Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi on Wednesday announced that Kenya has received 16,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer donated by the government of Algeria.

*Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi and Algerian Ambassador to Kenya Mahi Boumediene at the Port of Mombasa on January 24, 2024.*

Speaking in Mombasa while receiving the consignment, CS Linturi said the country needs about 900,000 metric tonnes of assorted fertilizer to adequately produce food in the country each year.

“As a country, we are humbled to receive 16,000 MT of urea fertilizer which is timely and in alignment with our cropping calendar,” he said.

“As a country, we require 900,000MT of assorted fertilizer to adequately produce our food. The government, through my ministry, is committed to ensuring that smallholder farmers continue to access subsidized fertilizer in order to cushion them against the high cost of production.”

He said that this year, the government is also planning to acquire 630,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer comprising of 50% basal and 50% topdressing.

“We are therefore increasing investment in edible oils, rice, cotton, tea and leather value chains. Fertilizer therefore becomes a critical element in ensuring that productivity of the prioritized crop value chains is achieved,” Linturi explained.

“In the current financial year, 2023-2024, my ministry has planned to acquire 630,000MT comprising 50% basal and 50% topdressing fertilizers. It is envisaged that the farmers who will access these fertilizers will be able to double their production in order to enhance the attainment of food and nutrition security.”

CS Linturi pointed out that the government has mapped and registered 6.4 million farmers who are expected to benefit from the subsidized fertilizer.

He underscored the importance of farming in the country saying the President William Ruto-led administration was committed to revamping the agricultural sector with a long-term goal of increasing food production in the country.

“The government has prioritized some value chains through the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) that we believe will be most effective in realizing food security, reducing food imports and increasing exports,” Linturi stated.

“To serve the farmers better, we have mapped and registered 6.4 million farmers alongside value chain actors such as agro-inputs dealers, aggregators, processors, extension service providers, marketing centers, transporters, among others.”

The Algerian Ambassador to Kenya, Mahi Boumediene, on his part lauded the move saying it will strengthen ties between the two countries.

By Joseph Muia