NAIROBI, Kenya – Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has revealed that over 180,000 bags of fertiliser are being distributed daily across National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores and last-mile outlets nationwide.
Kagwe attributed the unprecedented demand to increased awareness of the government’s fertiliser subsidy program, which has seen a surge in farmer registrations.
More than 5.9 million crop farmers are now enlisted in the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS), up significantly from the previous planting season.
“Many farmers who previously benefited from the program are now doubling their uptake, signaling a historic bumper harvest that will not only boost food security but also reduce the country’s dependence on imports,” said Kagwe in a statement on Monday.
To address the rising demand, Kagwe said the government has mobilised additional trucks to ensure a steady supply to NCPB stores.
He also directed the board to begin preparations for drying and storing key staple crops such as maize and wheat to prevent post-harvest losses.
At the same time, the Agriculture CS urged farmers to purchase Aflasafe, a biocontrol product available at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) distribution centers, to curb aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnuts.
The surge in fertiliser uptake comes as the long-rains season, which began this month, is expected to last through May, further fueling optimism for a productive harvest season.
