MOMBASA, Kenya – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki now says that the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration will spend Sh 2 billion to support the distribution of 97,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser to tea farmers this year.
According to DP Kindiki, in the last two years, the Government has made over 180,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser available, which farmers can access at Sh 2,500 per 50kg bag.
“600 million kilograms of tea is produced in our country every year, and this production will be further enhanced through strategic policy and administrative interventions, including the provision of subsidised fertiliser, to ensure that all stakeholders, and particularly the farmers, receive value from their hard work,” said Kindiki.
The Kenyan Government has aimed to improve fertiliser distribution through various mechanisms.
How Kenyan farmers can procure the subsidised government fertiliser
In 2022, it shifted from an e-voucher system to a more centralised distribution via the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) due to issues associated with e-vouchers.
However, this change also raised concerns about potential corruption and rent-seeking behaviours within the subsidy program.
Under a Government-to-Government arrangement, the Kenya Farmers Association (KFA), among others, handles subsidised fertilisers to streamline distribution.
Meanwhile, the second in command made the remarks when he presided over the official opening of the Kenyan Tea Centenary Celebrations and Summit in Mombasa County.
DP Kindiki observed that Kenyan tea is integral to Kenya’s heritage and liberation history.
“100 years since tea growing and production was commercialised, remarkable strides have been made, and the best of the Kenyan tea is ahead of us,” said the DP.
Why the Kenyan tea is ranked top on the global market
According to DP Kindiki, Kenyan tea is ranked top globally due to its quality, bold flavour and consistency. It generates nearly 200 billion in foreign exchange earnings annually, accounting for 2 pc of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The Kenyan tea is a key anchor of our Country’s sustainability and environmental conservation. It has also supported the education sector and the rural economy as a major source of income and employment,” added the second in command.
DP Kindiki revealed that legal and institutional reforms are ongoing to enhance the tea sector’s performance. President William Samoei Ruto’s administration will ensure strict enforcement to safeguard farmers’ interests.
The deputy president was accompanied by, among others, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja and Principal Secretaries Kiprono Paul Rono (Agriculture) and Mary Muthoni (Public Health).
Others were John Mutunga (Chairman of the Agriculture Committee in the National Assembly), Alexander Mundigi (Vice Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee), Senators Wahome Wamatinga (Nyeri), David Wakoli (Bungoma), and Beth Syengo (Nominated).
National Assembly Members Ruweida Obo (Lamu East), Githinji Gichimu (Gichugu), and Joseph Cherorot (Kiplelion East), Kenya Tea Board Chairman Jacob Kahiu, Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) Chairman Enos Njeru, and other tea industry stakeholders were also in attendance.
