Posted on February, 4, 2019 at 08:56 am
By Winstone Chiseremi
A raft of reforms are being undertaken by the government in the agricultural sector that would see maize farmers access subsidised farm inputs through registered savings and credit co-operative societies (Saccos).
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich (pictured) asked farmers to be patient until the ongoing reforms are concluded. He said maize farmers will, going forward, only purchase fertiliser under the government’s subsidy programme through their registered Saccos in a bid to weed out cartels and unscrupulous traders who have been benefiting at their expense.
“The government has been facing a myriad of challenges in its quest to deliver subsidised farm input to genuine farmers and that is why we are carrying out reforms to streamline operations in the sector for the benefit of the farming community,” he said.
Funds drive
Rotich spoke during a funds drive to help the bereaved families of 11 victims of a road accident that occurred last week on Eldoret-Kaptagat Highway in Elgeyo Marakwet county.
The event was attended by elected leaders from North Rift led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Uasin Gishu counterpart Margaret Kamar.
Also represent were Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, Governors Alex Tolgos (Elgeyo Marakwet) Jackson Mandago ( Uasin Gishu), MPs Caleb Kositany, (Soy) Oscah Sudi ( Kapseret), Daniel Rono (Keiyo South) , William Chepkut (Ainabkoi ) and Sila Tiren ( Moiben).
Rotich said the government wants to address all issues that have been hampering farmers to benefit from the subsidised fertiliser programme so that they can get value for their money during planting season.
“For now there will be no subsidised farm input in the country until the ongoing reforms being undertaken by the government in the agricultural sector are completed,” he said.
Last year farmers in maize growing regions protested over shortage of subsidised farm input after it emerged that unscrupulous traders have been compromising vetting committee charged with identifying genuine beneficiaries of the programme.
Murkomen termed as frustrating and tedious the conditions set by the government before farmers can supply their produce to the National Cereals and Produce Board.
Small-scale farmers
“The vetting process is not workable especially to small-scale farmers intending to deliver their maize to NCPB stores and have no title deeds for their land which is one of the requirements by the Ministry of Agriculture,” he said.
Kamar asked the government to do away with some of the conditions to enable more farmers deliver their produce to NCPB stores.
Source: MediaMax Network