Nakuru farmers urged to prepare for heavy rainfall expected in the coming days
Farmers collecting seeds and fertilizers from the National Cereals and Produce Board
As the long rains make their arrival across the Rift Valley, farmers must not wait, and now is the time to prepare your land, conduct soil tests, and visit your nearest National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot to secure subsidized fertilizer and certified seed before stocks run out.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast enhanced rainfall across many parts of the country, giving smallholder farmers cautious optimism.
The weatherman projects near-to-above-average rainfall for the region, a welcome signal for those counting on a productive planting window after a run of difficult seasons.
At NCPB depots, subsidized certified maize seed is available at Sh600 per 2kg packet, with subsidized fertilizer similarly priced — a significant saving compared to the Sh4,000 to Sh6,000 that private agrovet dealers charge in the open market.
However, farmers are approaching the depots with eyes wide open, as in 2024, thousands of Rift Valley farmers received substandard fertilizer through the very same government subsidy program. Rather than boosting yields, the inputs devastated crops across the region, leaving families who had borrowed money to plant staring at failed harvests and mounting debt.
Meshack Wafula says he lost nearly two acres of crop that season.
“I followed all the instructions. I planted on time, I applied the fertilizer as directed — and then I watched everything die,” he says, noting that this year he’s as hopeful as last season to
Racheal Cherono echoes the sentiment and says the 2024 losses forced her to take a loan she had been trying to repay.
“The subsidized price was supposed to help us, but instead it put some of us in debt,” she recalls. “I will still buy from NCPB because the price is right, but I am taking my soil test results with me so I know exactly what I need.”
Agricultural officers have encouraged farmers to carry out soil testing before purchasing any inputs, and to report any irregularities in fertilizer quality to county agricultural offices immediately.