The Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that it will issue over one million bags of subsidized fertilizers starting next week following high demand during the rainy season.
In a statement on Saturday, March 22, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the bags would be issued as of Monday, March 24 to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots and other registered suppliers. The CS noted that the fertilizer will be available for farmers who have registered with the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS).
Kagwe confirmed that train wagons, which are being used to fast-track the delivery of the fertilizer, have already departed the Mombasa port and are expected to arrive at the Naivasha inland port on Sunday, March 22.
Farmers have been urged to turn up to the NCPB depots and redeem their e-voucher messages to access the fertilizer.
"However, the government would like to assure farmers that all the logistical challenges have been addressed and that as of Monday, March 24th, 2025, we expect the issuance of over 1 million bags of fertilizer to stabilize and match the high demand," he said.
"To fast track delivery, we are now using train wagons which have already departed the Mombasa port and are set to arrive at the Naivasha inland port by Sunday morning," he added.
Kagwe has assured that the government has mended the glitches in the system that have been blocking farmers from redeeming their e-voucher messages. The CS has pointed out that the NCPB has already distributed 2.6 million bags.
According to Kagwe, the government has already directed suppliers to resume deliveries by next week.
Furthermore, the CS has said that 1,380 more metric tonnes of subsidized fertilizer are in transit to the port of Mombasa so as to boost the country's supply.
According to Kagwe, the fertilizer will be fundamental in ensuring that the country is food secure so as to reduce the need for food imports.
Kagwe has further confirmed that suppliers will increase the supply of farm inputs so as to ensure that farmers are fully sorted during the season.
"The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is happy to notice the historically high demand for subsidized fertilizer by crop farmers registered on the KIAMIS for the long rain season. This will translate to a bumper harvest, which will boost food security in our nation, reducing the need to import," he said.
Kagwe has urged farmers to exercise vigilance and purchase fertilizer and other farm inputs only from registered distributors to avoid falling prey to fraudsters who are taking advantage of the high demand for farm inputs to sell fake or substandard products.
