Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has called on farmers who did not register with the government during the first phase to do so in order to help in terms of planning.
Speaking during this year’s Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show in Meru, Mr Linturi said the farmers register was important for the ministry to do its planning for future interventions aimed at increasing agricultural productivity.
“We have so far issued around 3 million subsidized bags of fertilizer, and more are on the way. We also want to assure farmers that we will soon be focusing on other subsidies, including quality seeds and pesticides, and to succeed in this, we need to have the exact number of farmers in the country,” said Mr Linturi.
He said the current problem of food shortages can only be addressed by getting back to our farms, and the government is committed to supporting farmers in all their endeavors.
“As you know, the agricultural sector remains the key pillar in food security because of its role in production, income generation, and a source of livelihoods for the majority of Kenyans in rural areas.
Transforming agricultural productivity would quickly turn around the economic fortunes of our country due to the large number of Kenyans who practice agriculture.
The government has already shown its commitment to supporting sustainable production and the transition from subsistence to a commercially and globally competitive industry.
He added that the government has prioritized agriculture as one of the economic pillars owing to the fact that it has the capacity to create jobs, enhance foreign exchange, promote industrialization, and lower the cost of living.
“The only way to realise food security in our country is through these subsidies, and we are therefore calling on our farmers to take these programs seriously, even for their financial empowerment,” said Mr Linturi.
He added that the government was also keen on adding value to agricultural products in order to fetch more money and even engage young people in agricultural activities.
“We want to ensure the young generation engages in agricultural activities by ending the notion that agriculture is meant for the old. This will be possible through value addition, and we are keen to implement the program,” said Mr Linturi.
By Dickson Mwiti
