help restore stream banks and prevent excess nutrients from entering the water.
Engaging in Watershed Efforts: The collaboration of a wide range of people, stakeholders and organizations across an entire watershed is vital to reducing nutrient pollution to our water and air.
Farmers can play an important leadership role in these efforts when they get involved and engage with their State governments, farm organizations, conservation groups, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and community groups.
