The government has intensified the registration exercise for farmers in Kapenguria to acquire subsidized fertilizer as the onset of the long rain season is expected.
The West Pokot Deputy County Commissioner, Elvis Korir, while addressing the press in his office in Kapenguria town, said that area chiefs, and the technical Information Communication and Technology (ICT) officers, continue to carry out the registration of farmers so that nobody misses out on the subsidy during the planting season.
“For proper farmers’ digital registration process, the chiefs have technical ICT officers assisting them in the use of the Open Data Kit app, which requires online filling of registration forms,” DCC Korir noted.
He said the county is targeting at least 85,000 farmers in the region, and so far, they have managed 77,000 farmers.
DCC Korir noted the exercise is being carried out in different parts of the county in a transparent and accountable way for the benefit of all farmers.
“The exercise is being carried out across the county by both chiefs and assistant chiefs, and I want to encourage all farmers across the county to register themselves for the subsidized fertilizer provided by the government,” he urged.
He further said that the registration of farmers is of mutual benefit as it helps the government to put in place several intervention programmes geared towards supporting the farmers in their activities.
DCC Korir also noted that the exercise will ensure efficient distribution of fertilizer to genuine farmers, thus preventing the corruption that has been plaguing its distribution.
“The government is carrying out the exercise to help with future planning and to deal with corruption while distributing the fertilizers to the farmers,” he explained.
He said the electronic distribution of fertilizers to the farmers will eliminate long queues during the delivery.
He mentioned that they have not experienced any challenges so far, as the farmers are cooperating well with the area chiefs and technical information technology experts during the registration exercise.
DCC, however, urged the chiefs to hasten the registration exercise in order to complete it on time.
By Anthony Melly and Ian Langat
