Kakamega: The government has released 12.5 million bags of subsidised fertiliser for distribution to farmers ahead of the long rains planting season, in a move aimed at boosting food production and easing the cost burden on farmers. Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Harun Khator, announced that the fertiliser is available at depots across the country, with additional consignments expected following the arrival of another vessel at the Port of Mombasa to offload more supplies.

According to Kenya News Agency, Khator spoke in Kakamega during the launch of a Sh600 million soil health project targeting six counties. He highlighted that the government has strengthened logistics and last-mile distribution to ensure farmers access fertiliser in good time before the onset of the planting season. "We have vehicles on the road giving logistical support to ensure fertiliser reaches every depot and every last-mile centre ahead of the planting season," he said.

Khator added that besides the main National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots, the government has established 250 last-mile distribution centres across the country to reduce congestion, shorten travel distances, and bring the commodity closer to farmers at the grassroots. He explained that challenges experienced in previous seasons were not due to a lack of fertiliser but delays by farmers in collecting the inputs. He urged farmers to collect fertiliser early to maximise yields and avoid the seasonal rush that often strains distribution systems.

Khator noted that since 2022, the government has distributed approximately 25 million bags of fertiliser under the subsidy programme. He added that the current long and short rains cycle will see a further 12.5 million bags made available to farmers nationwide. Access to subsidised fertiliser is being coordinated through the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), which has so far registered about 7.2 million farmers.

He called on farmers who are yet to register on the KIAMIS platform to do so to enable the government to plan better and deliver agricultural inputs more efficiently. Khator also encouraged increased youth participation in agriculture, saying improved access to inputs, better logistics, and ongoing soil health initiatives aim to make farming more attractive, profitable, and sustainable. "With these interventions, we want to work together to make this country more prosperous and food secure and achieve food sovereignty so that we can also export," he said.