Kenyan farmers have to consider other options for farming this planting season after major global fertilizer producers announced suspension of export, an important component for its production.
An importer, Henry Ogola, noted that some farmers will have to plant without the nutrients.
“Fertilezers prices will remain volatile due to global market forces of supply and demand which might force some farmers to plant without the nutrients,” Ogola said.
China, the world’s top exporter of phosphate, says it will suspend sales until June to boost supplies in its home market, even if global demand outstrips production due to a decline in supply of raw materials.
This is piling pressure on local farmers who are preparing for this season’s planting.
This means that some farmers will be forced to plant without fertilizer as prices hit a record of sh6200, up from sh3000 per 50kg per bag.
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.
