Maize farmers in key production areas such as Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties have been predicting a bumper harvest on account of adequate rain and fertiliser subsidy.
Farming, especially in the era of climate change, with the weather unpredictable and the price of inputs rising, is not for the faint-hearted.
Farmers suffer losses season after season, especially because of poor rains or the invasion of insects and crop diseases.
Now farmers' lobby groups have proposed that the government, through the National Cereals and Produce Board, should set the buying price at Sh6,000 for a 90kg bag as a reward for the dedication they show season after poor season to feed the nation.
The proposed price, they argue, will motivate them to dedicate even more acreage to maize, and wheat, in the next planting season.
The NCPB should mop up millions of bags because nobody knows what next season will look like in terms of availability of rain. The mop-up will guarantee that the price of a packet of unga should not be the subject of a national socioeconomic debate and also cushion the poor millions from erratic price fluctuations and food inflation.
The Ministry of Agriculture should recognise farmers at the end of each season by giving out prizes to the most outstanding producers.
Quote of the Day: "Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people."
Marcus Garvey
The Black Nationalist and others found the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Jamaica on August 1, 1914.
