Posted on March, 13, 2019 at 08:34 am
BY MATHEWS NDANYI
With the farming season here, maize farmers in Rift Valley are once again caught up in the usual uproar over the high costs of farm inputs especially fertiliser, seeds and chemicals.
At the end of the harvesting season, the farmers also faced challenges in marketing their produce, especially with the importation of cereals and a myriad of problems at the National Cereals and Produce Board.
The board, which is supposed to stabilise the sector and help farmers access subsidised inputs, has faced many problems degrading its capacity to discharge its mandate.
The NCPB has, over the years, been used by the state to buy and distribute subsidised fertiliser to farmers at far cheaper prices compared to the costs in the open market.
This year, however, the state withdrew from the importation of subsidised fertiliser due to problems in the procurement process. This put farmers in a precarious position because they have to buy it from the open market.
This means the cost of farming will be significantly higher this year, and similarly the costs to the consumer.
“The fertiliser problem is a big challenge for farmers this year and we anticipate the prices to go up by more than 200 per cent,” Kenya Farmers' Association director Kipkorir Menjo said.
The state was to supply DAP fertiliser at about Sh1,200 per 50kg bag, but in the open market, the price is more than Sh3,100 and farmers fear that as the planning seasons starts, shortages are likely to push the cost of fertiliser even higher.
Moiben MP Sila Tiren, who is also a leading farmer, blames the government for "letting farmers down at the last minute" and says the move not to import subsidised fertiliser is likely to affect production. Many farmers are expected to reduce the maize under cultivation.
“The state had even budgeted Sh4.6 billion to purchase fertiliser and the Ministry of Agriculture should explain why it has messed up the farmers," Tiren said.
The government puts the cost of producing a bag of maize at Sh1,800 to Sh2,200 but farmers say this could increase to more than Sh2,600, for lack of cheaper fertiliser.
Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet counties are among the high maize producing areas and farmers produce an average of 18 to 21 bags per acre, meaning they spend an average Sh33,000 per acre on production.
Independent research by experts from Egerton University last year indicated that farmers in the North Rift use an average of Sh5,800 to prepare an acre, Sh2,000 per acre on planting, Sh1,810 on seeds, Sh6,800 on fertiliser, Sh2,100 on pesticides and Sh2,700 on weeding.
They also spend, on average, Sh8,102 on harvesting and handling and Sh2,000 as working capital per acre.
This means they use about Sh32,000 on production per acre, with the cost of production per bag standing at about Sh1,650. These costs are however higher if the price of fertiliser is not subsidised.
The government is currently buying two million bags of maize at Sh2,500 per bag although farmers have been pushing for the price to be fixed at about Sh3,000 per bag. Middlemen have been offering farmers less than Sh2,000, which reduces profits.
“With the government buying only two million bags, it means more than 20 million bags of maize available will be bought mainly by middlemen at very low prices and farmers end up making losses," Menjo said.
Daniel Korir, who plants maize on 1,300 acres in Moiben, said many other factors make farmers earn less than they use for production.
“We have problems with increasing soil acidity, low production as a result of unpredictable weather, pests and worms, transport costs to NCPB and other markets, wastage during handling, fluctuating costs of fuel. And all this makes farming of maize completely unprofitable," Korir said.
Small-scale farmer Joyce Kitur from Turbo said it’s not easy for her to get subsidised fertiliser and other inputs at cheaper prices, and maize growing to her is just a routine practice and for family consumption
“I have 15 acres and I stopped doing any calculations or imagining that I can grow maize or other cereals for profits. It's not possible at all,” Kitur said.
She said the situation worsens every year. Even access to credit facilities from institutions like the Agricultural Finance Corporation has not been available as in past years, she said.
“There were times when farmers were the real owners of Eldoret and Kitale towns, especially during harvesting time. Even prostitutes would flock to the two towns knowing it's harvest time and farmers have money. Today they rarely come because they know farmers are broke and have been reduced to complaining and protesting on the streets," Ben Wanjau, a young farmer at Kimumu near Eldoret. said.
