Address farmers’ woes
The government should extend incentives to cushion farmers against heavy losses.
Farmers in the North Rift grain basket region are facing significant losses due to drought, pests, and a shortage of fertiliser. A severe dry spell and lack of top-dressing fertiliser threaten to cut the anticipated national maize harvest by 30%. Thousands of hectares have seen crops wilt from insufficient rainfall, leading to an expected national deficit and potential import requirements.
Some farmers have borrowed substantial sums, only to find their projected harvest of 1,500 bags of maize and revenue of Sh6 million unattainable. This situation jeopardizes household incomes, loan repayment, and food security for 120,000 smallholders in Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties. Surviving crops are under threat from the Fall Armyworm and other pests.
Delayed distribution and scarcity of top-dressing fertilisers have further damaged crop health. The long rains arrived earlier than usual in mid-February, prompting early planting, but the dry spell persisted into June and July in the North Rift, which normally produces 6 million bags of maize, worth between Sh15 billion and Sh20 billion.
The country is projected to fall short by 5.4 million bags of maize by the end of September. Plans to import a million 90-kilogramme bags aim to bridge the gap. The government is urged to extend incentives to help farmers cope with heavy losses and provide emergency funds to replenish national grain stores and prevent a food shortage crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Nation Africa's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
