Maize farmer Seth Kipsum inspects his failed crop in Kimoning, Uasin Gishu County. He has lost a 20-acre field to a biting dry spell . [Stephen Rutto, Standard]
The Government has cut the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of subsidised fertiliser to Sh2,000 and halved the cost of certified maize seed as it moves to cushion farmers from heavy losses caused by drought in the country's breadbasket.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Monday said the intervention was aimed at helping farmers who lost their crops to drought recover and return to production.
Several farmers across North Rift counties have been planning to plough their farms once again for planting ahead of the El Niño rains expected from October after a three-month dry spell destroyed maize fields across Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet and parts of Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Nandi and Kericho among other counties.
Under the new subsidy intervention, farmers will buy a 50kg bag of subsidised fertiliser at Sh2,000, down from the current Sh2,500.
On the other hand, the price of certified maize seed will consequently fall from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme, according to a statement issued by Mr Kagwe.
“This means a 2kg pack of maize seed will cost Sh300 instead of Sh600, a 10kg pack will cost Sh1,500 instead of Sh3,000; and a 25kg pack Sh3,750 from Sh7,500,” Kagwe said.