Government To Compensate Farmers Who Received Fake Fertilizer

The government has announced a compensation plan to alleviate the distress of farmers affected by the distribution of alleged fake fertilizer.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh confirmed on Saturday that the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is currently collecting data from those affected.

Ronoh stated that farmers who have yet to begin planting will have farm input replaced, noting that they have since recalled the specific brand discovered to be substandard.

Furthermore, those who have already planted with the brand will have it replaced with top dressing to address nutrient deficiencies in the plants.

"We are engaging the farmers who were affected, and we have directed NCPB to move ahead and facilitate them by capturing the data and ascertaining the information, so they are assisted," he said.

"We have been able to analyse the substandard fertiliser and establish the nutrient that was missing in it."

The most affected areas which have been identified, he said, are some counties in the North Rift and a few other areas in the South Rift where planting started in March.

Farmers in Narok, Bomet, Nyamira, and Kisii who planted in January were not affected, he said.

The PS did not, however, give the exact number of the farmers affected saying it is "insignificant" as they arrested the situation in good time.

Addressing the press after a meeting with the departmental heads at his office, Ronoh at the same time emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring agricultural inputs meet quality standards.

He assured the country that all those involved in the distribution and manufacture of counterfeit products will face the full force of the law.

The investigations, he said, are ongoing to get to the bottom of the problem.

He pointed out that as a Ministry they are working with all the agencies to ensure that the farm inputs not only the fertilizer being distributed meet the required standards.

"I want to assure the public that there will be no more distribution of counterfeit farm inputs not only fertilizer but also seeds and pesticides in our country," he stated.

"What you will only be hearing are people in jail and people in court," he affirmed.

He said the government cannot allow food security to be messed up with by a few saboteurs.

According to the PS, the company involved in the manufacture of the fake fertilizer has since been closed and the license is withdrawn.