President William Ruto has boasted of Kenya’s ability to increase food production, especially maize production from 40 million bags to 67 million bags in one season because of using fertilizer.
While speaking during the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit held at KICC in Nairobi, Ruto said that Kenya was only able to achieve huge growth because of the use of crop specific fertilizer under his subsidized fertilizer program.
Further, the head of state explained that the program was able to achieve its goals because of the integration of technology to ensure that farmers get the kind of products that they need.
The digital platform dubbed the e-voucher system was created to enable farmers buy subsidized fertilizers. It cost Kenya about Ksh2 billion to set up and run the system.
“A year ago, our agricultural production especially of maize was at 40 million bags. With the use of fertilizer in the last one and a half years, adequate, crop specific fertilizer, and we used the e Voucher. We have increased our agricultural production of maize from 40 million bags to 67 million bags in one season, just because of the use of fertilizer.
“If anyone had a doubt that the proper use of fertilizer gives results, Kenya’s case is a clear testimony that appropriate use of fertilizers that is crop specific and using technology to ensure that we give the right products to farmers, ensures growth,” he said.
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At the same time, the president underscored the importance of soil health and use of Africa’s uncultivated arable land to increase food production.
In addition, he noted that the absence of nitrogen fertilizer production plants, due to high capital requirements, proved the need for regional investment collaboration to enhance self-sufficiency in fertilizer manufacturing.
“Soil health and fertilizer are important because Africa has 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land. That potential is immense and unlocking that potential is central to our economic growth.
“I stand here to make a very strong case for a common strategy, joined investment, collective action and logistical collaboration to ensure that every arable acre of Africa’s land receives the right type and quantity of fertilizer,” added Ruto.
The summit is an African Union meeting which brought together the African Heads of State and Government, Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, high-ranking government officials, senior policy makers and private -sector players.
Other participants included representatives of farmers organizations and development agencies, including NGOs, scholars and scientists, and representatives of leading donor organizations.
The objective of the Summit was to highlight the crucial role of fertilizer and soil health in stimulating pro-poor productivity growth in African agriculture and to agree on an African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan as well as the Soils Initiative for Africa.
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At the same time, a motion supporting the impeachment of Linturi, presented by Bumuloa MP Jack Wamboka Wanami, garnered signatures from at least 110 members of the National Assembly earlier in April over the distribution of fake fertilizers to Kenyan farmers under the subsidy program.
A select committee, led by Marsabit Woman Representative Naomi Waqo, granted permission for the involved parties to submit their lists of witnesses and evidence. Additionally, the committee established the guidelines for the proceedings over the Impeachment on Linturi.
MP Wamboka is scheduled to present a total of 8 witnesses, including two experts and six farmers, to bolster their case.
“The CS must be impeached to restore sanity in the ministry and fast-track farmers compensation. The impeachment will cushion farmers from unscrupulous fertilizer business deals,”
“The motion is rooted in grave allegations of gross misconduct, violation of constitutional provisions and serious breach of public trust. The evidence presented before the assembly paints a distressing picture of negligence, mismanagement and potential of criminal activities within the ministry,” Wamboka said while presenting the impeachment motion.
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