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Rice farmers in Kisumu county have decried the high cost of fertiliser and other farm inputs which affect production.
West Kano irrigation, Ahero Irrigation and South West Kano irrigation schemes farmers want the government to supply them with the subsidised fertiliser.
West Kano irrigation scheme farmers’ chairman Jared Odoyo said despite the government's effort to avail subsidised fertiliser, the prices were still not affordable.
Odoyo said farmers are forced to buy fertiliser for between Sh4,000 and Sh6,000 instead of the subsidised price of Sh2,500.
He blamed the hiked prices to unscrupulous traders whom he said take advantage and sell the commodity at a high price to farmers.
“Middlemen are reaping big at the expense of the farmers thereby affecting our rice production capacity in the region to contribute to the country's food basket,” he said.
Odoyo urged President William Ruto to consider reducing the costs of farm inputs to make farming affordable in the region.
He said the high costs of farm inputs being incurred by the farmers forced them to reduce the number of acreage, resulting in low harvest.
Odoyo asked the government to explore ways to help farmers through provision of subsidies, loans that are friendly and ready markets for their produce.
“We want the state to bring the subsidised fertiliser closer to farmers through their cooperatives or schemes offices instead of NCBP to weed out middlemen,” he said.
Odoyo said the government should use choppers in spraying the quelea birds instead of drones to cover a massive area in rice fields in Ahero and West Kano irrigation schemes.
“Farmers incur huge losses following the invasion,” he said.
Odoyo, however, lauded the National Irrigation Authority for operation and maintenance of major infrastructure such as pump stations, water distribution systems-main canal and branch canals-including collector drains.
Farmer Teresa Ouno said some farmers were contemplating venturing into other businesses as farming has proven expensive because of the high cost of inputs.
“The increased prices of fertilisers and other farm inputs are forcing us out of what was once viewed as lucrative and profitable farming. The government should move swiftly to rescue farmers from these nightmares,” she said.
Ouno said the government should find ways of assisting farmers since they face many challenges of diseases, drought and high cost of farm inputs.
“We have suffered for years and made little profit despite putting in a lot of effort and money in farming. The government needs to make rice farming vibrant and profitable by availing affordable farm inputs to farmers,” Ouno said.
Besides high costs of fertiliser, she said bird invasions on rice farms were causing farmers to incur huge losses before harvest.
Western Kenya Schemes manager Kennedy Ouma said NIA was committed to helping the country be food-secure in line with the bottom up agenda.
He said 16,000 acres is under rice production in WKS, which comprises Ahero irrigation scheme, West Kano and other expansion areas.
Out of the country’s annual rice production average 180,000MT with consumption estimates of 720,000MT, WKS contributes approximately 33,551 tonnes (19 per cent) of the local production.
Ouma said they are working with the Crop Protection and Safety to help control quelea massive campaign to fight the birds through spraying,” he said.
He challenged farmers to register with the National Cereals and Produce Board to get subsidised fertiliser at Sh2,500 to maximise rice production.
