The Kenyan government has reduced the prices of fertiliser by 25 per cent to increase usage as the planting season approaches
The national fertiliser usage is currently 530,000 mt against the recommended one million metric tonnes, the Kenyan government said.
According to government officials in Kenya, optimum fertiliser usage will boost food production by 30 per cent.
“The only way to spur food production is to reduce the prices of farm inputs such as fertilisers. My government is committed to making sure that farmers have access to affordable fertilisers”, said President Uhuru Kenyatta as he flagged off lorries ferrying subsidized fertilizer to various parts of the country.
In the current financial year, the government has purchased 143,000 tonnes of subsidized at a cost of US$85mn through the National Accelerated Agricultural Inputs Access Programme (NAAIAP).
The government approved the formation of the Fertilizer and Seed Fund in August 2013 with an initial capital of US$35.2mn building up to US$176mn in five years.
To improve fertilizer utilization, the government has recieved financial assistance from the European Union who analysed soils in 164 sub-counties to ascertain their mineral contents among other attributes.
Mwangi Mumero
