Anticipated Drop in Land Under Maize Likely to Cause Food Crisis in Kenya

As the planting season approaches, experts have warned of a looming food crisis in Kenya due to the anticipated drop in acreage under maize and wheat.

The long rains are just around the corner, and many farmers assemble their tools ready to put the seeds in the soil.

However, some farmers have already given up on planting this season, citing increased cost of inputs such as fertilizers is putting a strain on their pockets.

A bag of 5o kilogram of fertilizer is now retailing for up to a high of 7 000 shillings across the country.

Several framers say they would instead opt for planting maize entirely for their consumption rather than business and run at a loss, especially now that fertilizer prices are expected to be upward until June 2022.

The rising cost of farm inputs is majorly attributed to the ongoing Russia Ukraine War that has affected the supply of commodities globally.

The high prices of natural gas in Europe have forced some manufacturers to reduce production and stop others altogether.

The fertilizer cost had been rising in Kenya long before the war between the European nations began. In November 2021, for instance, a bag of DAP was sold for 5,000 shillings in Mombasa and 6,000 shillings for Urea. This cost was projected to increase to 7,000 shillings by 2022.

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This was due to the effects of Covid – 19 which the pandemic shook the production, consumption, supply, and distribution of the product, thus forcing the country to use its strategic reserves to enable it to revert to normalcy.

Under the current budget, fertilizer was factored in for coffee and tea farmers only, causing uproar from maize farmers.

Farmers now want the government to chip in and help reduce the farm input price to allow them to continue with businesses usual.

Some farmers have also called for support from their devolved leaders. The over 2000 farmers from Kesses who received a bag of fertilizer and seeds from the area MP are examples of such licenses.

Now more than ever, the government should look for a way to subsidize fertilizers for the sake of farmers. There should be various initiatives to ensure farmers do not abandon their farms this season.

This will help food security, especially now that the price of essential commodities is rising every day.