The National Assembly’s Committee on Agriculture and Livestock has pledged that it will not leave any stone unturned on its ongoing probe on the supply of substandard fertilizer to farmers across the country.
The committee made the pledge to farmers during a meeting at the Nakuru National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot on the second day of public hearings and fact-finding visits over the ongoing probe on the fertiliser matter.
“As a committee, we are committed to supporting the government agenda on food security. We cannot allow unscrupulous suppliers to sabotage this cause. We shall get to the bottom of this investigation,” Committee Vice-Chairperson Brighton Yegon said.
The Konoin MP made the remarks following complaints from the farmers who claimed to have purchased either the GPC Original Plus Organic Fertilizer’ which is manufactured by Silica Booster Limited, or the KEL Green brand.
The farmers while making their submissions to the Committee argued that they were taken aback soon after purchasing fertilizer at the NCPB stores when they got home and upon opening the bags, found a different substance different from the normal fertilizer they have in past purchased from the depot or other agri-input suppliers.
Mr Maina Waigwa a farmer who claimed to have been a former senior agricultural officer at the ministry, told the Committee that having subjected a sample of Fomi Otesha fertilizer that his mother had sourced from NCPB to tests at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories, the results had indicated a deficit on the components of nitrogen and phosphorus indicated on the fertilizer’s packaging bag.
A number of farmers also raised complaints regarding the quality of Yara brand which though stocked by NCPB, is not being supplied under the government subsidy program.
Soy MP David Kiplagat called on NCPB to consider testing the quality of fertilizer they stock before receiving it in their stores, even if it calls for partnering with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS).
“NCPB must find a way of ensuring they test the quality of fertilizer they stock on behalf of the government. When they receive maize from farmers, the first thing they do is to test its quality. Why isn’t this a standard procedure when you receive fertilizer?” Kiplagat said.
At the same time, farmers in Kericho county have appealed to the Committee to develop policies that are favourable to the modern farmer so as to encourage the uptake of farming as a serious commercial venture for young people.
The plea was made by young farmers who attended today’s public hearings at Kericho National Cereals and Produce Board Offices (NCPB), during the second day of the Committee’s ongoing probe regarding the distribution of substandard fertilizers by unscrupulous suppliers through NCPB.
Julius Kibet, a farmer, told the Committee that there is need for development of policies geared towards small scale modern farmers who are trying to eke a living from the trade.
“Members, we urge your committee to consider creating policies that can address the plight of modern-day farmers. Some of us do not own large tracts of land, but we have the knowledge and so we have leased parcels of land to implement the farming knowledge we possess,” he said.
Other farmers who attended the session called on the Committee to facilitate the availability of certified seeds through the NCPB depots, so as to complement the government’s efforts towards food security.
The Committee resumes the inspection visits next weekend when they are expected to visit NCPB depots in the Nyanza and Western regions.
