Eldoret: An Agricultural economist, Justice Boit, has commended the government for rolling out the fertilizer subsidy programme, saying the initiative had enhanced food production among smallholder farmers. He highlighted that the phased reduction of fertilizer prices had significantly impacted food production in the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, the price reduction of a 50kg bag of fertilizer from Sh6,000 before the intervention to Sh3,500 in 2022, Sh2,500 in 2023, and finally Sh2,000 in Phase Three in 2026 has greatly benefited the farmers. This reduction has notably decreased the cost of production at a time when global fertilizer prices had deterred many farmers from continuing production.
Speaking in Eldoret, Boit noted that the subsidy program had not only increased maize yields per acre in the North Rift region but also helped stabilize food prices and improve household incomes. He pointed out that the decrease in fertilizer prices has made farming profitable again for small-scale farmers, citing the reduced retail price of a 2kg packet of maize flour from Sh240 in 2022 to Sh160 currently as evidence of the program’s success.
Additionally, Boit emphasized the decrease in the rate of importation, with imports dropping from 793,000 tonnes in 2022 to 507,000 tonnes in 2023, and further down to 468,000 tonnes in 2025. He indicated that the subsidy has enabled farmers to support their families better, invest in businesses, and sustain their livelihoods.
Boit also urged farmers to embrace water irrigation systems provided to enhance agriculture and water management, advising against relying solely on rainfall for agriculture.
