President William Ruto announced new changes that would see brokers and middlemen eliminated from the food production and supply chain.
The Head of State made the announcement when he met Regional and County Commissioners at the State House on Thursday, December 22.
He explained that the directive was aimed at lowering the cost of production which would in turn lower the cost of food.
“The move is aimed at reducing the cost of food production in the country,” he announced. This intervention at the production level is right and targeted, and will make farmers produce more,” he added.
The Head of State also tasked the National Government Administration with the collection of data on farmers that will periodically inform policy decisions.
“We must register our farmers so that we can tell their acreage, the crops they cultivate and the inputs they require,” he stated.
Ruto also emphasized to the administrators that corruption would not be part of his administration.
“We must be transparent so that Government services can get to Kenyans as intended,” he maintained.
He also noted that the state would, henceforth, use stockists to distribute fertilizers as a move to have a long-term plan to make the country’s food stable.
“We will also use e-voucher as a tool to deliver affordable fertilisers to farmers,” Ruto noted.
His deputy president Rigathi Gachagua corroborated with the President's directive by asking the provincial administrators to serve rather than suppress the people.
The second in command stated that it was regrettable that some of the administrators had used their offices to undermine leaders and advance political interests that divided the country.
“Do not engage in politics. That is not your constituency. Do what is right and serve all Kenyans, their backgrounds notwithstanding,” expounded Gachagua.
Other leaders present at the event were Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi among others.
The directive followed Ruto's effort to lower the cost of production that saw the National Treasury release Ksh3.6 billion for subsidised fertilizer in September
Agriculture Ministry Acting Principal Dr Francis Owino later announced that the fertiliser would be distributed through the National Cereals Board depots and sub-depots countrywide.
On November 21, Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, also explained how the Government would deal with maize shortage after it emerged that importation plans were underway.
Kuria emphasised that the farmers should directly sell the maize to millers after harvesting to prevent artificial shortage, which eventually leads to importation.