Menjo said the government has lost direction in the sector and ignored policies and measures that would ensure Kenya’s food security remains intact.
”We have asked the government to go by the Maputo Declaration which it has signed, but we have been ignored," Menjo said.
The Maputo Declaration commits signatory governments to invest more than 10 per cent of their national budgets to the agriculture sector to make it easier to finance institutions like the AFC, NCPB and others that support farmers.
It’s against this backdrop that there have been increased calls for farmers to diversify and grow other profitable crops including avocados, cabbage and coffee, among others.
“We cannot have farmers growing maize every year and complaining that they must be rescued by the government. The farmers have no contract to produce maize for anyone,” Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi said.
Sudi, along with Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, has been leading campaigns to inform farmers about the benefits of diversification.
Mandago and the other governors have, through the county governments, been distributing seedlings for other crops tas an incentive for diversification.
However, some critics oppose calls for diversification.
Tiren and Cheranganyi MP Joshua Kuttuny argue that diversification is a scheme by cartels to divert farmers from maize farming, thus causing shortages so that they can increase maize imports.
“When you tell farmers to stop maize growing and plant parachichi (avocados), you must first teach Kenyans to stop eating ugali," Tiren said.
Maize farmer Paul Chemweno said maize is the country’s staple food crop, and it will be hard to diversify when the majority relies on maize for food and cash.
“For example, an avocado tree takes several years to start producing and so far we do not know where we will be assured of avocado markets. Maybe time will tell but for now, diversification is a tall order," Chemweno said.
Agriculture CAS Andrew Tuimur said the government supports diversification.
“There are those with large farms who can still grow maize but also venture into other crops and dairy farming. This is surely a better way to earn higher profits than always relying on maize, whose growing is bleak," Tuimur said.
He said farming remains the country’s economic backbone and farmers should mechanise and modernise activities, including harvesting water for irrigation instead of relying on rain-fed agriculture, in view of the unpredictable weather patterns.
Late last year the Senate appointed a select committee to look into the maize crisis and recommend the best way forward. President Kenyatta also appointed a task force. The Senate committee, co-chaired by Uasin Gishu Senator Margaret Kamar and her Bungoma counterpart Moses Wetang'ula, has since made public its report.
The committee recommended a complete overhaul of the agriculture sector to benefit farmers and the country.
“We have recommended agriculture be fully devolved according to the Constitution so counties can take charge of all affairs including handling farmers," Kamar said.
The Senate also wants the NCPB disbanded and its operations and assets taken over by counties. Kamar said if their recommendations are implemented, the sector will pick up and farmers will produce more at profitable margins.
“Food security is one of President Kenyatta’s Big Fourand he needs to focus on reforming the sector so the country can achieve its objectives," she said.
The Senate cited corruption as one factor that had undermined the NCPB, saying import of subsidised fertiliser is also a major cause of the crisis.
The maize crisis has time and again turned into maize politics which dominates the talk among the ordinary Kenyans and leaders mainly in Rift Valley.
Bt farmers are always caught in between. no solutions are f forthcoming and there's no end in sight.
As farmers head to their farms this year, the future remains bleak.
FACT SHEET
43 million — Average number of maize bags produced by farmers every year
2 million — Number of bags NCPB is buying this year
20-30 — Bags harvested per acre in N. RIFT
2,500 — Price of maize per bag at NCPB
2,000 and less — Price of maize offered by middlemen
Sh5,800 — Cost to prepare an acre of land
ShSh2,000— Cost of planting (labour) per acre
1,810 — Seeds per acre
Sh 6,800 — Ccost of fertilizer PER acre
Sh2,100 — Cost of pesticide per acre
Sh2,700 — Ccost of weeding per acre
Sh8,102 — Cost of harvesting and handling
Sh32,000 — Average cost of production per acre in N. Rift
Sh1,650 — Average cost of production for a bag of maize
Sh3,200 —Aaverage cost per bag of DAP fertiliser
Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Nakuru, Kakamega and Elgeyo Marakwet are highest maize producing counties in the country.
Source: The Star